In the last two seasons, Arsenal have been in a position to influence the Premier League title race; they’ve been in a position where they could win the PL crown. In the 2022–23 season, they lost it by 5 points, despite having an 11 point lead at one point. Last season, they lost it by two points, reaching the final day of the season with a decent chance of winning, but the outcome of the Manchester City versus West Ham game did not go their way.
But now we have a fresh season ahead of us. And the club is extensively preparing to go for glory. Aside from the Benjamin Sesko transfer snub, Mikel Arteta is getting exactly what he wanted from the transfer market. He wanted Riccardo Calafiori, and he’ll soon have the Italian in his squad. He wants Mikel Merino, and everything points to that deal going through. He also wants goalkeeper Dan Bentley, and there’s every reason to believe he’ll get him.
Deals for Calafiori, Merino, and Bentley, which don’t cost much, would also provide him with enough money to pull off a marquee deal for the attack. Taking that into account, do you agree that Mikel Arteta’s project is now or never? If he does not win the championship next season, uncomfortable conversations will begin about him; there may be suggestions that he isn’t a winner, and Arsenal may need to get another elite coach to get them over the line.
Arteta has received more financial support than any other Arsenal manager, so he can’t afford to start being known as the coach with in-bred seconditus. He must pull off something next season or else….
Peter Rix
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Or else what?….
He gets replaced
Says who?
Says the law of averages
Sorry buddy, law of averages don’t make decisions here is the owner
Makes no sense buddy .
It makes perfect sense and you know it. The law of averages has nothing to do with whether or not Arteta keeps or loses his job – the owner makes that decision. And Arteta isn’t getting sacked if he doesn’t win anything this year. Barring a disastrous year, such as not qualifying for CL, he is secure in his job.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I like the law of average, rarely does a manager improves a team as the gaffer and get sack, exception can be made for that legendary Italian Claudio Ranieri
Yeah can’t really take too much from this piece. Arteta has come second to a treble winning, 4 ina row, record breaking GOAT managers Petro dollar team. He’s broken goals scored record, most points at the emirates record, most wins. we’ve one of the youngest squads in the league, one of the lowest wage bills out of the top 6 clubs and we play fantastic dominating football. Klopp won 1 league title and 1 ucl in 9 seasons. Bar Ancelotti and Pep, who’s better than Mikel as a replacement?
@Matt
And none of that matters if you don’t win anything. Just saying…
Well, NYG, I’m just saying have you got a worthy replacement lined up for the 2025/26 season then ?
It’s no use to anyone to strike a negative note when in all likelihood there is no one to do any better if you think Arteta needs the chop
It does matter though. This is an utterly pointless article and discussion as everyone knows that Arteta is 100% secure in his job, barring a disastrous season where he doesn’t qualify for CL or something to that effect.
Exactly. Well said Matt. Especially given the massively increased competition in the league compared to when Wenger was in charge, I think Arteta has done an incredible job and last season earned him the right to at least have a couple more cracks at major silverware before the “Getting fired” discussion resurfaces.
Yeah, before you know it MA would have “lost the plot” have no “ambition” etc. etc. 🤦♂️
We all know it’s not his fault. He doesn’t have many players he trusts to rotate, youth not good enough to promote, and City still have Pep.
Can we finally take off the protective bubble wrap after 5 years? Can we say top 4 or be warned like Wenger and Emery?
Can any goals or minimum achievements be stated publicly by Arteta or the club?
Without an actual striker and midfielder we bride’s maids again.
I don’t think there is a protective bubble now Durand and top4 should still be the benchmark for keeping your job. That said, Liverpool had a wobbly year, so blips do occur and throwing the baby out with the bath water makes no sense to me. What Wenger and Emery failed to do was bring back CL football (amongst other reasons) So far, Arteta has been given the time and funds to more or less start from scratch. So yes, now is the time for him to show his worth.
I noticed the irony in your first sentence
But Sue when Mr Wenger was finishing 4th some said that wasn’t enough
We have spent all this money to now be saying top 4 is acceptable?
Dan, Wenger classed finishing in the top 4 as a trophy, ranking it above both domestic Cups. By coming out and saying that, he left himself out to ridicule.
As for money, Wenger spent close on £200m in his last 2 seasons, and failed to make top 4 both times.
Exactly so we can’t 6 years later say top 4 now is the benchmark
Has Mikel classed it as a trophy ?
HD, you seem to be the only one who ridicules Arsene for saying 4th was a trophy and it now seems that, if MA finishes 4th and qualifies for the CL, he will have done his job as well.
So what’s the beef about the word “trophy?”
