Mikel Arteta has done a great job at Arsenal but his summer signings have disappointed and they look pushed both physically and mentally as they look to finally end their title drought
Mikel Arteta saw his team collapse against Molineux (Image: Getty Images)
Arsenal cannot think of giving him a new contract unless Mikel Arteta wins a major trophy.
Arteta has done a great job at the Emirates, but unless the Gunners manager can get over the line before his contract expires in 2027, he should look elsewhere.
Arsenal could surprise us all this season and win the title or the Champions League, which would elevate Arteta to one of the club’s great managers.
But the line between success and failure is always thin and Arsenal look as if they are in danger of suffocating again because they don’t have the mental fortitude to cope with the pressure.
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It’s a manager’s decision, which is why the team underperformed during Arteta’s reign, and why they have to look for another manager if the Spaniard doesn’t deliver.
But that process cannot be left to current sporting director Andrea Berta. He took over last season and was a big hit last summer, but incredibly Arsenal’s batting line-up looks worse than ever.
There is a hint of the emperor’s new costume floating around Bertha. He has fooled everyone into thinking he is a transfer guru, yet some of his deals have been underwhelming or just plain bad.
Victor Gokeres is truly one of the worst strikers I have ever seen play for Arsenal. His touch and technique are poor and he is surrounded by players who are clearly better than him.
Any striker you pick, from Yaya Sanogo to Lee Chapman, would score goals for this team, but they paid £64m for a heavy, unwieldy, Championship-level looking striker.
Noni Madueke has been woefully inconsistent and last season Arsenal fans were all crying out for more quality on the left. However, they are still starting Gabriel Martinelli on the left wing in the must-win game against Wolves. It should be in Bertha.
Under pressure: Mikel Arteta (Image: AP)
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Martin Zvimendi was by far the best signing, but all the work leading up to his transfer was done by his previous recruitment team.
The reality is they didn’t add enough quality they needed in terms of starters, nor did they add enough leaders or proven winners.
They have good players like Cristian Mosquera, Christian Norgaard and Piero Hincapie, but are they game-changers? No, they are additions to a good team.
Instead, Arsenal will simply focus on Declan Rice, who is giving his all on the pitch. Even when he’s not playing, he continues to give 110 percent.
After the draw with Wolves, Rice seemed mysteriously resigned to his fate, trudging along. He’s seen it many times. The same goes for Arsenal fans who are tired of finishing second every year.
In my opinion, if Arsenal finish runners-up again this summer, there is no chance of excluding Arteta. But if they don’t win this season, Arteta could be a busted flash who will struggle to convince anyone next year.
Gökeres was fooled by flattery despite the high price tag (Image: Getty Images)
To be fair, Arteta has transformed the club. But this is also a club that is used to winning. This was the longest post-war period they went without winning a title. That’s why we need a manager who can get this team over the line. 22 years old will soon turn 30 years old.
Even if he can do it this time, it’s hard to imagine Arteta being able to do it. There will never be a better chance for him, but they look mentally and physically shattered.
And the physical aspect is also big. At the same stage last season, Liverpool were still in Europe, had reached the Carabao Cup final and had just been eliminated in the FA Cup fourth round at Plymouth.
So even if the Gunners had beaten Wigan and progressed to the fifth round, they would still effectively be in exactly the same situation as Arsenal.
But Liverpool manager Arne Slott has done what Arteta struggles with. After January, they gradually reduced their training, leaving their most important players on the pitch and maintaining the energy levels needed to win the title.
That is where Arsenal have failed, where Arteta has failed, and why Arsenal are in serious danger of falling behind again. They look beat up.
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