Opinion: Is it really to our benefit to make Arteta the centre of everything?

Mikel Arteta was made the manager of Arsenal late last year and he has proven to be an inspiring appointment.

The former Manchester City assistant manager has been at the Emirates for less than a year, but he has already won two trophies for the club.

He has also helped some of the players who had been struggling at the Emirates to become better players.

Arsenal has been busy in the transfer window as they try to reshape their team and get them prepared for an assault on the top four.

The club has signed the likes of Willian, Gabriel Magalhaes and Dani Ceballos in this transfer window. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is also set to sign a new deal with the club.

One key influence in getting these deals done is Arteta. I think it is just perfect that we now have a manager that can help us sign the best players in the world.

A manager is sometimes key to keeping your best players or making a top signing, but it is really smart for such an important part of your club to be reliant on the manager?

We all know that managers come and go regardless of the success they have achieved, isn’t it counterintuitive to make your manager the key influence in decisions like this when you know, he will leave eventually?

What happens when Arteta decides to leave and our new manager doesn’t have the charisma to attract or keep top players?

I hope we should have a rethink of this and maybe make the club run without so much influence from the manager. 

An article from Ime

Tags Mikel Arteta

82 Comments

  1. I think it’s ok for the manager to have a hand in incoming players. He should not be the only individual deciding on players coming in and leaving, however.
    What top manager would join a club knowing he has no say in players coming in? Also, what top club in their right mind would give any manager the sole decision on incoming players?

    1. 👍 If not supported in the transfer market, the only option for a head coach/manager is to move on.
      How can they be held accountable for the performance of players they have no say in bringing to the Club, taking into account they knew the squad they inherited.

  2. I think you should give your article a rethink. Say he stays 8years and has success. Heck let’s say 3 years from now he leaves, in that time he trains a Luiz to be a manager or his assistant. Passes on knowledge builds a strong infrastructure a club culture that lasts forever. Ifs and buts however that is positive. Why all the negatives.

    Wenger built a culture that became outdated but lasted 20 years think about that. Emery couldn’t handle that building a club. He handled the player staff only. Arteta is building a culture and not alone. Vinai, Edu, the entire club are

  3. Absolute power corrupts absolutely (Dalber-Acton). Sad but true. Arteta should be given the power to choose players, full authority over the team including disciplining prima donnas irrespective of their position in the food chain. But adopting a Wengerlike monopoly of power is a sure recipe for chaos. Let arteta Identify players then others should work to bring those targets in.

    1. James,That simplistic and only sometimes true old saying(absolute power etc) is lazy thinking . Or shows even no real thinking.

      THERE ARE COUNTLESS EXAMPLES IN FOOTBALL AND IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE WHERE TRUE ALTRUISTIC PEOPLE HAVE ABSOLUTE POWER AND USE IT WISELY AND WELL. Just as there also are to the contrary.Bill and Melinda Gates are just two prime examples of powerful people who do massive good using their financial power.

      Before trotting out tired old sayings as gospel, you need far more experience of how life works in so many areas. LAZY THINKING IS NOT HELPFUL , NOR IS THAT ONLY SOMETIMES TRUE SAYING.

        1. ozzie, totally agree and that kind of leadership, in almost all walks of life , very much includingfootball , works so much better than wishy washy committees where it is hard to get real leadership or quick decisions. AFC has been a revelation since MA took over as our leader. And WHAT a leader too!

      1. When will you ever learn to talk to people politely? you think because you have a few knowledge, you are better than everybody else? Guy, learn to dey always calm down abeg

  4. For me, the manager is the most important person in a club regarding success on the pitch. And only he knows which players he needs to achieve his plans. Of course he could say lets splash the cash in short term solutions, no matter what is in three years. But it is the boards decision whether they can trust the manager or not. If there are any doubts then it might be the wrong manager.

    1. Exactly Tello ,Emery couldn’t be trusted with signings and that did show in the end ,I believe he had input in a lot of the 12 players signed in his 18 months here but he couldn’t get the best out of them ,Arteta came in and showed with the same players what could be accomplished and this a manager who is new to the game .
      I don’t for one second believe it was because of communication difficulties ,he was speaking broken English in his first day interview.
      Arteta is now showing me that he could be a new breed of manager who if backed could really do wonders with this club ,he’s played under one of the best and been assistant under another .

