Mikel Arteta’s tenure at Arsenal has been transformative, steering the club away from a potential decline and firmly establishing a new direction. When the Spaniard was appointed manager in 2019, scepticism surrounded the decision, with many questioning whether an inexperienced coach could handle the weight of expectation at a club as storied as Arsenal. Even within the squad, there were doubts about his ability to inspire and lead a turnaround.
Fast forward to now, Arteta has not only won over the players and fans but has also cemented himself as one of the Premier League’s most promising managers. His meticulous approach and focus on building a strong culture have rejuvenated Arsenal. The team now boasts a style of play characterised by high intensity, tactical flexibility, and a clear identity, hallmarks of Arteta’s philosophy.
This weekend, Arteta will manage his 250th game for the club when Arsenal faces Nottingham Forest, marking a significant milestone in his managerial career. According to Arsenal Media, Arteta already holds the highest win percentage in the club’s history, having won 146 out of 249 matches—a remarkable 58% success rate. For comparison, even Arsène Wenger, the club’s longest-serving and most celebrated manager had won 136 matches at the same stage. Should Arsenal secure victory against Forest, Arteta will extend his lead, reinforcing his impressive start.
Under Arteta, the Gunners have evolved into serious contenders domestically and in Europe. His work has laid the foundation for sustained success, with many fans hoping that silverware will soon follow to crown his efforts. While the team has already won the FA Cup and Community Shield under his guidance, the expectation now is for major trophies like the Premier League and Champions League.
Arteta’s 250th game is more than just a number; it is a testament to his influence and vision. As he continues to guide Arsenal, the hope is that his remarkable start is just the beginning of an era filled with glory for the club.
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Stats hide the facts. Artetas team has been abysmal in the cups. He got beat to the EL by his predecessor.He has failed twice to win the league from a position of strength. Stats don’t show where he has failed to deliver. And what do the Stats show this season, si far. Do the Stats show how much as been invested into him and the team?
Yes of course, stats often hide the facts except it suits your narrative
And Stats? Suiting the narative of the one sided article?
Maybe not as a player but certainly as the gaffer, the Spaniard will leave Arsenal as a legend of the modern game, make no bones about that.
He has dispels the skepticism surrounding his appointment, imposed his personality on the outfit and transformed the system from a weak jelly back club, even their harshest critics will tell you, today Arsenal is here to do battle.
I’d really rather he was a “legend” through winning trophies. The win percentage for games is certainly good, but silverware is much more likely to be the factor that gets him true legendary status, isn’t it?
After all, that’s how fans remember the likes of Paisley, Ferguson and, in Arsenal terms, Wenger, never mind about Pep currently – not for “cold” percentages but for bright, shiny, trophies.
The silverware will come Bertie, no bones about that!
You are so right Bertie.
A promising manager I would agree, but hardly “legendary” based on his accomplishments. He has improved the squad and rebuilt it since he took over, and has stocked us with talent in the first team, no doubt.
However, his cup runs have been abysmal with his hand picked squad; only trophy was with players he deemed not good enough and transferred away.
We lost the title from being in prime position 2 years in a row, and had a rocky start this year. Let’s wait until he wins the league or CL before mentioning anything “legendary.”
Durand, any manager could have improved the squad with all that investment. My question is, has Kronke improved the squad or Arteta. My answer would be Arteta hasn’t until he does what he is paid and actually win something, that the investment has put in place.
Now get ready people, it’s one of Arteta’s biggest critics here.
Now I read this stat about two days ago, and I just new that given time JA would show it to.
Now before I go on, let me acknowledge that Arteta has helped the team grow in the past two seasons certainly, and he’s also got the connection back with the fans. (But to call him a legend, I don’t think so). If he’s a legend, what doe’s that make Herbert Chapman, George Graham, and Arsene Wenger.
Talking of these three actual legends of Arsenal, I’ve done a bit of research regarding all four managers records up to 250 games in charge.
Herbert Chapman: 250 games = 2 Trophy’s
George Graham: 250 games = 3 Trophy’s
Arsene Wenger: 250 games = 4 Trophy’s
Mikel Arteta: 250 games = 0 Trophy’s
Now I knw that some fans will say, but he won the FA Cup in his first season. (It wasn’t with his squad). And they won it in spite of him, not because of him.
Now looking at the aforementioned three true Legends, I’d far rather have there winning rate that Arteta’s, because they actually produced Trophy’s, you know trophy’s, there the shiny silver things that you see the club captain lift.
Something that we’ve not seen for a long time.