Manure claim their Community Shield wins as part of their list of trophies when one visits their website – we don’t and I’m sure if Arsene thinks that he’s upset you by using the wrong word, then as a Frenchman, he would apologise.
I guess many British speaking nationals, might use the wrong word when talking in French!!
Ken, there were plenty of march going Arsenal supporters who had a problem with Wenger ranking finishing in the top 4 above the domestic Cups. When Silent Stan became the major shareholder in April “11, the first thing he did was shut down the clubs website forum. Now to use that forum, you had to be a Red or Silver Member or a Season Ticket holder. A new independent forum was set up, and we all joined it. It was on there that the supporters ridiculed Wenger.
He never used the wrong word. He was quoted on the clubs website, and I copied it. This is what he said.
“At the beginning of the season there are 4 trophies.
1st is the Premier League.
2nd is the Championship League.
3rd is to finish in the top 4.
4th are the Domestic Cups.”
If you go on the clubs website, go on the menu, then the clubs history, then scroll down to honours, the club do indeed include the CS in the 48 major trophies.
*match
HD, I’m talking about today, why that matters to Mikel Arteta what Arsene Wenger said all those years ago and why your the only one on JA who feels it matters?
They don’t include their CS wins around The Emirates stadium and neither did they arrange for a open top bus parade, which you equate with 4th place.
I accept your example of AW saying that the top 4 place was a trophy, but I actually agree with him, as do all the managers of the top six clubs.
As for the independent forum, I wonder how many fans joined it? I knew nothing about it.
Could it be that Arsene saw the financial difference between a domestic cup and a place in the CL?
Certainly MA is being praised for getting us back in there and is also being judged to be a success if we qualify at the end of this coming season.
I guess that means Arsene has another seven trophies to add to his portfolio in your eyes then HD and six of his trophies were obtained in his, so called, failed
latter years?!
Ken, I’ve yet to see any other manager say finishing in the top 4 ranks above the domestic Cups, maybe you could point me in the direction ?
The independent forum that started after SK shut down the club one, was called The Arsenal Forum, and was used by the same match going supporters who used the clubs one. Did you never use the club one ?
For me, a trophy is what a captain collects after winning a league or a cup, not where a team finishes in the league. So he has 3PL trophies and 7 FA Cups, shame he’s downgraded the FA Cup though.
I must add, that although I can’t stand the CL, I understand the need to be in it due to the greed of the modern game.
Didn’t the captains collect the CS at Wembley then HD?
I distinctly remember that happening when we beat city115, along with the fireworks going off and thousands of Arsenal fans applauding after we beat them on penalties.
How has Arsene downgraded the fa cup? By holding the record number of wins?
If anyone has downgraded the fa cup, it was manure and the fa themselves, when they were allowed to miss the competition.
No, I never used either forum, although I did watch the official Arsenal TV channel.
In fact, the only forums I’ve ever really found interesting, are JA and UntoldArsenal, along with some excellent articles in Sheworeayellowribbon a while back. Tried AFTV, but that was just too much for me.
I never visit other clubs websites either, as I can’t see the point – there’s enough negativity about The Arsenal from its own fans!!
Am I missing out on something?
I suggest you check Google and see what Mourinho and Pep say about top four – they both talk about it, with regards to spuds(Mourinho) and manure (Pep). Haven’t you listened to the media and the managers they interview with regards to the top four spots?.
I love the theatre of CL nights and the crazy atmosphere it produces from away fans.
Piitting our club against the finest in Europe is brilliant, but it’s winning the PL that’s the big one, closely followed by the CL and FA cup… each to their own.
Of course, appearing in the CS, usually means we’ve won a trophy (or came 2nd in the PL).
Yes Ken, captains do collect a trophy when winning the CS, but no Arsenal captain got their hands on one for the fabled finishing in the top 4 trophy.
He downgraded it by saying the “top 4 trophy” ranked above both domestic Cups.
Regarding Pep and Mourinho, I did Google them and this is all I could find.
Pep: “I’m not saying it’s more important than winning the FA Cup, but it’s like winning titles, definitely, because there are so many strong teams”.
Mourinho: “I don’t want our club to be just happy with fighting for the top four and Champions League, we want to fight for trophies”.
So neither of those managers rank finishing in the top 4 above a domestic trophy.
I liked the European nights, but I much preferred those nights back in the days of the old competitions. As you know, to enter the top European competition you either had to win your league, or win it the previous year. Nowadays finish 4th in certain leagues guarantees you entry, while other clubs who have won their domestic leagues have to go through qualifying rounds. I very much doubt we’ll see the likes of Malmö ever getting to the final again.
