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Should Arsenal fans now be very worried indeed?

Should Arsenal fans be worried?

It’s been almost two years since Mikel Arteta took over as the head coach of Arsenal. And yet the current team in Red and White lack a proper identity.

When Arteta won his first silverware as a coach, many believed that he had a master plan ready. That he was the “next big thing.”

But it didn’t take long for the believers to be converted into doubters, after the Gunners went on a torrid run before Christmas.

Many Arsenal supporters still doubt Arteta’s ability to guide the club back to “where they belong.” But majority of performances under him have shown that they are already there: mid-table.

Last season, apart from a handfulof wins that fans would consider “impressive,” the former Manchester City assistant’s team looked perplexed and short of ideas.

This season, despite being Europe’s biggest spenders, Arsenal continue to look insipid. The team has changed. The atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium has changed.

But one thing that remains the same is the manager. We are eight games into the Premier League season and the North London side has only one impressive win to show for.

That obviously came against their arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur. But the win against Sp*rs wasn’t representative of Arteta’s Arsenal.

The draw against Crystal Palace and uninspiring performances against Brentford, Brighton, Chelsea and Man City was.

We don’t look like a team that’s ever going to click in the final third under Arteta. The fans who have supported the Spaniard argue that the defense has been largely good under his command.

But only seven teams in the Premier League have conceded more. On the other hand, 14 teams have scored more goals than Arsenal. Fourteen!

Although the players not giving up a fight and scoring a late equalizer was commendable, the overall picture looks worrying under Arteta.

It’s been almost two years since Arteta took over, and if he can’t find the answers sooner, nobody can argue that he didn’t have the answers to begin with.

Yash Bisht

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55 Comments

  1. Anything other than a convincing win v Villa and he must go. So many refused to either understand or believe what the “Realists” have been saying for over 12 months. Perhaps that performance last night will finally wake them up. This club will being going nowhere very fast with this incompetent novice as manager.

    2. Don’t count on it. If two years of inexplicable performances haven’t made some realise we are running very fast on a treadmill, nothing will.

      1. This is what I don’t understand,the fans that come up with if we win the next 2 games…or get 9 pts out of the next 4/5 games..they don’t seem to understand/realise it or admit that we are 2 years in MA tenure, over 200M spent on players,he was given so many passes,covid,needed a couple of transfers windows,a full pre-season,to get rid of the troublemakers/deadwood,get his own players,then get the injured players back… Despite all of it,there hasn’t been any improvements in performances/results,still no clear identity,how much more time and money does he need? haven’t we the fans been patient enough?just look at what other managers have done during those same 2 years with smaller budget,the likes of Moyes, Rodgers, Potter even Viera and those who didn’t deliver got sacked by their clubs.

  2. I think all fans have been worried. Both those who still hold out hope Arteta is the man and those who have given up on him or never believed in him.

    I was positive about him when he took over from Emery. I “gave up on him” around the Europa League games against Villareal. I regained a glimmer of hope after the Spurs game.
    But now having witnessed our lame efforts the past two games have given up reasonable hope.

    My biggest worry is the question, when Arteta will be replaced and who will replace him? I now believe the sooner the better in terms of when. But I think it is crucial to try to get an experienced manager and not an interim manager. This will be near impossible IMO.

    In the meantime, I will hope with each game that Arteta and the boys prove me wrong and will root for them each and every game.

    Arteta is a good man who wants the best for Arsenal and deserves respect. Unfortunatly he is not that man, I think.

  3. One step forward, two steps back is becoming the norm for the modern-day Arsenal.
    What can anyone say that hasn’t been said before now. I fail to understand the celebration when lacazette scored a draw at home to palace sitting at the bottom half of the table. It’s obvious the players have bought to the idea that we are a mid table team

  4. I’m getting worried and will only be very worried if we can’t get at least six points from the next three EPL games

    If Arteta was a defensive-minded manager like Benitez, Rodgers and Simeone, I’d understand his decision to sit back after the first goal. But he’s supposed to adopt Guardiola’s/ Wenger’s attacking football philosophies and he’s been managing Arsenal for almost two years

    Aubameyang is old, but Smith-Rowe and Odegaard are able to press high up the pitch for at least forty minutes. Lastly, Lokonga has got enough chances, so it’s time to play a hungrier and faster DM ahead of him

        1. @gai
          RealTalk right there…
          Many on here are too quick to write off AMN. But compared to Lokongo, Xhaka or Elneny, he has the quickest recovery time and is more defense minded, which is best suited for a partnership with Partey in midfield…IJS

          1. What I like about Maitland-Niles:

            – Has been playing with other academy graduates longer than the new DMs like Lokonga

            – Used to play as an attacking LWB, so he could be a surprise if he runs from the left pivot position. If Tierney and Smith-Rowe can’t cut inside from the left wing, Maitland-Niles could do it and shoot from time to time

            – Faster than other DMs at Arsenal and has never disappointed (yet) when playing as a DM

          2. 👍 Point well made. The only issue with AMN in the past has been lapses in concentration, but that was in the past prior to the FA Cup run.

