Arsenal enter the new Premier League campaign with the belief that this could finally be the season they end their long wait for the title. For manager Mikel Arteta, the objective is clear: translate years of progress into silverware.
The Gunners have once again strengthened during the summer transfer window, adding reinforcements in key areas to address the shortcomings that have prevented them from claiming top spot. The improvements are intended to build on recent campaigns in which Arsenal have finished runners-up three seasons in a row.
Challenging an ever-stronger top four
In each of those seasons, Arsenal have been the closest challengers to the champions, maintaining pressure until the closing stages of the campaign. However, with Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea also making significant additions to their squads this summer, the competition for the title is expected to be fiercer than ever.
This season represents both a test of Arsenal’s progress and of Arteta’s ability to adapt to new challenges. While optimism remains high among supporters, there is also an awareness that even with improvements, the club could again find itself narrowly missing out. The question inevitably arises: if Arsenal finish second once more, should that be considered a failure, and could it threaten Arteta’s position?
Sheringham backs Arteta to remain
Former England striker Teddy Sheringham gave his perspective in comments reported by the Metro, rejecting the idea that another second-place finish would be grounds for dismissal.
‘I will laugh my head off if that’s the case (if Arsenal finish second again),’ Sheringham said.
‘But no – I don’t think that would be the end for Mikel Arteta. I think Arsenal are in a very good place.’
Sheringham’s view reflects a wider belief that the Spaniard has revitalised the club both on and off the pitch. Under his management, Arsenal have regained their status as one of the league’s most competitive sides, while fostering a clear tactical identity and improving squad harmony.
For many supporters, another season as runners-up would be disappointing but not disastrous, particularly given the bedding-in period that may be required for some of the club’s new arrivals. Patience and stability could yet prove crucial if Arsenal are to convert their consistency into a long-awaited title triumph.
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I would bet that top 4 finish and CL qualification will bring enough money to save anyone’s job at Arsenal.
Regardless of feelings, there is a business and financial side paired with the entertainment.
Arteta brings in the money; and will continue to finishing top 4. Too risky firing a top 4 manager, until it isn’t, if he finishes outside the top 4.
Taking the emotional feelings out of the equation, you have hit the nail on the head Durand. Wenger described top4, I believe, as a trophy for those reasons you gave.
There is no right to finish first. In the same way that just because Scottie Scheffler is the best golfer or Sinner the number 1 tennis player, they don’t always win.
That said, what disappoints people most is if the quality of football is below par. Going out with a whimper or boring sideways football where possession leads to not an awful lot in front of goal. These situations will go a long way in determining Arteta’s long term Arsenal future. Finishing second or third in a hard fought and exciting season shouldn’t define him or the team but winning nothing at all will definitely work against him.
👍 Durand & SueP
SueP
I agree with you, and from an owner’s perspective (even though I’m not), I understand why they won’t sack a top 4 manager.
Bringing in tens of millions each year, and top 4 managers are difficult to find.
They are hoping Arteta eventually figures it out and starts winning trophies. Until then, they happily take the benefits of top 4 while they patiently wait.
@Durand.
I just think that you are just psychoanalysing the Kroenke’s cynically here. There is no evidence to suggest that The Kroenke’s just want Top 4 since they became 100% sole owners of Arsenal in 2018
They have been spending money since then. No evidence that they just want Top 4. What more do you guys want from them? On one hand we keep hearing people saying that Arteta has been backed to the hilt. That Arteta’s ridiculous spending shows that he is a chequebook manager. You can’t be labelled as a chequebook manager if the owners are not backing you. The owners are clearly showing ambition.
And if The Kroenke’s just want Top 4 then how come they refused to give into our fans campaign to get rid of Arteta when we were finishing 8th, 8th, 6th? They stuck with him through all that stuff even if we were in mid table.
So again, I get so confused on here.
Some fans keep saying that The Kroenke’s have spent nearly £1 billion to support Arteta.
Then some say that The Kroenke’s are not spending money on Arsenal.
How do you spend £1 billion in 6 years just top get Top 4?? It don’t make sense..
Confused.com. 😣😵💫🤯
Because you are stuck in your own head, based on your opinions, and not considering the WHOLE picture, I’m afraid.
Fans may put trophies above sustainable profits, not responsible owners. How did we pay off stadium debt so fast, chasing trophies or top 4?
Let’s look at KSE, not just arsenal, which you seem to base your entire opinion on.