      1. Great post Dan and a superb last sentence – we need to back him 100% both on and off the pitch.
        I have this feeling that he is one game and one player away from being questioned by a few on here.
        But thank goodness, it seems more fans are willing to let him select who and play the way he wants too – winning trophies is a great way to concentrate minds on the positives.

            1. SueP, justwait and see who he selects in the squad, if we lose or draw, when the substitutions are made, who he chooses to let go, if we sign any more players and who they are…you betcha there will be!!!!

              1. While I don’t really understand the point this article is trying to make, it did make me ask whether there has ever been a team in PL that has had consistent success without a powerful manager. Maybe Chelsea. To a lesser extent pre-Pep City. In Europe the top teams do seem more able to chop and change managers and maintain a high level of success.

      2. Dan kit, what is the evidence that “Emery wasn’t trusted with transfers”?
        Don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story!
        Emery came to the Club with the “gang of three” model in place, to be the “head coach” not the “manager”. This was one of the reason why managers like Allegri didn’t want the job. Emery wanted Partey and Zaha and was denied these players.
        Emery is now gone, so how long are you going to blame him for all the ills at Arsenal, when he was only at the Emirates for 18 months.
        It will be interesting to see how much support Arteta will get from the Board and senior executive. So far after 7 weeks of the current transfer window, Arsenal (and Arteta’s) number one target is still unsigned and the Club’s 29 goal a season forward’s contract renewal will finally be announced. The future does not look bright and I fear for Mikel Arteta.

        1. I’m not sure about Zaha, but it was reported that Emery wanted the french DM (I forgot his name) that played for him at Sevilla (not Partey), and Mislintat got Torreira instead, who in my opinion, is a lot better and younger than the French guy. As for Arteta, he’s doing fine so far with the resources available to him, and hopefully we’ll (at least) get Partey before the window closes.

            1. AY75, Nzonzi would have been an upgrade on Torreira; however as I recall Partey was the number one priority for midfield.
              I also support Mikel Arteta, but I am worried the promised support to back him will not be forthcoming. There is too much smoke and mirrors so far in this transfer window; however I’ll try to be positive until it closes. Arteta must be given the players he believes he needs, to meet the expectations of the fans.

              1. Ozzie ,you keep telling us that Emery didn’t get the players he wanted ,so does that not show he wasn’t trusted with transfers or am I missing something .
                Why would you come to a club knowing that you have input in transfers ,he was bought in by Raul and the club was conned into his appointment .
                He was quickly found out and the rest is history maybe you should leave it there .

                1. Dan, I explained that, it was well known at the time that other high profile managers such as Allegri and Ancellotti rejected any involvement with the Arsenal position because of this constraint of insufficient input in player transfers.

  5. Your post is quite unnecessary. Is Edu not the technical director? You want to think Edu and Arteta don’t work hand in hand? Stop whipping up unnecessary sentiments

  6. Is he really “the centre of everything”? How do you know? And how do you define “everything”? Come on, you talkers…

  7. I’ve no problem with MA having absolute power because when things go bad its the Manager fans and pundits point at.

    Nobody will accuse Edu, Fammy or Vinai. Its always the Manager so he should have his fingers in every football decision.

    He bears the ultimate responsibility.

  8. I agree with the first 6 paragraphs; this is where the article should have ended. The last 4 paragraphs missed the mark.

  9. Trust is earned my boy, Wenger earned it to extent he ran all things football at Arsenal. Is/was that a bad thing of course not. Wenger was and still is one of the most celebrated and revered football minds of the last 25 years same as fergie.

    Now, Arteta has not been given wenger-esque control or will he ever likely to be. The board have been burned once with Wenger. His tenure could be split almost perfectly in 2 halfs, first half the glory days and the second the struggles. The club have showed confidence and extreme trust in Arteta to take his opinion in the highest regard in terms of football matters.