    2. You have been worried for the entire duration of his tenure so far and since last season you have given a lot of “if he can’t such and such points in the next such games” or “if he is not in the top 6 by a particular month” but you still apologize for his shortfalls.

      I like you GAI you are a nice bloke but I don’t relate at all to your Arteta posts. They are always the same and you don’t keep your promises of truly judging him by the time you set.

    3. Lokonga has got enough chances???? In what world did a player coming from Belgium at his age disappoint with the few chances he got?

      For me, Lokonga has surprised on the upside.

    4. Exactly my point Gai. Why can’t Arteta believe enough in some of his players like AMN in midfield when will he ever develop? And does the fact that Lacazette would be leaving means he can’t be maximally used before his departure? Some coaches have proven that you don’t really need more than a season to impress your ideas on a team. Arteta is in his 2nd season. Will wait and see what happens in the next 3 games.

  5. I am now reduced to keeping a very close eye on events surrounding Mr Kroenke in January.

    And I do not mean the transfer window.

  6. Football fans are such drama queens.
    Lose one game and 90% of their fan base implode warning of impending Armageddon, Apocalypse the end times.
    Right now Man U are in the relegation zone Man City are having a horror season and Liverpool need to sack Klopp now and we all know if Tuchel does not win the league he will be down the road kicking stones.
    Most fans of every club are in a perpetual state of self imposed emotional meltdown the more dramatic the more wailing the better.
    Most football fans love losing so they can whinge, whine and moan. When Arsenal went 3 wins 1 draw the moaners hardly visited JustArsenal. A couple of draws and they are coming back out from under their rocks to whine and wail which is the only thing they are good at.

    1. Those teams you mentioned are all in Europe and have won major title each in the last three seasons. Get a grip.

        1. Sorry brother I can’t listen to them. That will be like listening to someone complaining how terrible the food is on luxury restaurants while I am surviving on cabbage soup.

    3. If you have read my past articles on Arteta, you would know that I’ve never been truly convinced by him, except after he won the FA Cup.
      Don’t speak when you don’t have the full info.
      Have a good day mister

    4. It’s not one game though – when are we going to see signs of something building? I think most people are sensible enough to accept and even be pleased at this point with poor result from a really strong performance, but that’s not what’s happening.

  7. Unless Arteta performs disastrously, he will not be fired till the end of the season, sadly. Reason being we are on Amazon all or nothing. And I just kinda get it why they pick us. Hiring a manager who has never managed any team before and giving him full support for a squad overhaul, truly all or nothing.

    I just hope we dont end up with really nothing when arteta is fired and hopefully some of his players are good enough for the next manager.

  8. So thrilled to be at the Emirates after such a long time and going a goal up against Palace who were pretty poor was a real lift. The problem was that there seemed no desire to finish them off. Their keeper looked shaky when we pressed him, but that fizzled out. We didn’t go for the jugular. I felt we were better overall in the first half but the Palace goal really awakened their supporters who were really vocal and the impetus went to them and we did the usual sideways passing without looking threatening. What’s wrong with playing more direct football? No ideas at all.

    The second goal was not particularly surprising as CP looked as though they’d score when they went forward and we didn’t. While Ramsdale got the bit between the teeth- taking throw ins and urging the team forward during the closing minutes the patient slow build up by Arsenal was ridiculous. A stranded Martinelli at the corner flag with no help and players static in the box waiting for him to cross the ball. That really got the crowd going.

    It was only the final couple of minutes that the players woke up and crowd got going on the strength of it and the goal went in.

    Arteta needs to do a lot more. The benefit of the doubt does not extend beyond December. I had – not high hopes – but certainly hopes that he’d come good. He is running out of time now. It’s not an easy job and one that he should not have been offered but Arteta deserved 2 years to make an impact.

    2. So sorry for you SueP that things didn’t go as planned on the park – didn’t Mikel know you were there, and to do better !!!!

      All in all you witnessed a very poor (almost mystifying) performance.

  9. Can I just float another translation of the often banded around word “Realist”.

    It soon became painfully obvious to me that this current regime were going to give Mikel Arteta EVERY opportunity to succeed, and prove that they were fully justified in their selection of manager post Unai.

    The F. A. Cup and Community Shield wins that followed early on, simply added strength to their elbow – particularly given those wins took in Citeh & Chelski – the omens were good.

    As events unfolded via results, league positions, whatever, it became obvious that we were in for the long haul here.