KSE hired one of youngest coaches with the LA Rams a while ago, backed him, won Superbowl. Long term, they tried to build something sustaining, sound familiar?
How about Nuggets in NBA. They won title recently, but they were built to get and stay in playoffs for consecutive seasons, again sound familiar?
Arsenal has been built to compete for top 4 for consecutive seasons, maybe enough to win a trophy, sound familiar?
Look at KSE (largest sport company in the world), they have built 3 of their franchises along this model, which Josh K has proven with Nuggets and now Arsenal.
Hope that helps, and hope we can pick up trophies along the way.
@Durand
I am even more confused by your reply to my comment. You did not address any of the points regarding Kroenke’s spending money to win big trophies at Arsenal.
All you did was talk about irrelevant stuff, but the Nuggets, Superbowl, How did we pay off the debt, the Kitchen sink, Unicorns etc. 🤣🤣
Deflecting and causing more confusion you are rivalling Jordan Peterson and Deepak Chopra. 😵💫😊
I will ask again, How does an owner that has spent £780 million, £800 million and £1 billion depending on the mood of the posters on here. How does he spend all that money just to finish in the Top 4? Arsenal have been one of the biggest spenders since Arteta became manager, that has been go to catchphrase in our fanbase. Why would The Kroenke’s keep spending big in every summer window if they just want to make Top 4? Aren’t there more cost effective ways to do so?
And again, if The Kroenke’s only want top 4 then how come they did not sack Arteta when he finished 8th, 8th and 6th consecutively? Most of you wanted him gone during those seasons.
When Arteta was finishing mid table is when they should have sacked him in order to show that Top 4 was what they wanted. YES / NO?
Please make it make sense because the logic here is twisting me brain. 🤯😵💫🤓
Seems to me that the Kroenkes believed Arteta was a punt worth taking. He must have impressed them at the interview stage and there is also the recommendation from AW, I believe.
The owners were prepared to take a longer view imo. My reading of Durand’s post is that top4 provides the income to support the club and maintain competitiveness, with the distinct possibility of winning in due course, and falling short would see Arteta’s removal.
The Rams and Nuggets mean nothing to me but the back story is similar
@SueP
To me all that does not even come close to addressing the elephant in the room. The supposed £1 billion The Kroenke’s have spent since Arteta showed up.
If you just want a Top 4 place you spend like the likes of Spurs, Newcastle, Villa etc.. just about enough to maintain. You don’t spend £105 million on Declan Rice, £65m on Havertz, £55m on a squad player Madueke, £45m on a squad player Calafiori, £50m on White, £45m on Jesus, £60m on Gyökeres, £60m on Zubimendi etc..
And most of those guys are on between £100k – £280k a week in wages.
Arsenal as a club have been making losses in all the time Arteta has been here. Many fans predicted that the way Arteta is giving players are on free and his over spending will Bankrupt the club etc..
Since 2022/23 season we have been in the favourites to win the league. Last season (2024/25) we were favoured by most pundit to win the league. Etc. This season we are still being backed to be Title challengers.
This is because of the financial backing and the good job Arteta has done. Chelsea, Man City, Man United etc have all spent money but Arsenal are being favoured over them for the title. They are being predicted to just be Top 4 contenders and not Arsenal.
During the Wenger times everyone (Arsenal fans, rival fans, pundits, media, Arsenal board etc) all knew that Arsenal were aiming for Top 4 each season due to the money we were spending, players we were selling and buying, wenger made it abundantly clear that Top 4 was the main aim.
They should have gotten rid of Arteta when he was finishing 8th, 8th, 6th etc as that’s what many in our fanbase were advocating for. But they did not.
So, with the money The Kroenke’s have spent and are still willing to spend on the team I can’t agree that they are just happy with Top 4, because the evidence does not say so.
👍
Goonster,
Must be at the billion mark by now.
The club needed a complete overhaul, and that included some of the top brass that were obviously rather comfortable. Sanhelli springs to mind and he had the power to instigate signings, several of them through his ‘relationship’ with some agents, and who were either too much money – Pepe – and loans which became signings – Mari & Soares. No resale value at all.
Arsenal didn’t have a Coutinho or Harry Kane to sell for upwards of £100m or any player that I can think of that another club would part with £50m for. Ozil was getting on and on a kings ransom, Auba got his pay day and went down the pan, leaving a very mixed bag behind, except for the emerging Saka and Martinelli, later followed by Saliba who was loaned for a while.
