Arsene Wenger was always going to be a hard act to follow after 22 years at the helm at Arsenal, as not only was Le Prof Arsenal’s most successful manager, he also upheld the belief in doing things “the Arsenal Way”.
Unai Emery came in and tried unsuccessfully to take the Gunners back to the Top Four, and after the Spaniard lost the dressing room in his second season, the reins were passed on to his compatriot Mikel Arteta, with his old team-mate Per Mertesacker running the Arsenal Academy.
Although Arteta may not have yet instilled Wenger’s winning mentality into the side, Le Prof is hopeful that Per and Mikel can continue doing things “The Arsenal Way”. He told CBS Sports: “They were focused and motivated and after that they have to make their career. It’s not done yet, you know, they’ve just started.
“They are in a position where they can, I think, represent the Arsenal culture, the way to behave, the way to educate people, the way to play football.
“I think they have a certain ethical aspect in the way they approach their job. They are focused, they have a desire to improve internally and that’s good, a good basis. They are intelligent.”
Arteta has now been in charge at Arsenal for nearly a year, and many are saying that any new coach needs at least a couple of years to build the team in his likeness, but Wenger thinks any impact should be immediate. “I don’t believe in patience in football, you know, you have three months to have an impact when you arrive somewhere,”
“And if I look at my clubs everywhere I arrived, it didn’t take me three years to have an influence.
“That’s an idea that’s floating around but it never works that way. You have an influence at the start, or you never have one.
“I think [Arteta has had that influence]. But I am not at the club. After it’s the way the team plays and the games you win or you lose, you know, it’s simple.
“It’s about results. It’s as simple as that.”
If it is about results then Wenger may not want to look at Arsenal’s recent form, but all that may be forgiven if Arteta can walk away from Tottenham with the points this afternoon. We want him to beat Spurs “The Arsenal Way”!