    And the cold light of REALISM kicked in.

    Should we be passive and lie down simply excepting what is clearly UNACCEPTABLE ON ANY LEVEL FOR ARSENAL FOOTBALL CLUB, NO !

    However, I truly believe it will take a chain of events of monumental proportions to engender meaningful change any time soon.

    The domino effect following change at the very TOP is the solution to this current nightmare of mediocrity.

    So all this drama queen talk, who is a realist or not and so on is very difficult.

    It runs so much deeper than week to week.

    Each step along the way of the “process” – is now exhausted or at the very least well underway.

    Time has been afforded to M A & Edu to turn things around, and shape his (M A’s) squad.

    I have therefore waited until the above played out and ALL EXCUSES WERE OFF THE TABLE.

    However painful, prior to this the club had the “process” to throw at you, and hide behind – be “patient”.

    Failure to deliver within a realistic time frame, should carry consequences.

    Should protest stop – no, everyone has their right to voice an opinion.

    Could we still attain 6th to 4th – yes (however, is this simply “kicking the can down the road”.

    So, my interpretation (in this case) of being a REALIST is I honestly believe the WHOLE club is in the wrong hands and has been for years, we DESPERATELY need to be more driven towards success by the ownership (after all Stanley, SUCCESS WILL GENERATE MORE MONEY TO FALL INTO YOUR LAP) – and for me this ain’t gonna happen under this ghostly figure.

    And the money spent OF LATE does not wash with me.

    This sorry state of affairs has been many years in the making.

    Arrogant, aloof, comfortable, absent ownership, merely a cash cow the list is endless.

    WE WANT OUR ARSENAL BACK.

    I don’t care if I’m a lone voice on the subject following or not – January is huge, with regards to Kroenke and the case of St Louis.

    If found against (in court with no prior settlement) Kroenke could take a severe financial hammering, which surely to God will force him to consider selling up.

    If Arsenal Football club is too big for Mikel Arteta to manage – IT IS CERTAINLY TOO BIG OF AN INSTITUTION FOR STANLEY KROENKE TO OWN, AND REALISE WHAT HE HAS UNDER HIS STEWARDSHIP, FOR SO MANY, MANY REASONS !!

    NOT LEAST OF ALL US !

    1. You are right,the main reason they’ve backed MA so far,is because they couldn’t/wouldn’t admit that they got it wrong by backing the wrong manager,also I don’t understand the fact that they thought that Viera wasn’t ready or up to the Arsenal job.

      1. Siamois
        I wouldn’t have hired either Arteta or Vieira after AW and UE. It needed a lot better
        I’m not sure that they think they were wrong either. Weeding out some of the toxicity was vital and as a first time manager it would also have been incredibly lucky for Arteta to have been A1 fantastic from the off. He isn’t doing badly overall, but neither does he seem to be progressing the team sufficiently after nearly 2 years at the helm.

      2. That is really a Real question lol. He had more real managing experience at city, then a managing experience at NY wherr he proved good and one in nice where he did well the 1st year but a few bad games serie make them sack him. So he had better record on everything. Maybe arteta wrongly sold himself as the ultimate combo between wenger and guardiola. Plus, promised an infinite faith in the owners in the medias maybe… Which would make sense : we give you a bench spot you dont deserve, a chance nobody never had, you know what your position is….

  10. I am looking for improvement in the team and the way we play and honestly see absolutely nothing. We don’t seem to be able to change the way we play and we dont look convincing at all. No progress AT ALL under Arteta.

  11. The short answer is “yes” Patrick.

    For the long version I paste a part of my post from the Seaman article BEFORE the Palace game:

    I think it’s easy to get too close to things and not see the wood for the trees in terms of the yardstick used to measure progress or regression.

    Comparing Arteta’s progress with his early days gives us an untrue picture – even if we are PERHAPS in a slightly better place, and team structure and pattern are marginally better, that’s not only comparing Arteta only with himself with a watershed – short of being relegated we couldn’t perform any worse.

    As somebody who identifies with style and attractive football more closely than with results and league placings, I can’t see any net performance improvement, even from his early days. Advances in some areas are made at the expense of others.
    For example it’s no coincidence that our defence improves only when our attack grinds to a halt. A simple analogy is kids football, when everybody either runs up the pitch together or back together – we are incapable of doing both well in the same game – it’s as if the other team always has more players than us.

    I applaud the new signings, recent recruitment policy and Academy set-up improvements, as well as the efforts to move on the free-loaders, but these are secondary in importance to the elephant in the room – playing performance.

    As well as asking you not to compare us to last season as that’s comparing Arteta with himself, I ask you not to compare us with Wenger “primetime”, as that was utopia. Wenger was a genius who revolutionised English football, and that period was the perfect storm.
    (It is worth noting that Wenger joined us as a virtual unknown, and was not initially welcomed by the fanbase or media. So be careful how you judge applicants when you look for our next saviour.).

