Mikel Arteta has brought Arsenal to light after years plunged into the darkness of ‘post-Wengerism’. “Edison invented the light bulb and I want to see that the team is connected and shines because a light bulb by itself is nothing. You have to transmit light, passion to your partner and plug in the 60,000 fans so that they create more energy. Electricity gives life. Otherwise, everything would be very dark. No matter how good we are, what makes us special is our attitude. Go out, turn on the light and play football”, confessed the Spanish coach, bulb in hand, in the talk prior to facing Brighton in April recorded in the ‘All or nothing’ of ‘Amazon’. They lost (1-2) and ended up out of the Champions League, but the path was illuminated for a club that is breaking the ‘status quo’ of the Premier.
“The Arsenal he’s doing brilliant. Better than us! If they continue like this, they can reach 100 points and we won’t be able to fight them.“, warned Pep Guardiola. The Manchester City coach, who had an Arteta with the ‘L’ in his coaching staff for three years (2016-19), valued an intractable block: they are leaders with five more points and one game less than the reigning champions, winner of four of the last five Leagues and who scares with the Haaland bug, and they take eight out of a United they receive tomorrow. . We must border on perfection”, Mikel pointed out. However, getting to the top has been a matter of faith.
Arteta encourages the Arsenal dressing room by comparing them to a light bulb
A multi-year plan
In Antiguoko and La Masa, two references in youth soccer, an Arteta grew up who left his class in the midfield of Barcelona, PSG, Rangers, Real Sociedad, Everton and an Arsenal from which he retired in 2016 at the age of 34, jumping to the benches. “My philosophy will be clear. I want the football of my teams to be expressive, entertaining, dictating the game and taking the initiative. You can have an idea and a system, but you have to transform it depending on the players you have. You can’t always play the same” , summarized.
“I have the factory positional game, from Bara. There they convinced me that it was the best way to play and I was the one who had to convince them in other teams that this was the way. Offensively, the positional game is in-ne-go-cia-ble. Then, pressing high, being intense after losing, playing with the high line, in the rival field… Yes, but the nuance is given to you by the player’s characteristics”, he confessed to MARCA in 2019.
And immovable style since he became Arsenal coach in December 2019, taking over from Unai Emery. The ‘Gunners’ were twelfth and were in the midst of an identity crisis after more than two decades with Arsne Wenger. “We have to change the energy of the club. We have to try to involve everyone, with a different process and way of thinking. I want everyone to have the same mentality, build a culture that supports the team so that it doesn’t fall at times difficult,” explained Arteta.
Since landing at Hale End, the Spanish coach has plunged into 12-hour marathon days to lead Arsenal into another era.. He was in charge, with the support of the club, of modernizing the mechanisms and structures that had been in force -and obsolete- since Wenger’s time. He restructured the youth academy, the scouting model, the squad… He touched everything for two years in which the results were not good.
They won the FA Cup in their first season, but finished eighth. They repeated their position in 2020-21, staying out of Europe for the first time since 1995-96. And last year they started as bottom and went up to fourth place. However, they failed in the final sprint in an attempt to return to a Champions League that they have not set foot in since 2017.
patience, key
The critics asked for the head of an impassive Arteta after each defeat. “The day I decided to be a coach I assumed that he would be fired and this cannot be the reason why he does or does not do certain things. My biggest fear is disappointing people,” he said. The ownership, headed by Stan Kroenke, fully supported him. “We have to be patient. We are building the future and we need stability”affirmed the technical director Edu.
Arsenal lost, but their rivals praised Arteta. “I would like to congratulate him. Tactically he is very good. I have been in football for a long time and I know how to read long-term situations, so I can say that he is doing a great job. He is capable of becoming a great coach. I know many people will laugh because we are up and they are fourteenth, but I have told them that I hope they give them time. If they do, Arsenal will be Arsenal again with him.“, Mourinho confessed after defeating him 2-0 with Tottenham in the December 2020 derby.
I have told Arteta that I hope they give him time. If they do, Arsenal will be Arsenal again with him.