Without being unkind, were Holding or Chambers good enough? How about Mustafi or Kolasinac, Sokratis or AMN, Nketiah. Not one of our players were attractive propositions that commanded a good fee. Players had to be bought in which is exactly what has happened over time. By all accounts now, Arsenal is one of the most valuable teams on the planet. We could sell several of our players for more than they were bought for. Getting to that point didn’t happen overnight
Top4 is the minimum requirement, Goonster. KSE have invested to ensure that remains the case. The money keeps pouring in if they do. The other clubs you have mentioned no doubt have the same viewpoint – but not all have the same financial ability to do so yet. Spurs with their stadium for example and FFP and PSR issues. They hover in and out presently.
Personally, I would rather the club’s owners are pragmatic. Look what happened to Leeds under Ridsdale who put all his eggs in one basket and disaster ensued.
My view is, that being in the top4 regularly –
always prefereably but that is a pipedream – is key to success in the longer term which is what Durand was on about. It may happen under Arteta (I hope so as he has done the donkey work) but if not then the next manager who is appointed.
In summary, it has taken a billion to get to where we are far better placed to regain another league title after years of waiting when other clubs got ahead due to vast sums of money being thrown at them (Chelsea & City). It will happen. That is not a prediction for this year, but a comment on how I believe the Kroenke family operate
@SueP
I feel like we are arguing completely different things here. You and Durand seem to be arguing “Generalities” while I am arguing SPECIFICS.
I initially replied to @Durand’s original comment that said:
****I would bet that top 4 finish and CL qualification will bring enough money to save anyone’s job at Arsenal.***
***Arteta brings in the money; and will continue to finishing top 4. Too risky firing a top 4 manager, until it isn’t, if he finishes outside the top 4.**
Those two paragraphs are what caught my attention. Hence why I keep pointing out all the evidence:
1. £1 billion spent so far.
2. When Arteta was floating around in 8th, 8th, 6th the Kroenke’s stuck with him even if some fans were calling for his sacking. Why didn’t he go for a safer more experienced manager that would have guaranteed this Top 4 thing?
3. It seems like whichever player Arteta wants The Kroenke’s are providing the funds and the massive wages to go with it. Etc..
Are Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man United also just aiming for Top 4 like The Kroenke’s are? If you can say the same about those clubs then I we can also talk about that.
I will ask you Sue, since Arteta was as our manager, do you think that The Kroenke’s aims and ambitions have been different to those of Man United, Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea etc?
👍
Goonster
Point 3. I presume Edu and more lately, Berta have something to say about transfers
My aim was to say that all clubs aim to win the title. For some it’s virtually impossible to attain but the so called big clubs absolutely want to. Kroenke’s view – as Durand pointed out is the long game. Short term it’s about consolidation and preparing for glory as soon as reasonably possible. It’s absolutely about maintaining that big club tag. Not doing a Leeds Utd
Going backwards to point 2 I’d say that Emery was their first choice as Arteta was passed over first of all and he had a strong CV. It went t*ts up and as I can’t read Kroenke’s mind they took a punt with MA is my best guess. The often mentioned phase/process malarkey has obviously been agreed at board level. I’ve no doubt if they had doubts about Arteta he would have been shown the door after finishing 8th the second time
I will try 1 last time to explain, but not chase your tangents.
1. It is KSE the big picture, not just Arsenal, you cannot separate the 2.
2. You invest to make money, long run over short term gains. 20 years of CL better than mortgage future for 1 or 2 titles.
3. Their philosophy is based on tangible success from NFL and NBA franchises. In fact so much so, aren’t they among top in sports ownership groups?
Simply put, they invest 760 million, 800, 1 billion, or whatever because they project to still make profit in long term.
Last 3 years Arteta led us to top 4 and extra revenue. We invested that much because market dictates that to compete for top 4.
They seem to trust Arteta and back it with money.
I think it likely to continue, especially after tough years and no CL they kept Arteta.
Durand, KSE has recently been reported to be the most valuable sports empire in the world.
Durand, you are contradicting yourself a bit🤣
Always the bridesmaid and never the bride, if AFC get 2nd again.
Arteta will have topped out against super clubs, but that is life in the corrupt EPL.
Oh, and remind me please when will $h*tY ever get charged with anything, nor chavs or any other funny money team!
It should depend on the points differences between 1st & 2nd and 2nd & 3rd.
Jax,
Nice to see you back, have you been in hibernation during the close season. 😂👍
Yeah, took a bit of time out.
