Yesterday I wrote an article about why Arsenal shouldn’t rush in extending Mikel Arteta’s contract. They certainly shouldn’t be dictated to by the business going on at other clubs.
It’s only correct though that we consider things from our manager’s point of view.
If Man City truly view him as Pep Guardiola’s natural replacement (and it’s fair to question how credible that is) then on the surface it seems like a no-brainer.
A club he knows, relationships already existing, an unlimited budget to spend and an employer who demands you win trophies.
The assumption is he will be the latest man who uses the Gunners as a stepping stone to Manchester.
Yet, while I argue he’s not the very best we can get, we are the best job he will ever have.
The Spaniard is a smart man, more cerebral than he gets credit for. He knows what the fans want to hear, he understands hiding behind building youth gives him time, he will discard a player if it keeps the owners happy because the wage bill is being slashed.
He equally knows he gets away with things in North London that he never would if he returned to the Etihad. At the Emirates it seems not to matter where in the League he finishes, the Kroenke Family are content to make money off Arsenal just being a brand.
At Man City on the other hand you’re expected to win the title, and if not, your job would be on the line. Ask Mancini who woke up the morning of a Cup Final to find out he was being sacked regardless of the result. That was his thanks for lifting the Prem the year before.
Ask Pellegrini forced out the same season he was still winning silverware.
Sheikh Mansour would be able to offer a higher wage then Silent Stan, but that’s if you view your career in the short term.
A Rafa Benitez for example picks work based on knowing worst case scenario he gets a huge pay off.
Arteta is not 61, he’s 39.
If he wants to coach for a long time, then he needs to consider what place of work offers him longevity.
Part of succeeding is knowing your own limitations. Knowing that at the Champions, you can’t get away with barking on the touchline trying to micromanage world class talent.
Sensing that your tactics have to be more than aimlessly crossing the ball into the box.
Not having a fanbase manipulated into thinking that 8th Is progression.
A couple of years at City makes you wealthier, but your shortcomings get exposed and it’s most likely your last two years working at the highest level.
In his current role Arteta has lasted nearly three years despite for consecutive seasons our worst League position in quarter of a century.
Even a failure to qualify for Europe for the first time in 25 years is enough to apparently get him a new contract. Some Gooners now call 6th place a success.
So why go to City for two years and get sacked when you can get reasonably paid at a club with far less demands and pressure and be employed for a lengthy period?
The juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
Be Kind in The Comments
Dan
Well said
IMO he is not even tactically smart, look at his substitution on the last game aganist Burnley, we needed to win the match but what did he do? Sub the best player on the pitch while he could have takenoff one of the defenders (Holding probably)
Plus and I’m starting to think that he is stuborn and very egostic. I mean look at the number of players he shun out of the team since he came.
If it was two or three players then it would be understandable but when the list goes longer one should ask if the problem really is with the players, Ozil, Guiendozi, Toreira, Sokratis, Aubameyang and Pepe lately
I for one would like to see Guendozi back (The guy is full of energy and talent)
Why would he go to Man City or why would he not go?
That’s left for the man and his family to answer.
It ain’t none of my business.
No problem with your views on Arteta at all but he hasn’t been in his role for nearly 3 years. That is stretching it to the absolute limit and it undermines your article which is more than reasonable in other respects.
When Pep leaves City at the end of next season (assuming the Spain job is available), Arteta will have been with Arsenal for 4 years, plenty of time to have learnt his trade.
Arteta to Man city that will be the day! He has a long way to go before being considered by clubs which have no problem spending to get the very best.
Man City can get (and will go for when needed) the best manager in the world if they wish so. Is Arteta the best manager in the world?
He is extremely lucky to get the Arsenal job. How many managers have in their CV Arsenal job as their first?
He has a chance to make a name for himself with the exposure he get at Arsenal (he should have by now) but unfortunately for him if it doesn’t work out it may to a very big damage to his future prospects.
No one should kid themselves that the likes of Man City and Barcelona will go for a manager who struggled at the mid table even after huge financial backing and abnormal patience.
