It’s been over two years since Arsene Wenger bid farewell to Arsenal fans around the world, and it would be fair to say it’s not been a great period since. The appointment of Mikel Arteta was a major gamble, given the lack of experience in management. The former assistant manager of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City joined with little to no managerial credentials to his name but has since shrugged off his doubters by producing a string of good results and the insurmountable journey to lift the FA Cup with the club. Although Arsenal are showing new leases of life under the new coach, how has the former Arsenal fared on the touchline? Let’s take a look to see how Arteta’s rebuild of Arsenal is coming along?
How is Arteta’s rebuild of Arsenal coming along?
The feel-good factor-
the biggest task for a manager when he joins a club that hasn’t lifted the prestigious premier league title in over 15 years is to restore the feel-good factor. Arteta’s contagious energy and high ambition have has returned some of the hope that was lost at the club. The newly found hope has more perks, as the players seem to be providing their one hundred percent on the pitch every week and the competition for places within the team hasn’t been this intense in a long time now.
No one is safe –
When the feel-good factor was restored, there was a bit of complacency within the team, due to the lack of sufficient depth or competition. The rising Frenchman Matteo Guendozi’s snub from the first team raised a few eyebrows as the Frenchman was seen as a major prospect. It’s usual for every new manager to start with a few controversial decisions which would momentarily lower the quality of the team, but it often lays down the foundation to build a team with incredible mentality and passion for the club in the long-term. It’s this that paves the way for the right players to join the club and to build a legacy that’s beyond anyone’s imagination.
The pulling power-
Financial troubles during these uncertain times are no surprise as some of the world’s biggest spenders have called it a day in the transfer market to rescue their ships. Even the usually extravagant spenders Real Madrid have restricted their spending, leading for one to think that Arsenal were going to be quiet throughout the window. But there has been a change in ambition at the club, with the club finally addressing the long-standing center-back problems with the signing of Gabriel Magalhaes from Lille in the summer. The return of the highly-rated prospect William Saliba after a year-long loan further adds to their options at the back. Arsenal under Arteta have shown genuine signs of life, both on the pitch and in transfers, as plenty of incredibly talented players have expressed their willingness to join the club in recent times, like Houssem Aouar, Thomas Partey, and many more.
A thin budget-
The Spaniard’s ability to attract players is working great but the lack of financial backing has proved to be a severe obstacle. The recently won FA cup and the community shield, though great, aren’t enough to improve Arsenal’s finances. The lack of champions league football has put the Gunners in the backseat in recent seasons and return to Europe’s most prestigious league could provide extra revenue which could help bolster their squad with players they need.
Can Arsenal achieve champions league football?-
After three years of playing outside the Champions League, its a real challenge to achieve qualification but not impossible given the newly found hope and the ambition of the manager. Arsenal’s ability to put consistent performances during the season will determine the scale of progression of the club under the new boss. Champions league football should make arsenal a very attractive proposition in the market once again
The final say-
There’s no fast track to success for the north London club as years of mismanagement have left the club dry and mundane. The existing issues need proper ironing out and the need for champions league football has never been more imperative. These issues call for the help of a great manager with burning passion and desire for the club. The progress made under the new manager is just the tip of the iceberg or could just be a flash in the pan, but it’s not far-fetched to think that they are headed in the right direction right now.
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