So, come on JA, Arteta is certainly not a club legend.
Legends win things, something we’ve not done under Arteta, and I doubt we ever will.
Legend, your having a laugh.
“And they won it in spite of him, not because of him.”
Agree with what you said except this – that squad wasn’t fantastic, and he even got some good performances from players like mustafi. He changed the way they played and got them to buy in – a bit of new manager bounce, but you can’t take it away, we wouldn’t have won with plenty of other managers.
Davi, we wouldn’t have lost the league two seasons in a row from winning positions “with plenty of other managers” either…. in my opinion of course.
That is the conundrum and it would have depended mostly on who got the job after Emery. Bearing in mind that it’s gone largely Pep’s way, who in your opinion could have pipped him? It wouldn’t be with Arteta’s team as the un named manager would have sourced his own squad. All guess work really
My point exactly SueP – guess work and opinions.
The unnamed managers?
Pep and Klopp and, bearing in mind the situations we were in, probably Mourinho and Aiiardyce!!!!
I’d have to dismiss Pep as he hasn’t been pipped and is the one to beat Ken1945. Klopp beat him once with his own team. Mourinho in his prime and with Chelsea money could. Allardyce, imo, could only do it if parachuted in for a few weeks as his main claim to fame latterly was keeping teams up so he may have been able to tighten things but that would be with Arteta’s team and not his own. All hypothetical Ken1945 but an interesting exercise
Ken, thats what most of us realist, have been trying to say.
Derek, are you saying that Mikel can’t be classed as winning a trophy because the it wasn’t his squad ?
Btw, I agree that he’s not an Arsenal legend…. at this moment in time.
HD, nice to see you back.
Let me remind you of something you said to me – you wouldn’t consider that any squad was Mikel Arteta’ squad, “until he had signed every player in that squad” when he was struggling in his first two seasons.
He either takes credit for the fa cup win and the blame for the first two (maybe even three) seasons – or, as many argue, he was not at fault because he inherited such a mess of a club and it was those dross players themselves who won the cup.
Which of the two is it?
Arteta should be credited for masterminding a great cup run whilst recognising that the team he inherited was not good enough to mount a serious title challenge.
Or, decried for breaking up a squad capable of actually winning something and buildone that hasn’t and has blown everything that has been in front of them?
I concur with you David.
Evening Ken, good to be back posting again on JA.
Regarding the squad that Mikel inherited, I’ve always said that it’s funny they could rise to the occasion when there was a medal to be won.
Derek, I’ve looked up the record of the great Herbert Chapman, and it would seem that you are wrong with your stats. It took him 241 games to win his first trophy, the FA Cup in 1930 and another 40 games to win his second, the First Division.
Season 25/26 48 games. Nothing
26/27. 49 games Nothing
27/28. 47 games Nothing
28/29 47 games Nothing
29/30. 50 games FA Cup winners
30/31. 40 games 1st Division Title.
Herr Drier,
Thank you for correcting me on Herbert Chapman, I retract that part of my piece.
But I stand by the rest, concerning George Graham and Arsene Wenger.
Maybe I was a bit harsh in saying that Arteta had won nothing while at the club, and I’ll also retract that statement.
But in 4 full seasons, he’s not provided any trophy’s, and therefore any legendry status is certainly a no, no for me.
Thanks’ again for correcting me.
To claim that Arteta has not won any trophies with Arsenal is simply dishonest and discredits your post.
Don’t forget Bertie Mee cup and title winning side or Terry Neil’s cup wins
Arteta is already one of the best managers in world football. To say he is “promising” is quite a ridiculous insult. Some fans insist that he is merely “good” which is equally silly.
It would however be reasonable to state that he has yet to attain legendary status given the limited silverware since he became manager.
David, how do you quantify “Arteta is already one of the best managers in the world?”
I totally agree with your last paragraph of course.
Ken1945,
I’m with you on this one. How David can say he’s one of the best managers in the world is beyond me.🤦♂️
I guess some fans are very easily pleased aren’t they.🤷♀️
It is an interesting topic that can’t come up with just one answer, Derek
On the home front in recent years, only Klopp has taken the league from Pep and won the CL. He is definitely one of the best managers in the world. Beyond that, looking beyond these shores there are a fair number of household names with impressive bodies of work, but in the present, who are these great managers? Ancelotti but those household names are no longer working (Tuchel now England manager) Zidane also not working but a 3 time CL winner. Mourinho last won in 2010
So who exactly then is so much better than Arteta? Emery has an excellent resume but hasn’t yet cracked the EPL.