Sheworeayellowribbon, the owner Gav had to take a step back last year
due to bad health. Thankfully he’s a lot better now.
HD, your googling differently to me then!
Mourinho said that if he got the spuds into the CL, he would rate that as one of his biggest accomplishments, along with your example of course.
Pep, as you said, is quoted as saying “it’s like winning trophies definitely, because there are so many strong teams”.
Aren’t they both quotes that signify the importance of getting into the CL?
You won’t convince me that winning either of the domestic cups is more important than participating in the CL season after season and the revenue it brings in versus said cups.
In the first season back in the CL, it’s estimated the club made over £60 million and our noisy neighbours, when getting to the final made around £100 million.
I guess you and I view things differently – I want the club to be financially solid, which the CL provides – you want trophies.
Nothing wrong with either viewpoint and I guess from my perspective The Arsenal will continue whether they win trophies or not, while having watched the likes of leeds and Everton plummet into a financial nightmare, I prefer stability.
Of course, we only got to lift the CS, because of our fa cup wins or PL positions and, to date, AW holds that record within the club as well.
Did he downgrade the fa cup?
Not if you judge it by the coverage around the world, the sell out finals and the nigh on impossibility to get tickets, he didn’t.
Why bring up that old hoary chestnut Dan? My point was he and Emery failed to return to a top4 position
Simple as that. Nothing to do with it being a trophy but everything to do with future income and the ability to attract better players
Because it’s now called a benchmark when 8 years ago it wasn’t
You and one or two others seem to be unable to let go of the AW thing
It’s the past
He was a legendary manager but by me writing he was unable to RETURN to the top4 has brought you out in a rash. How many reasonably minded people actually make the comparison these days?
You made the comparison lol
You literally brought Wenger up before anyone else
Ridiculous to be honest
I mentioned both him and Emery who for your own reasons you chose to ignore. It was a throwaway comment about not getting back straight away and I’m now at the brunt of comments that have been taken out of context.
Is it the case that the mere mention of Wenger’s name brings out a load of silliness
I’ve always had an abundance of respect and warmth towards our former manager. What I can’t get a handle on is the slightest sleight is almost blasphemous. What did I write? A benchmark.
So yeah you made the comparison first
It’s not an issue but you can’t make the comparison then question people for …..making the comparison lol
What or who was I comparing him to?
You and Durand mentioned Wenger then you turn to me and say Dan you can’t let Wenger and the past go lol
Dan
You didn’t answer my question – not surprising.
I wasn’t comparing anybody at all so although AW’s name was mentioned it was hardly a comparison and very much an observation of events which also included Emery. I should be able to mention his name without you leaping to his defence. All 3 managers failed to return to the CL immediately and neither lost their jobs as a direct result with Arteta is still in situ
In fact, I agreed that Arteta has to be accountable after ‘the bubble’ that Durand mentioned but I warned that as long as a blip is a blip, and not the beginning of a major downturn, then moderation is required
Arteta’s football style is very entertaining, so I hope he’ll win a trophy this season to prolong his stay
He would’ve won EPL twice if Guardiola didn’t manage a state-owned football club with unlimited transfer budget
Arteta has done well for himself challenging City and PepG twice considering the various sharks in Epl interns of quality and more experienced managers than him. He deserves some credit. I as a fan is ready to be patient with him. Realistically, a coach of PepG status and players with oil money available to spend are difficult to challenge. We go again this season.
@Gai, Arteta has done well for himself challenging City and PepG twice considering the various sharks in Epl interns of quality and more experienced managers than him. He deserves some credit. I as a fan is ready to be patient with him.
Realistically, a coach of PepG status and players with oil money available to spend are difficult to challenge.
Last season we matched City on goals tally despite Haaaland in their rank and even did better deffensively.
But football is what it is, few magins determine who wins.
We go again this season.
Sylva, I hope Merino will make us win a trophy. His playing style, stature and abilities remind me of Xhaka’s
Exactly Gai a 6.1ft midfielder would be a very good addition to us if Arteta can sign him
@gai
Pep can’t be the blame for Artetas shortcomings.
It’s extremely difficult to win a league against the best football manager in the world and a state-owned football club
Guardiola is just too perfect and doesn’t have any shortcomings in a marathon
We are right up there in spending, nearing 1 billion by the end of this window.
Can’t complain about City, Utd, and Chelsea spending money when we are jumping on that same train.
Always amazed how it doesn’t apply to Arsenal, but that same stick we use to beat City, Utd, and Chelsea.
Pep is also a top top manager and coach, it’s not ALL money, but the combination of both.
Arteta still has much to learn, but he is getting there.
Phase 5 is trusting his players more and rotating them, and coaching up players to develop into better players.