I believe Arteta is doing the right thing, discipline should not be compromised in any form. Loosing a manager Wenger is not something we can recover from easily, example is what we see since Sir Alex left Man U, loosing a manager brings some set back, despite the bumps (which He already admitted) He has made some great decisions which deserves some credit (like signing Ramsdale which most people don’t believe in him)
Oh…our dream. Arteta goes to Man City. Karma. Let him slowly strangle Man City. Oh…what a dream come true. Arteta gone. Maybe the yoke that has bound us is about to be untied, and tied to the Man City beast of burden. Halleluiah!
Sean, unfortunately when your dream doesn’t come true, the Arsenal nightmare continues.
I respect your views but to me, they are a bit harsh.
The Kroenke family can not be said to be stingy. We have made plenty of solid investments over the last few years. Unfortunately, we have made many poor choices but that blame should go to the football folks that run the club. And keep in mind all clubs make poor investments. Was Lukaku such a great investment? Was Jack Grealish such a success for City? Martial for Man U? Buying players is hit and miss and it is somewhat unfair to blame the owners for that IMO.
I understand that some fans don’t think highly of Arteta but IMO I can see the outlines or green sprouts of a brighter future. Sure it takes time to turn around a club like Arsenal. But the same goes for a club like Man U. Are they doing so much better than Arsenal?
We have had a brilliant transfer window and whether we like it or not winter windows are difficult but we seem to be making real efforts.
I see clear progress when we have our best 11 on the pitch. Despite not often having our best 11 on the pitch we managed to climb to the top 4. And for the moment we are still in a fight for the top 4.
So I see no reason to judge now. I don’t think we need to give Arteta a new deal now and I don’t think he would leave us for City. But I don’t think City would be crazy for wanting him.
Arteta is good enough IMO at the moment to not be able to be replaced by just any manager. If we can get Tan Hag perhaps, perhaps, we could try but only if we fail to finish in the top 4 IMO.
That’s a good post John63
The usual angle from this writer is to somehow throw dirt on the owners for not spending.
For years he was promoting the lie, that we weren’t spending on transfers, and when he finally had to stop, because the facts exposed the lie, he has gone onto new dubious claims. At the moment it is “slashing the wage bill”, and you will see it as good as every post. But there are no facts to support it.
Dan…
It is always difficult to ignore your articles, especially when they are well written and contain strong arguments, as the current one and the one published yesterday.
Indeed, it is difficult to speak otherwise, especially given the recent January results; however, it is not solely an Arteta issue, as your article frequently emphasizes. On the other hand, you make this claim in your article, “… barking on the sidelines trying to micromanage world-class talent.”
Do you truly believe that our players are “world class talent(s)”? Is this an opinion or a statement of fact? If it’s just an opinion, I’d drop the case. Otherwise, I suppose that there are other factors to consider in Arsenal’s decline. For example, how many of our players will make the Man City starting lineup? I’ll leave that to our imagination.
If we blame Arteta for acquiring these players, we must ask whether Arteta is also responsible for the money required to acquire these players. If the answer is no, which I believe it is, then why blame him instead of the board? I believe the board is still a major contributor to the decline.
As a result, I believe a more balanced article should address all of the factors without necessarily emphasizing one over the other. Most likely, you may intend it to be a series of articles, with Arteta serving as only the main character in the first and second article of the series. I’m looking forward to seeing how other factors are examined relative to Arteta.
Once again, in my opinion, I would wait until the entire three years of Arteta’s regime are completed at the end of the season before passing a final judgment. Then we’ll know whether we made the top four or not; for now, it’s just a test of our various prediction abilities.
Please be safe and blessed!
Cheers!
I meant at Man City he would have world class talent
True! I got that wrong!
DAN, two years and one month are NOT “ALMOST THREE YEARS”.
WHEN,IF EVER, WILL YOU GET SOME “FACTS” CORRECT?
*smiling*
True, Jon!
Contextually, it seems to many that Arteta has spent such a long time already at Arsenal and much is expected in such a time frame.
Nonetheless, when it comes to the Arteta case, I believe your previous article sums it up nicely: judgment has been adjourned until May 2022 (paraphrased).
Trust you are doing well!
Cheers!
Why would a high flying team like man City want arteta if he was as bad you arsenal fans made him look out to be?
