Morning guys.
It’s not official yet but all the sports outlets have in the last day or so, reported that Mikel Arteta has agreed to stay at Arsenal for another three years. Stability is a good thing, especially these days in the game when managers are fired left, right and centre and especially after Arsenal have just won the Premier League for the first time in donkeys years.
I’m sure there are groups of fans who are thrilled by this news and others who are perhaps not. Tough if you’re in the latter camp eh…. Reality is though, as is the case in most things Arsenal related, it doesn’t matter what we think but it does matter what the owners think and they must be happy. More than happy. They took a chance, a big risk even on a novice and he’s turned Arsenal from being a bit of a laughing stock to Premier League Champions.
He’s brought fans back, given them/us a reason to be believe again and taken the club to a penalty kick or two within winning the biggest trophy in the game. Somewhere along the line, he’s also overseen the introduction of a proper club anthem in North London Forever, an anthem to almost rival that one heard at Anfield. Donna Summer’s Hot Stuff or Elvis’ The Wonder of You never really worked did it?
If it wasn’t for the dreadful performance at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, this season would have started perfectly, certainly as far as results go. Now Arteta is staying for another three years, somehow, and together with his players and coaching staff, he has to find a way to make sure such a performance doesn’t happen again. As many of us have said many times, it’s not the loss which hurts, but the manner in which that loss came. Arsenal are better than that, much better. That kind of performance doesn’t deliver success.
Yes we moan and groan about many things, tactics, signings, team selection, training, substitutions, suggesting players not at Arsenal would be better than those who are even though there is a chance they might be not as good. You name it, we’ll moan about it but as I’ve said many many times, if you and/or I were that good, we’d be in Arteta’s seat and not on an Arsenal forum talking about him.
But, we all have opinions which is why there are so many footballing forums around today. So I’m sure I’ll carry on moaning, especially when Havertz, Saka or any player misses a goal scoring opportunity which looks harder to miss than score. Or when defenders turn their back on a shot, or drop off allowing the opponent to shoot/score and don’t get me started on the number of times our players get caught offside.
My moaning comes from frustration though because when Arsenal are at their best, they can be brilliant and I just want them to be at their best all of the time. Whether Mikel Arteta staying for another three years brings more success only time will tell but I’m pretty sure he’ll do everything he can to ensure it does.
Catch up later.
Afternoon Gooners, afternoon Rico, a post from the beach no less…
What is the greater achievement, winning the league and reaching the final of the League Cup and European Cup or winning the league and the FACup? I would think the former and only eclipsed by the Invincible’s who almost reached the European Cup final.
I can’t think of any previous season when Arsenal got to a European final and won the league?
G’day Rico, have you tried a dip yet? Don’t suppose you’ll be tucking into a Tiddy Oggy will you?
I’m pleased with the extension of Arteta’s contract if not quite over the moon. I believe he now has, almost, his own squad. So a further three years of relative stability seems guaranteed and with more and more youngsters coming through we won’t have to break the bank for replacements quite so often.
I’m sure there will be some tinkering with the playing style, but that will be a a gradual process rather than a cataclysmic bombshell.
Results, trophies and titles will decide what happens in 2029.
Enjoy the fine weather Rico. 😎 and thanks for the post.