Carragher hits out at ‘social media fan’ Arteta after leading Arsenal in ‘fifth gap year’
Jamie Carragher claims Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta currently sounds more like a ‘social media fan’ than a manager after his recent complaints about Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain.
Arteta has drawn criticism for his reaction to ceding the Premier League title to Liverpool and being knocked out of the Champions League in the semi-final by PSG.
“Liverpool have won the title with less points than we have in the last two seasons. With the points of the past two season we have two Premier League [titles],” Arteta said ahead of the second leg against PSG.
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And then after that game, which saw them lose 3-1 on aggregate, Arteta said: “100% I don’t think there’s been a better team [than Arsenal] in the competition from what I have seen, but we are out.”
Carragher took issue with both of Arteta’s claims in his Telegraph column, hitting out at the Arsenal boss for acting like a ‘social media fan’ in what is his ‘fifth gap year’ at Arsenal.
‘When a team are improving as much as Arsenal have since 2020, managers love talking about the ‘journey’ they are embarking upon. Arsenal’s problem is they are into their fifth ‘gap year’ under Arteta without a Premier League title win, and have taken in all the great sights of Europe without reaching their ultimate destination.
‘One of the worrying signs of a manager under pressure is when interviews become more about validating work already done, fending off mounting criticism of the here and now amid increased questioning about what comes next.
‘Some of Arteta’s most recent public comments have veered into that territory, making him sound more like a fan on social media perpetuating a series of complaints about injuries and refereeing decisions.
‘His remarks about Arsenal deserving to beat Paris St-Germain over two legs in the Champions League semi-final left him open to ridicule.
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‘Luis Enrique’s side have been by far the best side in this year’s competition, and they showed their class in both games.
Arteta comparing Liverpool’s title-winning performance to Arsenal’s runners-up spot in 2023 and 2024 on the eve of facing the new champions was not clever, either.
‘If Liverpool win their next three games, they will finish on 91 points. That’s more than any Arsenal side in history, which is why Arteta’s observation in midweek about Arne Slot winning with fewer points after 35 games than Arsenal won after 38 in the past two years will be mocked.
‘For the record, Arsenal had 80 points at the exact same stage a year ago, and 81 the year before, which would have put them in second place right now, too.’
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Carragher says that while Arteta’s job isn’t currently at risk, the Arsenal boss ‘must deliver next season’.
He added: ‘To say his next transfer window might be the last chance sounds extreme. Arteta has so much credit in the bank, it is fair and right there is more resistance to managerial change at Arsenal than desire for it.
‘But no one understands better than him that all the goodwill for creating an Arsenal team capable of winning is gone.
‘Arteta must deliver next season, otherwise his legacy will be years of groundwork for the benefit of a successor who will be asked to add the finishing touches.’