Nice one 🔥
He’s no more on his way to manage city than vlahovic was on his way to play at the emirates … just like with emery we have an up and down manager leaving fans dreaming of a top 4 finish hoping for top 6 but resigned to the possibility of another season out of Europe … club as loss any sense of respect for itself and it’s fans
RW1
Unlike UE who flattered to deceive and eat us short We are more in it for a top 4 spot then out of it and until we are mathematically unable to achieve it then I will reserve my judgement
I really don’t understand why some people on here keep moaning about MA.
We know he is.not the real deal manager we all longed for
He is an apprentice learning his trade on the job at our club.
He could do better but he is doing OK
He has dealt with a dross.of players who are either full of attitude does not have the right mentality or the inability to follow orders.
We also have short memories
Silent stan appointed MA and because he has ditched out a few Bob over the last season or two where the hell was he when we needed money then…
We are not a top 4 club and haven’t been for years but we do need to get back in there ASAP if ee are to win things again
the same Emery that beat Arteta en-route to another Europa title win?…we all know he wasn’t given a fair chance unlike Arteta
Please
For what ever reason he was not the person for us. He did not fit us and we did not fit him
It happens no matter how good you felt he was
His record was terrible for us
Last full season His record at the end was poor
He started his last season as he finished off the season previous and hence why he got the sack
Alan, Emery was one missed Aubameyang penalty against Spurs from top four in that season, despite lack of support from the Board in disciplining recalcitrant players. He was sacked with Arsenal sitting eighth. Time will tell if Arteta can achieve fifth, let alone fourth with the money and support he has received.
You’ve just answered by telling the truth and then moaning about him. Why can’t others do what you do?
Sean
I am not moaning about MA
I didn’t believe he should have been given the job in the first place but we are where we are
I think he is doing a decent job considering what he has inherited
I have said it on numerous occasions that I as an Arsenal fan i will make my judgement at the time when it is not mathematically possible to achieve a top 4 spot or we have secured a top 4 spot a
Time will tell
I thought the first 4 or 5 lines of your article were encouraging Dan but then it turned into telling us that Man City are better than us at the moment and continued with thinly veiled pops at our Manager unfortunately
“Knowing that at the Champions, you can’t get away with barking on the touchline trying to micromanage world class talent”
Isn’t that exactly what Pep does at every game?, but they both obviously do a lot more than that and given their respective careers so far Pep just as obviously does it better, that’s why he is the Manager at the top of the pile and Mikel isn’t
It’s a reasonably logical thought that when Pep goes City will look at Arteta as one of their options but certainly not a shoo-in and it’s far from being a case of Mikel making a decision between signing a new contract at Arsenal or going to City as your piece seems to imply
I would imagine that Mikel’s Agent has had a call from the people at Everton for example and he would have many suitors if Arsenal pulled the plug in the summer or part way into next season
Whatever we think right now as Arsenal fans Arteta has moved into football management well at a young age and has a very good managerial career in front of him
In an ideal world I would imagine that Arteta would want to win the League with Arsenal before he moves on but move on he will
There’s a big difference between micro managing and constructive managing using his players to their individual strengths.
They are better then us
I don’t think Arteta is a bad manager, I just don’t think he should be cutting his teeth at a club the size of Arsenal.
The way Gerrard did it was the correct way in my opinion. Went to a relatively big club in a “smaller” which still has a lot of pressure and did quite well there. he has since moved to Villa which is an decent club in a huge league. He will likely end up at Liverpool if he proves successful at Villa.
I think Arteta’s problem is his ego, “it’s my way or the highway”. he needs to learn a degree of flexibility which will come with time….again that’s why you usually start at a smaller club.
Arteta is not clean. Whatever Auba’s issue he should be treated better by the manager and club. We are becoming a real disgrace, especially how the club treat people on a human level. If I treat people like how arteta treat some I would be disgusted by myself. But I guess that’s who he is. He needs to remember his time will come to get the sack as he does not report to himself.
You’re spot on!!
Gerard is another example of someone who has moved well into football management at a young age and has a very good managerial career ahead of him
Ideally he would probably want to win the League before he leaves Villa but leave he will and yes that could be to Liverpool
If van Bronckhorst does “quite well” at Rangers he could well be in contention to be the guy to replace Mikel when that time comes
FF, he has to finish in front of our Ange yet. Next Wednesday is a very important game at Celtic Park.