    In the modern era the same goes for Pep and Klopp. These guys have earned the right to have trust in their guidance of how the team should progress. They don’t have opinions on commercial residential or any other business the club undertakes why should they. So why shouldn’t Arteta be given the same level of trust let him manage the football matters which he’s has done brilliantly. In 9 months we’ve gone from a relegation battle to European qualification and 2 trophies.

    We are signing damn good players in the right areas of the team. He does not take shit is very open and offers the transparency we’ve all craved. He is not afraid to make the big calls either. Arteta will make wonderful Arsenal team manager with Edu and Huss hopefully we can move forward.

    1. James, please name these “damn good players”, Arsenal is signing? Willian on a free, Gabriel at CB agreed could work out well, but the return on loan of Ceballos will not fully address the deficiencies in midfield to allow Arsenal to compete against the top sides.

      1. Be realistic were not going to be competitive with top sides after 1 summer with Arteta so don’t expect it.

        Cebellos, Willian, Gabriel, Saliba, the resigning of Auba, Soures will be a solid signing f not spectacular as well as Pablo Mari. You don’t class them as damn good players? I didn’t say they were world class did I. Just re-read what I wrote and no I didn’t address them as world class players.

        We have 3 key factors that have to be addressed 1. the amount of overpaid dross in our squad that should never have been signed, we need to ship them out 2. The Balance of the squad needs to be re-established 3. We have no money until a. players are sold b. their contracts expire and their wages are off our end of year balance sheets c. We tart winning big things and qualify for the champions league.

        Everyone is saying and have said we have to sign this that and the other players all players out of our price range. Bring in Partey bring in Coutinho, bring in Thiago, bring in Aouar, those signings are not going to happen unless we make big money. Its as if people set these demands up so they have ammunition. So you can have a go when the window shuts or we lose games and we haven’t signed these unicorn players. All the planets will have to align and Ozil will pay all the wasted wages we’ve given him over the last 3 years, its never gonna happen.

        Lower your expectations please cause I’m fed up gooners doing more whinging than supporting

        1. James, I am pleased that the CB position has been addressed, although Saliba was bought last year and have no complaint regarding Soares. I don’t disagree with the points you have made about the ills of the past not being fixable in one transfer window. However as a long term supporter I am sick to death of being lied to and expectations lifted, only to be dashed by reality. I would be satisfied if the Club, openly informed fans of the real financial situation.
          We were told that leaving the Arsenal’s spiritual home at Highbury, spending a fortune to build the Emirates and going through a time of player sales and privation, was going to lead to the promised land of competing not only with the top EPL clubs, but the best teams in Europe.
          Instead Arsenal has just finished eighth, competing with Wolves, Everton, Spurs, Sheffield United, Leicester City and Burnley. All these clubs are strengthening and Arteta needs to be provided with the players to compete.

  10. It’s been reported that Martinez has agreed personal terms with Aston villa, Arsenal will never change 20million for Martinez when Ramsdale cost 25million.

    1. Lenohapy, Martinez has apparently been bought by Aston Villa for about £20 million on a 4 year contract at a wage of £60k per week, 3 times his wage at Arsenal. Great business by Aston Villa.
      Arsenal are going to have problems, getting a replacement for a reasonable fee, so they may need to promote Matt Macey and the best goal keeper (there are a number) in the Academy to number 3.

      1. Ozziegunner this club makes me sick sometimes, how can you sell a complete keeper who still have 2 years on his contract for just 20million when Chelsea bought that average keeper for 72million. Martinez is everything Leno cannot be and we are selling not even for 30million, our youngsters are sold for disgraceful amounts, Liverpool sold Solanke for 30million, Chelsea sold Ola Aina for 15million, Leicester sold that guy( can’t remember his name) to Chelsea for 50million, even Aston villa just paid 30million for a championship player, but arsenal can’t even negotiate a good price for Sokratis Holding Bellerin AMN Torreira Lacazette, I really don’t understand what’s going on with this club. This Martinez news is the saddest arsenal transfer news have heard in 7years, this even top RVP going to United.Am so sad, we keep selling all the players that knows what it means to play for Arsenal and retaining the likes of Ozil Sokratis.