Yeah, took a bit of a break.
Yes, if we don’t win UCL.
After 6 seasons questions should be asked. Slot and Marresca won trophies after their first and second season. Excuses won’t be acceptable after all the new Buys
Arteta won a trophy in his first 6 months 🤔🤔
Nobody knows what will happen outside of Stan and Josh Kroenke, but I think it’s likely Arteta will be sacked if Arsenal don’t win a trophy this coming season. Whether any trophy will do is a question given that Arsenal has been without silverware for so long (relative to the other leading, and now not so leading, clubs).
Personally, I think the arguments around a ‘Top 4’ finish and points differences between on place and another in the league are missing the point here.
First, Wenger introduced the ‘Top 4 is as good as a trophy’ line when Arsenal weren’t winning trophies! Is there a connection? I don’t recall him holding the title trophy and/or the F A Cup and saying that. It was because Arsenal didn’t have silverware to show so.
As to points differences, given the gap behind Liverpool last season was greater than the gaps combined against City (twice) previously, that criterion (although it’s not one I’d use) would already seem to have been met.
We cannot get away from the fact now that even the likes of “lowly” Palace have won, in the space of only the last few months, what Arsenal under Arteta (and having spent enormously more) has won since 2019-20.
Yes, there have been the consecutive EPL runners up spots which fans mention in Arteta’s defence. However, fans of, say, Liverpool, City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich don’t bang on about when the were runners up or finalists in my experience. They talk largely about when their club won this title, or that cup. For Arsenal, it’s “important” because there’s nothing much else to say, other than an F A Cup five years ago, is there.
The plain fact, not supposition, is that nobody can name another top EPL club that would have retained a coach for as long as Arsenal has with Arteta (to date, never mind for next season) with so little to show and so much spent. It can’t go on indefinitely and even Arteta’s diehard supporters know that, I suspect.
The football world at the top level is more nuanced than the “trophy or you are out approach” that some fans keep banging on about. The clubs you have referenced have a greater footballing heritage than Arsenal except for MC who were able to turbocharge their entry into the big time by initial huge investment.
There is also very little space at the top with only 2 major titles for all those huge clubs. In the PL there is one major title for perhaps between 4 and 6 teams who would normally consider themselves contenders.
If as a club owner you are willing to risk maintaining challenging for those major titles because you haven’t made a good cup run in the FA cup or Carabao then fine go ahead. I don’t see how that makes any business sense unless you are bringing in another manager that is guaranteed to make that jump to a title.
When you consider what has happened with some of the other great contemporary managers in recent years it makes even less sense unless Arsenal have a “disastrous” season e.g. falling out of the top four. Whether other clubs have done the same as Arsenal is a minor consideration unless you can show that such an approach is directly and independently responsible for a major upturn in fortunes. Comparing outcomes at Arsenal to a team that dominates its league such as Bayern or the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona also needs to take into account the comparative advantages those teams enjoy over the other teams in their league. Otherwise, just saying another “big” team does xyz and therefore Arsenal must follow suit does not make sense.
There isn’t such a guarantee David. And for those refusing to see that are equally blinkered imo
If Arteta goes, I hope whoever it is who succeeds him wins the league because that’s what we all want- it’s nothing to do with having a love in based around MA.
Spot on SueP
I don’t agree. The measure of success within the top group of EPL teams is trophies because it’s the one clear defining factor (and often increases revenue). Clubs don’t invest huge sums (as Arsenal has done, around £900m since 2019-20) to finish, and be content with, runners up. It shouldn’t be seen as an end in itself, just a stepping stone to first place.
Of course there’s competition for trophies, but it’s obviously not restricted to a couple as you suggest. There’s a whole range: the league title, the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup, the CL, the Europa League etc. Those other big clubs haven’t excluded winning all but the title and CL. That’s the problem for Arteta now – it’s the failure to win any trophy for years that’s putting pressure on him now to “win big”.
Your point about Spanish clubs isn’t realistic. There are certainly fewer regular challengers for trophies, but the competition between Real Madrid and F C Barcelona is all the more fierce (for that, and other reasons). For example, RM sacked their former player Zidane even after he won three consecutive CL trophies as coach. Likewise, at F C Barcelona, Xavi, their former player was sacked in his second year as coach after having won the league title in his first.