Happy Australia Day🇦🇺!
G’day Ozziegunner, absolutely and he’s got a long way to go to match what Gerrard did
If successful the experience could stand him in good stead to manage in the English Premier League, maybe at the Arsenal
FF, just remember Gerrard won one trophy (last year’s league title by 19 points) in 3 years. Ange Postecoglou has arrived late, lost top class players and bought in replacements and upgrades at relatively low transfer fees, won the Scottish League Cup, still alive in the Scottish FA Cup and Europe Conference League and has reduced Ranger’s lead to 4 points half way through the season. So not such a long way.
Outstanding effort, yet you won’t see any apologies from the ignorant Alan Brazil et al.
I wouldn’t mind arteta going ng to man city. Oil money would definitely let him look like a genius just like how the oil money makes pep the greatest we have ever seen and will see in our life time. All hail pep and hail arteta to man city.
To say Arteta’s been on easy street at Arsenal is to simply deny the truth. He inherited monstrous problems at the club, mainly from the Wenger/Gazidis reign. He could have just worked with what he had, like most would, but he actually put the long-term stability of the club first, by going after the huge issues at the club.
I still find it amazing that some of our own fanbase don’t realize our deep rooted our problems were.
Is Arteta the right man to take us to the next level? I’m not convinced at the moment. Despite that, I have huge respect for him changing the culture, work ethic, and bringing together a young squad, jam packed with potential.
I can’t disagree with much of that Jonbo
Whether the problems were at monstrous level or not and/or whether those problems were of Wenger or Gazidis’s making doesn’t really matter too much now, the Club had decided that major change was required and that was Arteta’s mission should he choose to accept it, he did and has made a decent fist of it so far and as you say Jonbo if he left in the summer he would leave a pretty good squad for someone to inherit and move forward
I doubt that he is thinking like that at the moment though, I’m sure he will fancy a decent go at top 4 and a shot at the League next season
But bringing it back to point, he would have done himself a lot of good in the managerial marketplace by doing what he has done, as I mention in one of my earlier posts Everton may well think that that kind of overhaul is needed at their Club
Jonbo, the major disappointment is that so many fans, seemingly a clear majority, fail utterly to see what you correctly outline.
In all lifes pastimes and matters, there will always be those who do not wish to see, those who cannot see how ever much they try and lastly those who see quite clearly what is happening
I thank God you and I are in the latter group, as I would hate to be wilfully blind or simply unable to see.
Thankfully for me, I have always been a deep thinking and highly perceptive person and am not prone to ignorantly follow the herd.
I just don’t believe that Arteta was the best we could get because top managers were not interested.
So, you mean that
1. Highest spending last Summer, around 150 millio
2. Final say on players in and out, loans, sales, etc…
3. No threat of the sack, even though losing out on European football and finishing outside the top 6?
4. Given a free 3 year pass to implement their ideas at the club?
Hard to believe Arteta was the final choice looking at the issues above. Into his 3rd year now, and still no style of play, and the same issues that plagued us 2 years ago continue to resurface.
No doubt Durand…those are some of the very reasons why many said we couldn’t attract top tier managers, yet we gave them all to the most novice of choices…mindboggling
👍 👍
Like it or not Arteta is going to get another 2 or three years extension to his contract. Why? Because he has not done badly at all.
There is stability in the club, people were mourning that we had too many ‘deadwood’ and that manager was clueless. Now all the ‘deadwood’ are being let go now and the manager is being castigated for letting too many unneeded players go!!
People were clamouring for a no-nonsence disciplinarian, now Arteta is putting his foot down and he is being called arrogant and egoistic.
Give our manager some respect, he is far more knowledgeable about football that majority of his armchair critics .
Up gunners…
High five JAY
Viva MA! Support the Manager!!
Vamos Arsenal!
🤢🤢
Where do we get these absurd articles from? City are not interested in Arteta at all, its just make believe stuff and fiction that City would ever consider Arteta for their manager. They want to win things for a start.
I believe it was the daily mail Reggie, but can’t check right now…
That says it a admin pat!!!!
Reggie, just like player agents talking up their players, as being sought by top clubs.
