Has Mikel Arteta fallen short with Arsenal? Absolutely, he has. He has received a substantial amount of money and still fell short once more.
Has any manager received support like Arteta?
As I pen this, Liverpool leads Newcastle 2-0 and appears to be smoothly heading towards not only a victory tonight but also the Premier League title in Arne Slot's inaugural season as manager. I just completed reading the piece on awkward discussions regarding Arteta, and another thought popped into my head.
Has there ever been a manager in the history of English football who has received as much support as Mikel Arteta (together with Edu)?
Since Arteta arrived at the club, he has entirely transformed the playing roster, removing all the individuals he didn’t wish to keep (including Aubameyang, whom he urged to extend his contract, and Willian, whom he encouraged to join for free) and signing players amounting to nearly £800m throughout his tenure. Funds have also been used/wasted on eliminating the perceived deadwood, which further raises the expenditure on Arteta’s desired team.
The only manager I recall who has gotten that level of backing during my time watching football is Jose Mourinho in his initial term at Chelsea – but that came after he secured the UEFA Cup and Champions League in his two previous seasons at FC Porto. Arteta arrived as a total beginner (which, naturally, benefits him as this is his initial position).
I believe it's important to raise the question – Arteta has performed admirably at Arsenal, but the backing he's received has certainly allowed him to pursue his goals. Certainly, we can highlight Manchester United and Chelsea, both of whom have invested significantly, but not under a single coach – to be fair – their spending has been quite erratic.
While I acknowledge that Arteta has performed well, I believe it's important to emphasize the context regarding what he has had to work with and the level of support provided to him.
Thank you.
Tim Harrington [QPR] London
Arteta set to leave a lasting impression
Several critical observers have noted that Mikel Arteta's ongoing inability to secure major trophies at Arsenal could lead to a legacy that feels empty when future generations reflect on his time there.
Nevertheless, I’m about to surprise everyone and state that I completely disagree! I think Arteta will create a lasting impact that will be discussed years later, as we view the 24/25 'Premier League Years' highlights on Sky: the first and only manager in PL history to shift from favorites to secure a league title at the start of a new year, only to conclude that same season outside the Top 4 positions. Surpassed by an entirely indifferent and ineffective Guardiola Citeh.
Stewie Griffin (Arsenal has netted no goals in the past 180 minutes of Premier League action. Madrid must be fearful, because obviously, PSV are nothing. I hold 365’s writers responsible for their obvious scheme to create business profits by, umm… presenting important truths. Guess what? Request the QArsenal Department of Justice to look into 365. Controversial partiality towards presenting facts
Whom can we liken Arteta to?
Mikey managed a chaotic situation, whereas Slot took charge of a team that had just lost its most outstanding manager since the 1980s, a figure central to both the club and the city. However, perhaps Tom still believes that’s not a just comparison?
Let’s contrast him with Klopp, who inherited a struggling team ranked 8th with very few quality players and a disheartened fan base, and unlike Arteta, he could only utilize the funds he generated.
Klopp secured every available trophy during his 8 years. During Arteta's tenure…he has achieved 1 victory. You might still find that unjust, so let’s contrast Arteta with Ten Hag, who inherited an enormous mess…perhaps the biggest and most significant mess we’ve ever witnessed…in his two years, he also invested less than Arteta while achieving more victories.
Additionally, no one besides Gary Neville and Arsenal supporters has ever believed Arteta was on the brink of claiming the Premier League title, and the Champions League is a real fantasy for Arsenal with Arteta; I believe England has a better chance at a national trophy than Arteta does at the Champions League, and I assert that England won’t win one in my lifetime, something I’ve been stating for four years.
Is Arteta not meeting expectations? In contrast to other managers who dealt with disastrous situations? Certainly. In comparison, managers during their initial season? Definitely. In contrast to managers operating with a budget? Absolutely. By all possible metrics, he is not meeting expectations.
I recently mentioned that Arteta is a manager for initial stages, and Arsenal now requires a manager for the next phase since he isn't the right person for the job. He’s an excellent stabilizing force, that’s undeniable. However, he is unable to secure the league or Champions League title. It’s not part of his genetic makeup.