When so few clubs and so few managers have won the top prizes it rather reduces the greatness of the rest
Sue,
While I agree with certain things you say.
For him to be called one of the best managers in the world, there must be a real dearth of managerial talent out there.
I don’t think there is a dearth of talent, but it does mean that the influence of Pep and Ancelotti has put the rest into a lower bracket during this current period. I forgot Alonso who had a great year in 2023/24. Would you say that Slot is one of the best managers? If you do, then Arteta is pretty much his equal
There is no dearth of managerial talent. There are several top level managers out there. It is really odd that Arteta is so underrated by certain Arsenal fans.
One can only assume that people are blind to the impact of Pep. The only team that has beaten Pep’s MC is a Liverpool team that should be counted as generational in its own right. If you look back over the history of the PL there are but a handful of teams that would have been able to topple Pep’s MC. Amongst Arsenal’s title winning sides only the Invincibles would have had a chance.
The transformation of Arsenal and 2 consecutive title challenges puts Arteta right up there amongst the top 5 in world football.
“Certain fans” are not undertaking MA, they are challenging the articles title that he is “already a legend” something that you seem to agree with.
I ask you again, how do you measure a manager’s status as legendary?
Undermining not undertaking 😂
David, he has proved, the opposite.
Nobody cares about win percentages
Nabilo, they do if they win trophies – just check DEREK’S post above.
But Derek post, outside his sentiment, is empty and illogical ken… What’s there to check
The stats reveal that just winning games, doesn’t make you a winning “legend”, as the other three managers, Herbert Chapman, George Graham and Arsene Wenger, whilst losing more games, all won more trophies.
How on earth can you say that his post is “empty” when it shows nine trophies being won by these three legendary managers, each in their first 250 games at the club?!
By comparison, Mikel Arteta has won one, as I don’t think DEREK has included the Charity Shields that GG and AW won.
Ken, some of the stats he used try to confirm it and secondly he deliberately mentioned that Mikel has won nothing in the same period. He twisted the information to suit his sentiment like always.
He’s wrong to say that MA hasn’t won anything, but he’s right in comparing three legendary managers trophies to the his.
I would have mentioned the diffencee in the backing of each as well, with regards to money spent on players in those 250 games by the way.
Chronicle,
What are you talking about, the facts are there.
Certainly under George Graham and Arsene Wenger.
Herr Drier, corrected me on Herbert Chapman in a piece further back, which I retract (My bad).
But I certainly haven’t twisted anything.
Apart from it being a nice milestone for the great man that is Arteta, what do win rates count for if it leads to no trophy’s.
But if you believe I’m twisting things then that’s your prerogative, but look at the stats yourself.
Or is it your really the one who’s twisting things to suit your argument. (Just asking).
Nabilo,
I to don’t care about win rates either.
But I thought it interesting to give a man legend status, for what Arteta has achieved was over the top.
So, I thought it worth chucking a few stats out there, concerning this 250 game record.
To me win rates are a nice personal milestone for the manager, but if it doesn’t lead to trophy success, then basically it’s meaningless.
Agree. It is the statistic that non-successful team fans use to big themselves up to justify their failure. A quote from Bill Shankly, a Liverpool legend “If you are first you are first. If you are second, you are nothing.”
It’s the trophy count that matters, big ones CL & PL and then the others.
Arteta, if no trophies are added will be the equivalent of Terry Neil of the 70s – hardly a legend
His best claim for legend status is winning the FA Cup as a player and manager. George Graham did it too (and much more) but Arteta did it as captain.
It seems to me that the standards at this club has dropped, if get legend status off win rates.
You can’t make this stuff up, you really can’t.🤦♂️
I think for some, it has dropped.
Arteta won’t be judged on the number of games won (or not lost), but on trophies won. He’s doing well but needs a trophy or two any time soon.
Jax,
Its five years now and counting, how long should we wait.
What phase are we in now by the way, I’ve lost count again.
Do you have anyone better than Arteta right now, Derek?
The article said MA is a legend, not if there is anyone better at the moment.
Of course, we have missed out on the likes of Fabian Hurzela, Enzo Maresca, Ruben Amurim and Arne Slot, but that’s not the point is it?
Lol… Enzo wins a couple of games for chelsea and he’s already a better manager than Arteta. Even Amorim?
Arsenal fans and jokes.
Where were all these people you mentioned when Arteta was employed at the time?
I am not one of the biggest Arteta fans but please be realistic in your assessments.
So what has MA won in five years that the managers I mentioned haven’t in the leagues they have arrived from?