@Durand
Once again, with feeling. Real Talk…
Oh Durand, it’s you who is responsible for phase 5?
For my 2 pence worth, there is no reason for Arsenal not to compete financially if it is within the rules. Im decidedly selfish on that front
City have a staggering amount of financial rules charges levied against them. They are cheats, plain and simple. To say Arsenal’s financial spending is in some way comparable to that is clear nonsense.
How is Guardiola responsible for the mistakes Arteta has made
Neither can he be to blame for the shortcomings of every other premier league manager over the last 4 seasons
If you are going to slag off Arteta at least pick a better argument
Just saying…😊
SueP, I enjoy reading your comments, because they, normally take me back to the criticism that our previous manager, AW, got.
How many times has it been said that there were only two clubs, teams and managers when Le Prof and Fergie were at it.
I never agreed with that and your comment about the shortcomings of other managers hit the nail firmly on the head.
That same silly argument COULD be applied to these last two seasons of course.
Indeed😊
Well he spent more than the state-owned football club in the last two seasons. If that counts for anything.
Only if you ignore wages which is just deliberately misleading. They count more so in fact to FFP.
You also have to ignore the fact that as a whole the City squad cost much more to assemble in its entirety.
It’s just a lazy narrative for people who have a chip on their shoulder when it comes to Arteta. All these facts are public knowledge and have been discussed before some just choose to ignore reality to peddle narratives.
I will surely write a letter to him regarding this. He probably hasn’t thought about how much pressure rides over him yet.
This article for me is not necessarily. Arsenal as a club is on the right path & growing from strength to strength, & our role a supporters is to trust the process & believe that this season is gonna great
It’s hard for Arteta to win the premier league trophy because he’s stubborn. He also exit the minor cups easily and early. Arteta lost the title last season because he didn’t trust his bench and the same thing will continue this coming season. If you take a look at Arteta, he has the same mentality with that of Wenger. Arteta will not sign high profile players and he’ll regret it again with those fans who always advocate for him about trusting his process. A process that cannot win you trophies.
Whose to say that the results wouldn’t have been the same if he had used his bench more often?
In reality he feels that the squad is not up to par to spell the starting xi, and we manly used a subset of players to push for in the title race, and our form when we did this implement this usage was the best in the entire season.
Adding more players he can trust is important, and I agree he needs to also show some more trust to the squad player as well. Strategic rotation is very important.
We won’t win the title without a proper striker
With proper strikers we had in the past did we score more goals than last season
No….but we did win things
Who “wants Dan Bentley”? not when we’ve got TWO quality GKs in the squad! Speaking of winning trophies, Though we for whatever reason fail to clinch the title despite having all it takes to do it, but that should fuel Mikel and the boys’ hunger to get it done next season i’d suppose. I see some don’t trust the manager to get us there, just like they didn’t before we even start making top four again, but each to their observative skill, i think.
He’ll be a great option for late comeo/starter in cup’s games because he’s one of the best penalty saver around. He has great character and very professional too and he’ll only cost peanuts. Why not
Because we already have two top goalkeepers. I clearly stated it in my post.
Early days lads, early days. He has to win the title this season. He’ll have an aging team after that with lots of deadwood to replace. My biggest concert that we’ve let so much of the future go and sacrificed them for a bunch of 29/30 year olds. I also think in the long term Harvetz and Merino will be disasters. If that’s the case and Arteta’s call hasn’t brought dividends, as in an EPL or Champions League title then yes he should be replaced.
The team is still one of the youngest in the premier league, and out of our oldest players both Jorginho and Partey are in the last year of their deals, so they can be replaced with younger options if need be. Guys like Merino and others in the 27-29 age group can add valuable experience to the squad, which is an underrated trait. And if the wages arent crazy then they’re quite movable.
Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are not Strikers needed for a Title Winning team.😕
When Liverpool won the EPL in 2019/2020, Arteta fans here should go check the Stats of Salah and Sadio Mane.😒
Maybe we should be 3rd then ?
He should focus on the fa cup and carabao
Just make sure u win something each season
We are now chosen by sought-after footballers. Are fans of other teams acknowledging the progress Arsenal have made with Arteta and we are debating whether he should stay? We lost the championship last year in the details, we will win it this year and comfortably I believe.
Can you name these sought after players ?
Havertz, Rice, Calafiori…
Eze – come on CP cough him up!!
I’d love to see us re-sign him.
Havertz wasn’t sought after and I don’t recall one Gooner asking for Calafiori last season
Bayern Munich wanted Havertz, and Juventus wanted Calafiori.
Oh fair enough
I thought you meant like the very best players pick us lol