The fact remains that of all the top clubs in the EPL, Arsenal has now gone the longest without a trophy, despite the money spent so far. That can’t continue indefinitely. Of course, there’s no guarantee changing a coach will bring success, but that’s a recipe for never changing a coach full stop! Pretty daft if you think it through.
@David
I do think thar Arteta been given his time at Arsenal. Nearly 7 years as our manager. We can’t remain stagnant just because we challenge and finish 2nd all the time.
We have to press on and take another punt / chance on a new manager of Arteta still fails to win the league / CL.
Back in the day we did the same with Wenger because we were terrified of where we would have ended up if we parted ways with him. We used to say “We should be grateful that we can still make Top 4”.
Now we can’t be doing the same with Arteta by being nervous about losing that Top 2 club feeling. We need to move on and try with another manager if Arteta fails this season.
We moved on from Wenger, he will also be able to move on from Arteta. That’s how football works. Emotions and sentiment have to be avoided.
I really hope Arteta wins a big trophy this season. He has helped get us back to relevancy.
🙏👍🤞
We did move on from Wenger – unsuccessfully as it happens Goonster.
I’m not in the Arteta in camp but neither do I think that getting rid in May if we finish a close second is right either. It will be how the season develops that will define my continued support or not
SueP
You’re right, but a big factor in that was that Arsenal didn’t part company with Wenger soon enough. It was like watching a slow, lingering, running down as his sides were demolished and humiliated by other teams on a far too regular basis. A necessary action postponed very possibly made matters worse later on in my opinion.
As far as Arteta is concerned, it’s the Kroenke’s, through KSE, who’ll decide, not the fans or anyone else. It will be based on business considerations because KSE and Arsenal are businesses.
While I hope Arteta will be successful this coming season, because Arsenal will be successful if he is, should he not be I suspect the question they’ll be posing (to themselves) is: After six years, is Mikel the one to take the club to “the next stage”? The answer to that will very probably decide his fate.
SueP
Good points, let’s say for arguments sake they do sack Arteta. What happens if:
1. Players don’t fit his system. Sell off and lose money on transfers for his new guys?
2. Miss top 4, think they will sustain a year or 2 without CL revenue?
3. How to fund massive player wages without CL money coming in. Have to sell, which lessens us and lessens chances of top 4 finish.
Maybe some people would take the risk, a blind jump. But doubtful BILLIONAIRE owners risk losing tens of millions in PL and CL money (which Arteta proves he gets top 4).
Take off the Arsenal rose tinted glasses, and think like a billionaire owner of the largest sports company in the world.
You risking tens of millions in profit over impatience? Willing to take a guess and hope for the best with a new coach?
KSE didn’t really invest until they owned 100%, and they backed Arteta to the hilt.
And now they would risk it all after completing depth and the “project?”
Think in terms of business analytics, cost benefit ratios, and it’s not hard to understand; doesn’t mean we have to like it or agree.
I’m agreeing with you SueP, though it reads a bit otherwise, even to me.
Understood
Yes, he should be.
But can’t see Stan getting rid of him.
Stan isn’t bothered about us winning the title as long as we are bringing in the money.
I can’t believe that’s even a question. Of course Arteta should go if theirs no League title at the end of this season or another 2nd place finish.
He’s been here now for 6 or so seasons, and we were told about all these phases, well now it’s time to stop all this nonsense about phases. The club have backed Arteta very well financially over those 6 or so years in the main.
So, this is the season he needs to get this team over the line. People can say as much as they like about it being difficult to win the League. Yes of course it is, but the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool do it. And if our club is as big as we think it is, then they need to do it to.
No um’s and Are’s about it. Just how long do fans want to give Arteta, he seems totally untouchable to certain poster’s. Make as many excuses as you like, second place 3 seasons on the trot is very consistent. But it’s not a trophy is it.
But no doubt there will be the same poster’s on here trying to put a positive spin on Arteta, and his phases. 🤦♂️🤷♂️
Ofcourse talk of sacking him would be louder then than even now we are already talking it, I just don’t understand why arteta/the club didn’t sign eze Instead of madueke, I like mady but eze is a natural in that LW with cool skills . Also we have lot of left footers already and speak lefty, I can not wait to see maxy downman again
Yes 100%
Yes and sign Enzo Maresca – won 2 major trophies in 1 season compared to Mikel’s 1 minor in 6 years.
The Shoba Reality Show,
Normally your sarcastic remarks are a source of levity to me. And I’m not sure if your being sarcastic now.