        1. I still don’t want to believe the club is going to sell Martinez. This guy seems to be better than Leno in the games he’s played. Why not offer him a better pay than Aston Villa are, and still leave the no.1 spot open. And they should both get enough game time, if Arteta handles them like Wenger did Ospina and Szczesny when he had them both. Letting go of Martinez isn’t really a good idea.

          1. 👍 👍 As we say in Australia, you wouldn’t trust this mob to competently run the chook (“chicken”) raffle at the local pub.

            1. As much as Martinez as been in astounding from recently where was you lot the last 10 years telling us he was world class ,because from where I’ve been watching I’ve not seen one fan before the last 6 months telling us he should be number one and he’s worth 50 million ,I’m not taking away is class but like I said fair wether fans spring to mind (flavour of the mouth another ).

              1. Dan kit, I personally raised Emi Martinez to be given an opportunity when Szczesny left Arsenal.
                Anyway, no longer relevant given Martinez is moving on.

        2. I don’t feel happy either, but we should not leave emotions prevail. There is no way to keep two top goalkeepers happy. Martinez wants to be no 1 and play week in week out, and rightly so. Arteta could not give him such guarantees. So for him, leaving was the only way forward. I wish him well and will always will be in every gooner’s heart for his loyalty and dedication as well for the brief spell that saw him win two trophies with the Arsenal

  11. Arsenal are supposedly set to announce Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s contract extension tomorrow. #AFC

    What a Friday it promises to be!! 👌

    1. Sue, unfortunately to me losing a great goal keeper for a song and taking forever and a day to re sign Aubameyang on £375 per week is not a promising Friday.
      Why do you think Arsenal have left this announcement to the eve of the first game of the new season? It is a cynical attempt to deflect attention from their abysmal efforts to move unwanted players out and bring required upgrades in. Why can Wolves, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Sheffield United, Everton, Chelsea et al do business to improve their squads and Arsenal sits on its hands.? I’m sorry, I find it hard to stay positive; however the window doesn’t close until October.

      1. You’re probably right, Ozzie… although I’ve been wanting this to happen for so long, it was imperative we kept Auba, so to say I’m happy is an understatement!
        As for Martinez, yes it’s not good, but Villa are offering him more money than what we were.. he’ll slot straight in as their No.1… He’s 28 and has been with us for 10 whole years on various loans! We can’t begrudge him this. What a role model he’s been!
        I guess the only thing I’m thankful for is that he hasn’t ended up at Chelsea! 🙏

      2. Allow me to say that Arsenal, apart from Chelsea, has probably done the best business up until this day. And there is more to come. You must realise that you can’t just walk in some store and pick players off the shelf.

    2. Am sorry Sue there’s nothing to be excited about Aubamayang signing, the club has brought back Guedouzi which means we are not buying another midfielder, how do we expect to compete with the likes of a past it Ozil, an average Ceballos, an overrated Guedouzi ( who to me doesn’t have any real skill) a one way Xhaka or Torreira who is always on the floor, an improved Elneny (but still average) how do we expect to compete in 4 competitions with that midfield for a whole season. Am not being negative but I don’t just see how we are going to compete with the likes of Chelsea city United Liverpool with that midfield. They keep delaying this Aubamayang news so as to cover there incompetence SMH.

      1. Oh come on Lenohappy, of course we’ll buy another midfielder. 2 would be ideal, but we’ll definitely get 1…
        Sales will take place (hopefully before the final day of the window 😂).
        And I’m glad Ceballos is back!
        And I’m sorry but nobody is peeing on my cornflakes – I’m going to be the happiest girl in the world later, when Auba’s news breaks, which is the best thing we’ll have done this window!

      2. were not going to compete this season lower your expectations and if we get fourth or win the Europa you’ll be pleasantly surprised

  12. It is reported that Aouar has submitted a transfer request to move from Lyon. Interested clubs are supposedly Juventus, Manchester City and Arsenal. If a bidding war results forget Arsenal, unless Arsenal is Aouar’s preference for game time, London life style etc.

    1. Ozziegunner, why don’t you leave Arsenal and support another team since you seem to be disgusted with Arsenal? Reading your views, one gets the feeling that you have lost hope in Arsenal. Why then punish yourself by sticking with the same club? It is one thing to criticise constructively and another to be outright negative which your comments seem to portray.

