Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been sent a clear warning by one of the club’s Invincibles: Robert Pires.
Like most Gooners, Pires has been watching Arsenal’s bright start to the season with keen interest.
Having picked up 13 points from a possible 18 in a tricky run that included clashes with Manchester United, Manchester City, Newcastle and Liverpool, the Gunners look possessed with title-winning intent.
Buoyed by a summer spending spree that saw the club recruit top-tier talent for Arteta, Arsenal now boast one of the finest squads in Europe, with genuine quality in depth.
Tricky Situation for Arteta
With this squad finally in place, Pires believes it is time for Arteta to deliver and warns that failure to win the league could cost him his job.
“In my opinion, if this year there is no trophy, the management will think about finding another coach.
“He’s been there five years, and unfortunately, the title has eluded him. What matters most to the fans is the championship.
“Money was spent in the summer window. Arteta made specific demands, and the board backed him.
“If Arsenal aren’t champions, I think there’ll definitely be a change on the bench.” as per Foot Mercato,
About Time for Arsenal
Three times now, Arsenal have come up short in the title race.
Given how far the Kroenkes went to fund Andrea Berta and Arteta’s ambitious rebuild, another season ending in second place will not be taken lightly.
If Arsenal finish as runners-up once again, heads may well roll.
And few have articulated the stakes as clearly as Pires.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Daniel O
__________________________________________________________________________________________
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
If Mikel delivers the UCL and fails on the EPL he derseves another dance but if he fails on both fronts it won’t be cruel to show him the exit & find some one that can deliver.
Mikel Arteta’ is unlikely to lose his job despite potential May outcomes , because his position is back by the club long term vision, a clear project, and the support of the board,not just short term results.
The focus is on overall development and sustainability, with an end of season review aim at constructive improvements rather than an judgment of his job security.
Further more he is seen as vital to the clubs progress, having instill a strong a strong atmosphere, eradicate toxicity, and built a competitive team.
This is not some cook shop the Kroenke’s are in charge of, they are in control of a well run club
Gunsmoke,
While I hear what your saying, your comment regarding not just short term results. It’s been 6 years now, how long should these phase’s and the project whatever you want to call it, be excepted before Arteta becomes answerable for the teams short comings. 🤷♂️
Gunsmoke has presented a considered assessment of the situation.
Let me ask you a few questions:
Have you done any serious evaluation of Arteta’s time as a manager?
How do you assess the answerability of a manager for a team’s performance?
How do you build a team that is capable of challenging the best teams in world football for major titles?
What would you have done differently from the club to achieve those titles that you crave?
David,
Arteta has done many good things since taking over at Arsenal, of that theirs no doubt.
He’s built a good team over time.
He got them competing and challenging for titles again.
He’s got the connection back with the fans.
And that’s all very commendable. But he’s now into his 6th full season now. And like it or not, he needs to produce something tangible now.
We can’t keep going on about the team having potential, there comes a time when the team must produce. And if they don’t then the Manager needs to be looked at.
Back in the Wenger days, the team had potential, and the difference between his team and Arteta’s, is they fulfilled their potential.
And until Arteta’s team does similar, the doubts will remain.
Derek
HD may well point out a good number of trophy less years I for one revered Wenger, but it doesn’t alter the fact that the last league title was 2 decades ago. You have frequently raised your impatience but Arteta isn’t at fault for all it. For me, I’m ok with being right in the mix. Entitled, I am not
SueP,
And I’m not entitled either. You said it yourself, it’s been two decades since we won the League.
And your right, Arteta isn’t at fault for all of it. I would be like this with any manager, not just Arteta. People can come on here and say that we’ve not won the league under any manager for two decades and they’d be right.
But that doesn’t mean that we have to remain quite and just be content to challenge for the title, but still fail when we get to the business end of the season.
Please tell me SueP, how is that being entitled. I think twenty years of anyone’s life waiting to win the title, that would be showing patients.
I would be coming at it from a different angle Derek, if there had been a reasonably level playing field over the last 20 or so years. The league was dominated by two teams under Wenger until the Abramovitch era. Until he was forced to sell, Chelsea were almost always in the mix & there was the cost of the new stadium to factor in. Add in the Man City ownership then it became a group of 4 & Pep took them to a different level. The drop off by Arsenal and the necessity to rebuild and a great manager in Klopp, also further pushed back our chances. Just because we had previously won it during a a different era doesn’t automatically become a ‘right’. Hence my view that we are not entitled just because of our past history.
I hope Pires is not eyeing Arteta’s place on the Arsenal bench because nobody’s gonna offer it to him.
Pires is correct. Henry also echoed similar sentiments multiple times. Arteta also feels the same. It’s now or never. For Arsenal to be champions the opposition also need to hit the deck. For Pool to be champions 25, Arsenal suffered in unprecedented injuries. Similarly Pool have defensive frailities which opponents have begun to capitalise. VVD near 35 and Konate injury prone. City the looming verdict. Chelsea at crossroads with its always changing best eleven. These make Arsenal advantageous coupled with its new found squad depth in quality. Of course bar the pgmol inconsistent treatment.
Well said Gunsmoke. Agree completely.
As long as Arteta has us finishing in the top 4 and qualifying for Champions’ League I doubt he is going anywhere.
They have build a squad of his chosen players to the tune of 1.1 billion or thereabouts. Arteta has shown improvement and growth, so much so that Kroenkes’ have made him one of the highest paid managers in football.
They have backed their faith with money; both in the squad and Arteta’s salary. People may be false and mislead, but money rarely does.
Shocking if they abruptly change course with a new manager if Arteta fails to win a trophy but still finishes top 4.
Too much invested in money and system building to switch managers at this point.
I think the next 3 years are crucial for Arteta at Arsenal. The next 3 years have to result in tangible rewards like titles and/or trophies, or else the axe may fall. A complete squad with quality and depth, winning something with this squad is not an unreasonable ask.
Project is bearing fruit at this point, and there must be something to harvest, don’t see what the squad is lacking since we have quality depth and competition in every single position.