But if you aren’t you should be, because lets be real. You surely can’t be serious when saying the two Trophy’s that Chelsea recently won, were major trophies. You’ve got be joking haven’t you?.
Derek, I recollect when we were in the semis of the UCL, a certain gentleman (1945 if I am right) said that domestic cups have little reverence as the prize money is less, so that has become my basis to benchmark a trophy as major/minor. (Conference cup 15M/ FA 2M; over 100M in club world cup – I could be wrong )Just like in preseason, when we in -it becomes the talk of the town and when we lose, they are just meaningless matches. While we had a Professor in Economics a few years back, his disciple has learnt much from him where to fish for money.
Footnote – should we win the FA 2025-26, then automatically it will be called a major while the CL will be relegated to a minor if we crash out early. I suggest you get those rose tinted glasses and everything will look rosy at AFC – just as seems for us – fans of Arteta
If I remember correctly TSRS, my point at the time was winning the Carabo Cup versus competing in the CL, monetary wise, was a no brainer.
I would rather see our club bringing in upward of a reported £100 million in prize money by losing the semi final of the CL, than winning the Carabo Cup and bringing in less than MA earns in a year.
Now I understand that most fans want trophies and I understand the thoughts expressed by Bertie, that players would / could get restless if they weren’t winning things.
However, the prize money from the CL exploits, plus the matchday revenues (last figure I saw was over £3 million per home game) has enabled Mr Kronkie to invest money into the playing staff and ensuring the Emirates stadium upkeep, something that winning either domestic cup would not do.
The revenue from winning the PL might come close of course and that’s another reason why I say the CL and PL are so important to the club.
Look at how we are getting bigger and more sponsorship deals – the brand has evolved under Mr Kronkie and finishing 2nd three years running and getting to the CL semi final has made this possible.
Winning either of the domestic cups would not have that effect – just ask Newcastle why they are finding it difficult to sign top players, after winning the Carabo Cup, while the likes of Zubimendi and Gyokeres insisted they only wanted to play for The Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, despite the club not winning any trophies for the last five seasons.
We are seeing our existing top players willing to sign contracts that will keep them at our club for the next three or four seasons, while Newcastle and Palace (who both won the domestic cups of course) are struggling to hold on to the likes of Isak and Eze.
For me, Mikel Arteta has, in the last three seasons, turned our club around and, but for bad luck, injuries and awful decisions, would have had two PL titles under his belt already.
No one knows what this season will bring, but if there is a level playing field regarding injuries, var and referees, we will be in the mix for the PL and CL once again – if that happens, then it will be time to judge MA when the season ends.
Winning the Carabo Cup or the FA cup, while being a great day out for the fans, will mean diddly squat to the owner…. in my opinion.
Could not have put it better myself Ken1945
Good points and very well explained.
It certainly all depends on how and why we finish second instead of first. I think even second will be far more difficult this season with Liverpool being defending champions, Man City will be far more of a threat this season, as will Chelsea and after seeing last nights Super Cup final I also thing spurs will challenge this season. By the way, man of the match Kudas looks a bargain. If we don’t add more energy and speed to our play, stop with the sideways, backwards build up and finish outside top four, yes he should be replaced.
I don’t think sacking Arteta for finishing second again would make sense. He’s built a strong team and given us consistent top-level performances—sometimes stability is exactly what brings the silverware the next season. The Grass is always greener on the other side. For me if you’re sacking Arteta and not replacing him with a manager with pedegree, then just leave him there.
@Mena93
You have to look at the bigger picture. If we fail once again to win the league then what else are we looking forwards to?
That’s when the likes of Saka, Saliba, Gabriel, Rice, Timber, Odegaard etc will start getting nervous and uncomfortable about their careers. Some of them are now in their prime while the likes of Saka, Saliba are getting near.
Trust me the players will start to have doubts about the Arteta and the process. That’s 7 years of nothing. Trust me they will start getting sqeaky bums in that dressing room.
On top of that the fans will be unhappy and will show their discontent. Look back to the Wenger emirates era. The fanbase had had enough.
Lets hope Arteta can rile up himself and his players to get over the line this time because I think this is the Make or Break season for Arteta.
Mena93,
You say sometimes stability is exactly what brings the silverware the next season. Well Arsenal have been pretty stable for three seasons now, three second place finishes.
Just what next season are you talking about?. 🤷♂️
“sometimes stability is exactly what brings the silverware the next season.” – but hasn’t that be an argument for the last three seasons? How long to wait before “stability” brings success though (if it does)?
