Arsenal’s blind trust on Mikel Arteta could hurt them badly in long run
Mikel Arteta's process keeps on wavering for Arsenal, and unless there is a fix in place, the long run doesn't promise much hope.
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Bukayo Saka and Mikel Arteta, image courtesy: X
In recent times, Arsenal has proven to be a reckoning force in the English Premier League. Currently stationed in third position, the Gunners have shown grit, gumption, and resolve to combat the other superlative forces of the league. However, in a year where Manchester City, the defending champions for the last four years, have struggled considerably, thereby opening the gates for other top teams to make headway, Arsenal has somehow failed to take the cue.
With Mikel Arteta at the helm, it has been said time and time again that there is a process in place. In his post-match interviews, he has accepted accountability for Arsenal’s slide downhill while also pinpointing what went wrong. However, that hasn’t exactly brought about the overwhelming wave of consistency that one would expect from the Gunners. They have maintained their fine form, but when it comes to taking the opportunity by storm, somehow Arsenal’s chances have taken a hit.
So has Arteta stuck to his words, which he promised when he arrived? Has he actually worked on the faults that he pointed out earlier in the season? Apart from the known names who have been making the rounds for Arsenal, are the other players coming together in tandem as per Arteta’s expectations, or is he blowing about a pipe dream?
With too many questions deluging the horizon, the time has come to analyze whether Arteta is truly the right man for the Gunners or if the process is taking way too long and is more complicated. Here are three possible reasons why trusting Arteta for the long run might just hurt Arsenal.
Too wordy in the pressers
Mikel Arteta has always been overtly believing in his players. He has expressed confidence in them and has always backed them. In one of the most recent pressers, Arteta said that they should have won the last six games by a mile and that they do not deserve any criticism whatsoever. This was immediately pointed out by the fans, underlining the fact that this blind pride might just sound a lot like Erik Ten Hag during his days at Manchester United.
The same Mikel Arteta who doesn’t give Hale End lads a chance 🤔😉 pic.twitter.com/tWgphoE7Do
— Punch Drunk Arsenal (@PunchDrunkAFC) December 17, 2024
Despite decent displays in the UEFA Champions League and Carabao Cup, their fortunes in the Premier League haven’t exactly been rewarding enough. They did manage to produce resounding wins against Manchester United and West Ham, but since then, they have been on a downward spiral with draws against Fulham and Everton.
In the upcoming days, Arsenal might have a relatively easier set of opponents, namely, Crystal Palace, Ipswich Town, Brentford, and Brighton. However, their draw against Everton has suddenly left things in a precarious state, and with statements like the last one made by Arteta, fans haven’t been hopeful enough.
Missing out on the bigger stages
Arteta’s reign for a fuller season started from 2020-21. However, things didn’t go as planned for the erstwhile Arsenal player. They finished in eighth position with just 18 wins from 38 games. In the following season, things did improve for Arsenal, but not by a degree that could have made them title contenders.
Mikel Arteta in 2047: “Trust the process.” pic.twitter.com/RabbWYlVow
— Troll Football (@TrollFootball) October 19, 2024
They finished fifth with 22 wins from 28 games, edging past Manchester United by a staggering 11 points. However, the Gunners took a quantum leap in the following season, climbing up to the second position in the points table. Arsenal did finish the season with a pomp as they demolished Wolves in the final gameweek, but the week prior to that saw them losing out to Nottingham Forest, thereby costing them three valuable points.
To make matters worse, Arsenal dropped another crucial three points against Brighton Hove and Albion while City trounced Everton. The defeats proved to be way too heavy for the Gunners, as it allowed Manchester City to run away with the title. They maintained their fine form in the following season as well, earning five points more than the last, but once again in an oscillating battle with City, Arsenal somehow lost momentum and took a step back.
Post that, despite the hefty back-and-forth motion of the Premier League points table, eventually City outraced Arsenal to the peak. In a highly oscillating Premier League, it is more of a rule carved in stone that when the final stages come knocking, a team needs to be at their peak, and the ones who prevail in the cat-and-mouse race might just get the nod ahead.
Over-reliability on a handful of players
It goes without saying that Mikel Arteta has always been praising his players. However, when it comes to producing consistency, somehow, Arteta has always looked up to his handful of regulars in the form of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and a few others.
Challenges in the Premier League have always been supreme, and to navigate through the stages, every team has needed a different set of players to come forth. Versatility has always been key for Manchester City, who have been winning the Premier League for the last four seasons.
With the presence of Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, and Jorginho on the bench, the confidence has been wavering for the Gunners. All these players were regular starters for their former clubs but haven’t exactly found their stride in the Gunners’ threads.
Arteta has tried out various combinations, which have been in vain due to a lack of ample time being provided. It is still unclear whether Arteta will find the right combination that might produce the desired results, but things haven’t been soaring enough for the Spaniard.
As Chelsea and Liverpool continue to drive forward, hoping to create a significant difference between them and the defending champions, Arsenal and Arteta both need to batten up their hatches and start looking forward.
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Rohit Ganguly
(493 Articles Published)