Arsenal splashed cash to bolster their team in the summer transfer window, but Mikel Arteta’s overly careful approach in the big game that derails the Premier League title push
The loving soccer writer, who spends most of his life on the highway, will take part in games across the country. I’m passionate about soccer, my work, and mirrors. The Premier League is the best in the world and I always believe England has a chance. Arsene Wenger: Author of Wenger, The Inside Story of Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta signed ahead of Turbo-Charged this summer, but he continues to turn on the handbrake.
Arsenal should be unhappy with Arteta’s tactics even after blew a big chance to beat Manchester City on Sunday and recovered the draw. Two dropped points can cost the title. It raises the question: Is Arteta afraid to lose? Managers who become safe in the first place can scare you out of real winning.
Arteta has done an incredible job at Arsenal since taking over in December 2019. He completely changed the club. However, this season is about winning major trophies. That must be. And you don’t do that with the midfield trio of Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Mikel Merino. All great players, but not the right chemistry to put everything out to win.
They tried it at Liverpool and had nothing but left Anfield and claimed they had better statistics. You won’t win a title by losing the game to your main rival.
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And the more Arteta is told something is not right, the more stubborn he becomes, and the more likely he is to dig into trying to prove everyone else is wrong, the more he feels it almost. That’s probably why he chose the same midfield against the city. And it looked flat and there was no missing inspiration and forward drive. We missed the No. 10, a creative spark, and a player unleashing City’s determined defense.
Martin Odegard was injured. But what about Ebebeki Eze? Why sign him when you don’t try to start him in a big game? What exactly is Ethan Nuwaneri thinking? He turned down a huge offer, especially Borussia Dortmund, to stay and get almost a good look.
Noni Maduke was clearly Arsenal’s best player in the first half, and to be fair, Arteta suggested he felt injured. But Leandro Trossard was a strange choice.
And Viktor Gyoker is clearly fighting a big team. He scores goals, but as a flat track bully. They signed the former Coventry striker from Sports Lisbon for £64 million. And you can take the boy out of Coventry, but you can’t take the boy out of the boy.
He appears very raw and isolated. That midway point did not give him any service. This is a contestant who needs service. He got nothing in Liverpool and got scraps against the city. Look at the game he scored. They were creative in the middle.
Merino got hooked at halftime, with Bukayo Saka and Eze coming. By then, Arsenal was chasing the game. City was leading the grip. Pep Guardiola laughed at the fact that the city had been in charge for nearly a decade and parked the bus for the first time. To be fair, Guardiola has considerable credit in the bank when it comes to playing beautiful games.
That was a decent outcome for the city. But it’s bad for Arsenal. Because they are currently five points behind Liverpool, and people have already asked if the Arteta men can catch them. Arsenal spent £300 million in the summer – a significant portion of that has moved forward – but Arteta is still looking for control.
Gunner wasn’t very good to watch last season. Arteta wanted to strangle the game rather than actually go and win. Arsenal was a great deal of fun when they first became title contenders in the 2022/23 season. They played with freedom and energy to entertain.
They tried to get more control in 2023/24, but it was still good. Last season, it was systematic, all about set pieces and arteta buzzwords: control.
Arsenal won’t meet the tag of being the most likely challenger, unless Arteta removes the handbrake and gives the player the freedom to entertain and win.
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