        1. not the truth he wants us to spend and sign players Liverpool, Chelsea man utd and City sign. He’s negative and unrealistic and doesn’t realise this Arsenal is not the same Arsenal of 15 years ago

          1. in fact we never pent the money that Manuel’s Chelsea City and Liverpool did then before the Kronkes so why does he expect us to do it now

        2. NO he isnt though – just check what clubs were after Willian, Gabriel, Auba, Bellerin Tierney and then start to think about it more.
          Partey has said that the only club he wants to transfer to is The Arsenal – WHY?

          Yet again, the negativity of some of our fans is incredible – we’ve just won two trophies for goodness sake!!!

      1. David, after 58 years since age 10 of following the Arsenal, I have seen highs and lows. Maybe, I am too old to change and am a masochist at heart.
        If you have any information to cheer me up, I look forward to hearing it to change the cold hard reality as I see it.

      2. David, some people are fed by their own negativity. Whatever you do they won’t change the habit to see the world in dull colours.

        1. Actually, David and Guemboozy, I am normally a very positive person, who tries to see the best in people and the world in a good light. However, Arsenal’s current Board and senior executive, with their lies to build false expectations, have worn me down.

          1. Ozziegunner, I have been following Arsenal for 50 years myself and I want to believe that the era of mediocrity and the occasional cup is almost over. It’s been since 2004 without a league title and probably we will have to wait a bit more until we become contenders again, but the first steps are taken!

  13. Am getting really irritated by some arsenal supporters….

    I know arsenal has been really poor on and off the pitch over the years
    But guys come on, if you’re going to be a fan, then at least bring in some positive energy to this team and the people around it. Pls let’s stop this negativity.
    Just imagine your an arsenal player right now, would you by any chance want to login to this site and read some of these comments.
    I am gutted just like you are every time arsenal lose
    F**k I want arsenal to sign mbappe, partey and KDB, but see that will never happen(except partey😉) no matter how much I want it to

    Win or lose we’ll still love this club
    End of story

    1. “Win or lose, we’ll still love this club. End of story”…… Nice one, Son! With that name I’m tempted to say “On me head” 😂 groan 😂

    2. Son,

      same here. These are the toxic fans. They are unable to do a simple comparison of last December and now. And what happened in the last two months. An Arsenal metamorphosis! Even journalists hostile to Arsenal are admitting that this year Arsenal can do much better and that we are on a good way. Only toxic fans can never get happiness out of anything.

  14. OT..West Ham are set to terminate Wilshere’s contract. 16 league appearances in 2 years!! 😱
    Such a shame, all those injuries and all that talent! What a waste…

  15. The board didn’t make him 1st team manager last year because it was a HUGE risk signing someone with NO managerial experience. So they didn’t want to give too much power

    Now that he’s proved that he’s up to the job and helped us get 2 trophies he deserves to be first team manager

    This is the correct method. We should treat players the same way. Players should earn their first team position and high salaries before they get them

  16. with the assistance of the likes of Edu and others i hope arteta will make wise decisions unlike Wenger did at the end of his tenure.

    1. People like you are so unthankful, Wenger did so much for the club. He made us what we are today, won lot of trophies, kept us in the champions League even through stadium debt and all that. The little bit of structure you are left with at the moment is there from Wenger’s era. Some times selling players and keeping them is not as simple as people like you make on this site.

      1. Mohsan, in response to you (and I have no problem in you defending Arsene Wenger on the basis of his career overall) the Arsenal did have an esteemed history as a football club, including great managers before Arsene Wenger. It hopefully will in its future as well. 😄😁

  17. @Ime, Arteta was made our Manager yesterday. He joined us as Head Coach last year. Yes I am being pedantic as these little things annoy me, like people thinking we play in the Premiership when it’s the Premier League.

  18. I have always been in favour of Manager having the full power over who the club should sign and who they should sell but with a check & balance from someone at the club. After all they are managing the team so they know what is required and what not, they know what sort of player needs to come in and who are surplus to their plan. Some one at the club should then keep an eye on this transfer activity if they find manager is making stupid decisions then should talk to them with reasoning if they still continue then just take that power away.

Comments are closed

Top Blog Sponsors