Arteta is the longest serving coach at any of the EPL’s big clubs, barring Pep at City. But Arsenal is also the big club that’s now gone the longest without a trophy in that group.
*been an argument
I think Arteta has reached the point where he has to justify the huge amount of Kroenke’s money he’s spent on this team, and unless we have a major success this season I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go…one way or another.
Arteta isn’t going anywhere this season, so let’s see how it goes.
Personally, I think he has done a great job rebuilding this team over the past 6 years.
Whenever a long term manager leaves a club there is always going to be issues. Look at us after Wenger or Man Utd after Ferguson. Two big clubs that turned into absolute shit shows. Now it can’t be denied that our bounce back has been a lot faster. Even Everton, after Moyes (1st time) dropped dramatically.
So if Arteta fails to win a major trophy (epl, cl or fa cup) this year, who do we replace him with, and how much time do we give the next manager to build his own title winning team? Would the likes of Saka or Saliba want to hang around to see what the next manager can do? Or will they decide to move on to a side of serial winners such Madrid and collect some medals?
I agree that we can’t always be the bridesmaid but as long as the trajectory line is going up, then the manager has my support. When on the other hand it starts to drop, then I will be thinking of giving someone else a shot at it.
I’m optimistic about this season, the team is what it is and the manager is who it is. I will be giving my full support come kick off on Sunday. COYG
This season Arteta has to win the League title. If there are no mitigating factors but still fails to win at league then he would deserve to be fired.
The league title is the most important thing for me this season. The CL trophy win would soothes me but then I would say “Thank you Arteta for everything, leave on a high.”.
The concern I have is not sacking Arteta, my concern is who do you bring that will be an instant hit like Arne Slot?. It is safe to say Liverpool did a trial and error thing, and it worked, that might not work for us.
Liverpool fans thought that they would find it hard to replace Klopp.
We Arsenal fans thought we would struggle to replace Wenger but took a punt on Emery that did not work out. Then end left field with a rookie / novice Arteta. He has stabilised the club from the mayhem we had been for years.
Arteta would have left a very healthy strong team / squad for the new manager. If he was to leave at the end of this starting season, then he will definitely have left us in very stable health for the next manager.
🤞
Utd have struggled to replace Fergie and he left as a league winner
Utd have generally been poor and took in a bad direction from their owners, their stable is falling down, they are in danger of blowing PSR, they are a joke of a club at the moment. But in Artetas time, they have still managed to win two trophies, with a gonk as a manager. We can not get all goooey ga ga over Arteta. He has failed to bring home the bacon and his tactics are not working, to actually win something with the expenditure he has been given. His return is meagre.
@Reggie
You are the “Football is all about winning any given trophy” type.
And I wouldn’t swap this Arteta tenure for anything Man United have achieved in the same period (Trophies etc).
But on the other hand I would swap Arteta for Liverpool and Man City’s achievements in the same period.
But as always we all interpret Football from completely different perspectives.
👍
I have played football, managed in football and refereed in football to county level. If I didn’t win anything playing or managing, I counted it as a failure and so did my team mates. Lets be real here, you do not enter anything, just to take part. And I/we hated coming second.
As far as I can tell, everyone on this comment stream feels the same way about not entering anything just to take part and not wanting to come in anything other than first.
I don’t remember my secondsand lower😁
No one is arguing that. We enter to win. But at the same time you can’t convince me that Man United have had a better period than us. We might not have won anything but which out of our both our fanbases (Man United – Arsenal) has been on a high in the last 4 years?
If winning was all it was then:
1- Why did Spurs sack Ange when he had just won them their first trophy in 17 years?
2- Man United’s owners were looking to replace Ten Hag last summer even if he had just won them an FA cup a month or so back. Why?
3- West Ham sacked David Moyes even if he had just won them their first trophy in about 40 years. Why is that?
Etc..
Flip the script like this. If it was Ten Hag that had finished in the same position as Arsenal last summer (challenged for the title but came short) finished 2nd with a single trophy.
Do you think that the new owners would have been begging the likes of Pochettino, Tuchel, Conte etc to consider replacing Ten Hag?
But imagine if Arteta had won the FA CUP and finished in the same position (8th) like Ten hag last season. Would you the “It’s all about winning any given Trophy” fans have even tolerated that?
🤓🤓🤓
I’m not ga ga over Arteta, Reggie
I’ve taken on board many factors in my thinking regarding his time as manager and as far as the trophies Utd have won, the consensus has been the league is the benchmark which no manager since Fergie has accomplished.