“Every time I see him, his team is better than the rival. They have an exceptional structure, with quality and energy. In the future, if they give it time, they will be rivals to fight for the titles.. Mikel was an important part of the successes we had”, Guardiola highlighted in February 2021. Said… and done.
A tailor-made team
With full powers Arsenal has molded itself in the market since the arrival of Arteta. “We want to fill our team with some of the most exciting young talents in Europe, with players both from our academy and from other places, who can grow and develop together with Mikel to take us where we want to go,” said the executive director already in 2020. Vinai Venkatesham. Once the debt of the Emirates was settled, Arsenal began to sign. “We have been able to balance the workforce. Financially, we are more stable. It is time to raise quality,” Arteta highlighted.
Since his arrival, The ‘Gunners’ have invested 417.5 million euros in the signings of Odegaard, Gabriel Magalhaes, Thomas, White, Ramsdale, Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus… Yesterday, without going any further, the winger Leandro Trossard (Brighton) was confirmed. The newcomers have joined promising talents such as Saka, Martinelli, Nketiah, Saliba… forming an ‘Armada’ that commands the Premier and from which key pieces such as Aubameyang, Lacazette, zil left… so that footballers What Odegaard assume their leadership. A script change to rewrite the English League.
At the height of the ‘invincibles’?
The 47 points in 18 days added by the 40-year-old coach’s Arsenal improve the 42 achieved by Wenger’s Invincibles in the same period [ver grfico]. Henry, Vieira, Bergkamp… they were champions in 2003-04 without defeats. He was the last alien of a club that seeks the title 19 years later after undergoing a radical change: in 2021-22, in Ecuador, they were fourth and eleventh two and three years ago. They have gone from losers to winners after putting the scissors in their football. Pure ‘Art Attack’.
Arteta has things very clear. His team knows what to do and how and when to do it during the 90 minutes
“In Wenger’s Arsenal and in Arteta’s, the ball coming from behind is non-negotiable. I see certain parallels such as the movement of the ball seeking to be vertical. The possession with quick transitions that is seen in many matches has been a hallmark of the club since our time.“, reports Lauren Bisan-Etame. The Premier League champion in 2002 and 2004 with the Gunners praises the Spanish coach, although he believes that “comparing him to Wenger are big words.”
The owners did not lose patience and gave Mikel time and confidence
“You don’t have to run. We have to wait and see the results, but Arteta has things very clear. His team knows what to do and how and when to do it during the 90 minutes. The pressure after losing, trying to steal in the opposite field, is suffocating. Everyone knows how to position themselves depending on where the ball is. The team looks good and, if leaders arrive at the beginning of February and they don’t get vertigo, maintaining the current line, they can be champions“, shift.
Break with ‘Wenguerismo’
Francis Cagigao, former technical secretary and former head of scouting for 24 years for Arsenal with Wengeranalyzes their ‘boom’: “The key has been the confidence they gained after a very strong start to the League, in addition to the continuity of a young and aggressive group. They always play with a top eleven and have hardly had any major injuries, except that of Gabriel Jesus. The owners did not lose patience and gave Mikel time and confidence, in addition to investing heavily, something they could not do previously because of the stadium project.”
For Amy Lawrence, journalist for The Athletic who covers Arsenal news, Arteta is the architect of his success. “His favorite words are unity and identity. Modern Arsenal is born from these two ideas. The team comes first and that made energy and confidence grow fast. They all believe in the same ideas and objectives and their football flows,” he says. .
Arteta’s favorite words are unity and identity. The modern Arsenal is born from these two ideas
“Only Xhaka survives from a post-Wenger team that previously clung to its past and struggled with its present. They suffered from poor transfer policy, some complacency and a toxic atmosphere that Arteta changed with strong principles and determination. Now they are eager to improve and succeed. Mikel prioritized unity and got demoralized fans involved. He made brave decisions and created his own team by getting rid of unsuitable players like zil or Aubameyang. The board is convinced that they have the person who is going to redefine Arsenal”, says Lawrence. Arteta is a ‘dog’.