Lee
Injuries are not an excuse.
Saka sustained an injury on December 21st. Arsenal accumulated 33 points over 17 matches. As of February 27th, Arsenal has accumulated 54 points from 27 matches.
Can we eliminate the idea that injuries have hindered Arsenal this season? If anything, Arsenal have handled the injuries somewhat more effectively than when the squad is entirely fit. Before the injuries, Liverpool were accumulating more points per game, and they continue to earn more points per game now compared to what Arsenal managed both before and after the injury.
Jon (it seems the table could accurately represent both teams and their squads), Bridgwater.
…At last, a calm night at home, opportunity to see United play against one of the weakest teams in EPL history and…well, that's not a promising beginning. Only God knows what Onana is up to, but he'll handle it, I suppose.
Oh fine, a few gritty goals, complete dominance, we’ll be just fine.
Strange, Hutchinson has been down here for quite a while. Rise up, young man. Oh no. Reason 4,027 for my dislike of VAR. Naturally, in slow motion and in static images, it appears dreadful. However, context is crucial – the sole reason he’s caught Hutchinson is that the Ipswich player has significantly miscontrolled the ball and then entirely missed it when he reached for it. I have no clue how Dorgu is meant to foresee, quickly on a slippery field, where his leg will end up – after he takes the ball. It no longer matters; it’s United, and it will be a red, since that’s just how our fortune runs.
Then Onana once more. Will he achieve a trio of easy goals? One can simply wish.
Ryan, Bermuda (I can only feel sympathy for Amorim managing this group) And then Onana once more. Will he achieve a hat-trick of easy goals? One can merely wish.
Ryan, Bermuda (I feel nothing but empathy for Amorim dealing with this group)
Onana…pardon?
A determined and tenacious display that earned a well-deserved 3 points. It's unfortunate for Dorgu, who was performing well; I don’t believe there was any ill intent, but that will inevitably result in a red card. Nevertheless...
We must discuss Onana. It’s painfully obvious that United’s issues are more profound than just a goalkeeper, but good grief, we won't progress with this fool between the sticks. Ipswich generated no opportunities tonight and he has let in two goals. He’s perfectly okay 98% of the time, but if the remaining 2% is disastrously poor, that’s a significant issue.
Our hiring list was already excessively lengthy, particularly given our seemingly restricted budget, but there’s simply no way we can proceed with him as the top option for next season. It is reaching an unsustainable point. Let’s hope we can return him to Inter for any remaining value in PSR terms.
Lewis, Busby Avenue
Doomsday coming soon?
Donald Trump is in the White House. The planets mysteriously come together in the night sky. The Pope becomes unwell. And Pep secures a league victory for Manchester City against troublesome team Spurs.
Refers to the book of Revelations
Sure, I’m not claiming that the end of the world is here, but perhaps hold off on beginning a new box set.
Chris Bridgeman, Kingston upon Thames
Spurs evidently focusing on Europa
After recently reading Will Ford’s outrageously exaggerated criticism of Ange’s team choices, I’m curious if he is just joking or genuinely unaware of the situation. Has it truly not crossed his mind that Ange is obviously prioritizing the Europa League next week, so he opted for a game that isn’t essential to win to rotate three players who have participated in nearly every game lately?
Indeed, he could have rotated for the Ipswich match and fielded a more competitive team against City (it wasn't at the Etihad, but I realize that's a minor detail, Will). However, if he had and Spurs had failed to win either match... Will Ford would be writing an article stating he deserved to be fired. Had Spurs not achieved victory in their last three Premier League matches, their starting lineup tonight would likely have varied, but they did.
As a Spurs supporter, I have no issues with how Ange has selected his teams for these matches. We must choose our best team for the most important matches… and that will apply next Thursday. The Europa remains our sole feasible path to European football next year and justifiably took the highest priority; we still performed well enough this evening to gain something from it. If you're planning to demand a manager's dismissal for not fielding his strongest team in crucial matches, it’s likely important to understand what those crucial matches are.
Philip, London
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