Am I looking forward to the conversations in Spring regarding Arteta’s replacement? Not really because it can go one of 2 ways
It wasnt specifically aimed at you Sue. It was a generalisation.
@SueP
But they had to move on from Fergie like we had to move on from Wenger, like Liverpool had to move on from Klopp, like Man City will have to move on from Pep etc. That’s the cycle of life.
Weren’t we saying the same thing during Wenger’s emirates tenure? “But look at all the other clubs struggling to find good stable managers, let’s be grateful that we can still finish in the Top 4 blah blah”.
Life is about moving ahead, can’t keep yourself in paranoia and fear about the future. We have no choice but to embrace the future, time does not wait for anyone.
Getting too comfortable leads to stagnanting. We always have to be striving fir better.
🤞
Fair comment Goonster
I haven’t as yet made up my mind as it’s impossible to contemplate right now. It will become clear soon enough whether it’s time for a change.
@SueP
I understand where you are coming from. I too always look at the circumstances for any given season. My expectation for last season (2024/25) was us winning the league or at least the CL. That was my expectation.
But then as always life is not linear, I did not factor in the poor start we had (Those Red cards in the first few games. The overall poor form from the whole team. Then the injuries to Odegaard, Saka, Jesus, Havertz, Timber, Calafiori, Gabriel etc..)
So I had to reset and forfeit my expectations for last season because of those mitigating factors.
And also Man City falling off the way they did helped me look at our situation in a more balanced way. So I said to myself “If a world managerial beast like Pep was struggling to motivate Man City then Arteta is not too bad himself”.
Then Slott and Liverpool came from out of nowhere.
I then fed myself more copium by passing on the whole season as another free hit, an anomaly / Freak season. 🤓
May be I was just trying to cover for Arteta by rationalising how poor his team was. 🤣🤣
I agree with that. As you say, I think what’s driving a lot of the pro-Arteta or retain the status quo comments here (even if it’s not admitted outright) is fear.
It’s fear that the position Arsenal are in – the “top 4 finish is a trophy” thinking which we’ve seen reflected in posts – rather than winning as the criterion because there are several other big clubs “out there” so we can’t expect too much really etc.
People have referred to Fergie in some posts. My goodness, if a player had gone to him after Utd had finished runners-up (to Arsenal, possibly) and said “Well boss, there are only so many trophies and several clubs after them”, he’d have been out of Fergie’s office – and Utd probably – before he knew what hit him!
Bertie,
The hair drier treatment springs to mind.🤷♂️
Top4 in itself is not a trophy. It is though financially highly rewarding.
Fear of the unknown is a perfectly feasible explanation.
Do you believe then, that Kroenke should have sacked AW when he failed to finish in the top4? By not doing so, there was another miss, swiftly followed by Emery’s poor season. Could UE have turned that round? The answer is we don’t know and ultimately it took Arteta 3 years to get back to CL football. A long wait, so fear quite understandably features.
Spot ON!!!!!!
Bertie
Well, according to a report just on the site, Arteta himself acknowledges the need for a trophy now. As he realises it, I’m happy to go along with the coach on this one.
Regardless of his top-four positions, if he fails to win, he must be sent packing. Enough with the profit talk—six years in this day and age is too long.
I think everyone on here wants this team to win trophies and is aware that means first place, not top four. Never subscribed to that Arsenal Wenger quote myself.
I’m also aware that Fergie wouldn’t have settled for that sort of attitude… but I also remember the United fans baying for his head in the late 1980’s wanting him out. If he hadn’t won the FA cup in 1990 he probably would’ve been sacked. It took him six years I think to win a league title.
As far as Arne Slot goes, while in no way diminishing what he achieved last season, which was quite astounding. I’ll be interested to see what he does this year with his own team. Everything just clicked for Liverpool last year. The teams around them definitely underachieved, whether through injuries, bad tactics or miss management.
To me it kind of felt like a Leicester City year, no one really saw it coming. Not even the Liverpool fans.
What I’m saying is that building a title winning side takes time and a fair bit of luck. I like the way the team is looking this year and am looking forward to see how they get on. Hopefully, playing faster attacking, entertaining football.
If it’s a complete failure, then it’s time to maybe look at a change of manager, but let’s see what happens get behind the team, and not have the man sacked before a ball is kicked. He’s here for another while yet, whether we all like it or not.