    Compare us with 2016-17 and 2017-18 – Wengers worst days just before he left. We were pretty dire and many stated at the time we were at our lowest ebb for several decades. But please watch some of those games – most were still way more exciting than we see now. We at least always tried to play football, we encouraged flair rather than playing by numbers. We had some fun and some great days.
    And we were still higher in the league than we have been since. Having previously dismissed comparison with our great teams as unfair and merely comparing Arteta with himself, watching Wenger’s worst teams still play with abandon and flair was my lightbulb moment.

    Whilst I accept that we have to sometimes go backwards to go forward, I didn’t expect to endure almost two years of robotic, stagnant, losing football without ANY improvements on the pitch.

    It can still happen for Arteta, but even if he succeeds I fear for the soul of our game if he does. Quite honestly a multitude of other managers could also be successful given the time, investment, squad and fan patience given to him.

    Our club deserves better.

  12. Arsenal had the chance to add a mature quality midfielder like Aouar or Koopmeiners for £20m(peanuts nowadays) & gave Xhaka a new contract instead. Arsenal should be working on getting Xhaka out so they can switch to a 4-3-3 but it hasn’t happened & Arsenal will play the rest of the season like they did against Palace, more of the same rubbish from ArtEdu!🦃

  13. Its indeed very worrying times, if Lokonga a prospect is the one we are backing on to play in the midfield ahead of Maitland-Niles, it shows real danger more especially when we are entering the famous November period.

    Its very clear in the EPL you cannot rely on young stars to win games in winter you need to grit, pace and power. When you see a very old man deliberately kicking a small boy and not being protected by the ref is good indication that poor refereeing is contributing to the poor performance of the England team.

    All the technical players will be kicked and maimed and you remain with wrestlers who wont win a trophy for England. As for arsenal expect difficult times a head. Lokonga and partay is nightmare midfield and you cant expect much

  14. I heard a comment from one of the Fans, as I was going into the stadium last night,

    He said that the Arsenal coach had been overtaken by a Jar of Molasses on the way to the ground,

    I laughed.

    Having watched our fast breaks against Palace I think Edu needs to get that Jar signed up!!!!

  15. Arteta got hunbled by the Man he replaced with an inferior team as far as financial clout is concerned and Totally shown up at his own patch by a manager (Arsenal legend) with a team built on a shoestring by whom reportedly he got the job over. NUFF SAID!!!!!!

    2. The big question is Reggie – would you have Vieira? This is not about Arteta v Vieira, but who should have been appointed in the first place. Neither in my opinion, and it is far too soon to put one of our truly greats as a prospective Arsenal manager. Arteta had no previous managerial experience versus PV who did but wasn’t exactly tearing all up before him.

      1. Sue P as you say possibly neither of them but of the two just because of legend status Vierra. His style of football alone is what we need again. The man for the job has to be a more experienced man than either. No shots in the dark like we did.

        1. Reggie
          You and I both know that being a top manager is not about how you performed as a player. On that basis, Tony Adams would be a managerial legend. I absolutely agree that Vieira was a mountain of a man. I hope he becomes a success this time around. Who knows after that!

          1. The thing is Sue, Vierra was a “winner” he has massive class and he is starting his career at a level in which he can learn the trade. He may not make it as a manager but you wont see me parting with any money to say he wont.

      2. SueP, you also have to look what results vieira got as manager with the team and money he had… They are at least decent, i would even rather say good and VERY good compared to arteta (now after 2 years).
        Arteta situation was an awkward, almost never seen before. He was not hired because he was good. Juat because he had no record and might be good. It was a gamble, but in the end, there ia signs and results that shiws that he is pretty average at best. And certainly not a better one than vieira.

  16. “Now”??!! The time to be worried was 10 months ago when the board gave the guy a reprieve even when it was clear he was out of his depth and playing the worst football in recent memory … his spending 150m in the interim with little return is the predictable outcome .. the board and owner shrug and continue with business as usual .. mid table mediocrity and a sugar rush from a victory over Spurs is ok in their books .. sad state of club

    1. 👍 Arsenal is no longer a football club, just a midtable asset in Kroenke Sports & Entertainment’s portfolio. As long as Arteta is compliant, no matter how many transfer windows he wastes, his job is secure.

  17. i wonder why kroenke and the board have such faith on arteta and edu. I wonder why arteta is so stubborn as not to do the right thing as in tactics and player selections. am still wondering why london fans are reluctant in protesting against arteta just as they did to Wenger. arsenal players are not bad. all they need is an experienced coach to succeed. Chelsea sack lampard and brought in a more experienced coach and they won champions league. can we learn from them?

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