I doubt that City’s owners would hire MA, unlike our owners they are very involved in the running of the club.they wouldn’t stand for a manager that completely freezes out players he falls out with, depreciating their values while wanting them out of the club.even Pep always leaves the door open to players who have broken the rules or are agitating for a move,he takes them out the squad for a couple of weeks and if they work hard there is always a way back,just ask Silva,Jesus,Folden,Greakish,Lapuerta sorry I meant Laporte and many more over the years.MA doesn’t seem to understand that players are assets,yes he got rid of several players but how much did we get for them?most of them had their contract paid off and players like Mavros, Guendouzi..being sold for peanuts.
Top comment 👍👍
why? cos he’s not surrounded by Prima Donnas and idiots
The question of whether Arteta is good or bad is left to ones individual perception. Thing is there are pros and cons to everything in life and it is no different for Arteta. You cant eat the cake and have it too. Arteta has definitely given the Club its worst position in the League, not qualified for Europe in nearly 25 years, but mind you he has done some things good also which both UE and Wenger in his latter years did not do and that is getting rid of dead wood, injecting youth and pace into the playing XI, not tolerating dissent, giving a firm direction as far as discipline is concerned and trying his best to have a particular plan in place and instructing his players to follow a plan. The fact of the matter is, he is successful at certain points and unsuccessful at others. Let us not forget it took Klopp a long time to be fully successful at Liverpool and bring them to the level where they are now, because unlike City and Chelsea, Liverpool managers are not blessed with coffers of money and so Pepp does not have much problems at City because he has got 2-3 world class quality players in each position to choose from, the luxury which Arteta does not have. However, Arteta needs to certainly improve on his man management, vis a vis the treatment of Saliba, Guendouzi and Mavro, it would help certainly if Arteta is more flexible and shows a more human face. However, I am quietly confident that in times to come, Arteta will realise his mistakes, show more flexibility and I think the inclusion of Saliba come summer would be the beginning of change. In the meantime, I would stand by Arteta atleast till the season ends, the man needs support for what he is trying to do and for the tough decisions he has taken knowing clearly well that he would be criticised by unsatisfied fans should things go wrong which is exactly what is happening at this point in time. Since beginning I was a proponent of the theory that we should wait till summer before passing a final judgement on MA. As for the Birnley game for which MA received much flak, let us not forget that Suthampton held City, Leeds beat WestHam and Brighton held Chelsea, so no game is easy in the PL and no team is weak, every team plays tough and Birnley is no exception. I agree that sometimes Artetas substitutions are a mystery to me but I feel he has some theory behind that or there are certain circumstances which we fans are unaware of and these substitutions at times work and at times does not work, its what it is. Let us also not forget that considering the situation of Arsenal much before Arteta took over, world class players are not readily willing to come to Arsenal, Vlahovic being a case in point, so Arteta has to work with what he gets and unlike Tuchel or Pepp he wont get what he wants, so thats a limitation we need to keep in mind. However, finally, if the Board and the owners are convinced Arteta is the right man to lead the line, there is little one can do and instead of daily moaning about what Arteta should do and should not do, it would be reasonably logical to support him and wait until the end of the season before passing a final judgement. With no Europe and no Cup games, with only the PL to focus on and with a fully fit squad to play in our future PL games, I am quietly confident of a successful season, we still have a lot to play for in the PL.
None of that matters if you fail in the Prem
A good balanced post gunnerforlife
I don’t understand where this huge respect for Arteta comes from. He is strangling the life out of Tierney, Saka and ESR with his micromanagement, been unable to use Aubamayang and Pepe to their strengths, exiled a number of promising players probably because he can’t deal with attitude, signed some useful players who don’t have the exceptional ability to be part of a champion team, and if that’s not bad enough clung on to Xhaka and Elneny as though his life depended on them. There are enough crimes against football there, to have had much better managers shown the door.
Simply put: Arsenal fans are becoming the most IRRATIONAL fans in the world.
Now from your article, you speak like you knw the man or his future. Whoever you’re, stop spreading hate!! You won’t do better than him if you get the job.
Hey!! You guys love the club so much eh? Please don’t just type from a computer saying how bad this is, tht is, Just go get the job. I bet you’ll do better than the man.
Silly, silky reply. Talk about irrational. Phew!!!