Mikel Arteta ‘fully losing the plot’ after ‘extremely myopic’ comments

Mikel Arteta gets a massive kicking after Arsenal came up short once again. Is this just Handsome Man Syndrome in the extreme?

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Handsome man syndrome
Here I am for my twice a season (or so) state of the union take on Arsenal.

So, to Paris. I am not deflated or disheartened, as belief magic would happen in The City of Lights was low ebb. We had already peaked against a dubious Real Madrid, home and away. We had flattered to deceive but the victories bolstered the idea that Arsenal ‘were all that’, when they weren’t.

Everyone knows the stats in the Premier League so far – 13 draws and 26 points lost from winning positions (21 actually). The excuses offered by the Arsenal commentariat have been red cards and a number of injuries. Both have played a role but do not explain dire performances and drab football when a full team was available. And for those who haven’t memory holed last season, as were half the games in the run up to Christmas 2023. I argued the post New Year end of season romp was because the team had given up on the title. It was off to Dubai, indulge in some Salt Bae and promptly return unshackled from stress – and henceforth we played to the team’s potential.

However, the start to this season was back to the Arteta default position. Boring, possession based football with flair and energy regularly sucked out of play. The Champions League run was sparkling and the Manchester City spanking was wonderful but they covered a lot of dross. A personal low point of the season, exiting both the FA and EFL Cups without a whimper within days of each other. That was when I rudely suggested perhaps the best course of action would be for Arteta to announce he would leave at the end of the season.

Arteta might not have ‘lost’ the dressing room but I think his entire approach – both erratic and yet too intense – has simply worn thin. At this juncture he does not appear to be an inspirational figure.

A few final points. This is now the sixth year of Arteta’s reign, not the fifth, and by the end of this year he will enter his seventh. The owners have fronted him close to three quarters of a billion and he has opted to date, to avoid signing a pure striker. I could go on about tactics and team rotation, burdening some players and ignoring others but I can’t be bothered.

The thought which makes me shudder is the forthcoming ‘big summer window’ which the Arsenal fan base hopes will see two hundred million plus spent to bring in the right stuff. I don’t understand, with obvious management deficiencies on display, how bringing in expensive new talent will necessarily crack any code. Is Arteta going to revert to the free wheeling play of 22/23? I can’t imagine that.

Imagine if you will. Arteta in charge of PSG instead of Arsenal. Would Arteta have turned the team into the swashbucklers they are as Louis Enrique has done within a single season? I highly doubt it.

The goal posts have been shifting all through this season. Those who were firm on five seasons being enough of an experiment are now doing the ‘big window’ and another year before we make any decisions. Really? If I believed the further spending would bring the trophies, I’d be all on board. But I am not.

In closing, I think it has all gotten a little silly. Arteta makes for a youthful, good-looking, brooding character on the sidelines He has successfully imprinted as the image of Arsenal. A neat trick. But, for god’s sake, is this tenure much more than ‘handsome man’ syndrome at this point?
Dom

Arteta is losing the plot
That’s it then.

Nearly-but-not-quite-itis strikes again, and it’s another potless season for the Arsenal. The Roy Walker team of the Premier League: “It’s good….but it’s not quite right.”

Convinced Arteta is fully losing the plot now though.

His bizarre pre-match press conference where his mathematically incorrect denigration of Liverpool’s points total was bad enough.

But to claim in his post match interview that (a) they were the better side in both legs v PSG (they weren’t, and lost both legs) and (b) that they’ve been the best team in the competition this season, is at best wishful thinking, and at worst the deranged beliefs of an increasingly delusional man.

The bottom line is this – whether the Arsenal fans like it or not, a poor start to next season and he’s one of the favourites for the sack. If he’s not quite drinking in the last chance saloon quite yet, he is showered, dressed, and the taxi’s booked.
Andy H, Swansea

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…”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.“ – Mikel Arteta, via the BBC Livetext this evening.

Arsenal were superb against Real. Absolutely brilliant. But they didn’t finish top of the league (no, the CL one, teehee), and failed to beat PSG in either leg, which both Villa and Liverpool managed.

Even if the ‘right place, right time’ comment the other day was calculated, this is just plain wrong. I think the guy’s a good manager, but this is extremely myopic. Whilst I’m also not expecting him to criticise his team too much, this is an odd take.

Also, I slagged Donnarumma off after Harvey Elliott scored for Liverpool, and since then he’s become prime Lev Yashin, so sorry about that.

Hope everyone’s doing well.
Stu, Southampton

…I’m sure I will be one of many on this.

Arteta: There is no one better than us in Europe.

PSG are.
Paul

…Massive respect to Luis Enrique and his coaching staff for apparently telling Arteta that the better team lost, leading to him going on live TV and hilariously repeat that not once, but twice in two separate interviews. The PSG lads absolutely stitched up Super Duper Mick and got him to make a right mug of himself. Just a beautiful performance from PSG in every department, much congrats lads.
Scholesy

Goalkeepers are allowed
It’s interesting that if an outfield player has a great game, resulting in a win, the opponents don’t complain about it. I never heard any manager say, “Well, if it hadn’t been for Messi we would have won.” But if a goalkeeper does the same thing, it’s somehow unfair.

I direct Mr. Arteta to a comment by OGS after a Manchester United win that was largely due to David de Gea: ” You’re allowed to have a good goalkeeper, you know.”
Ray, Victoria, Canada

On the Great Arsenal Swindle
It was a great achievement for Arsenal’s also rans to make it to the Champions League semi final. This is Alsoran FC punching way above their weight.

It’s no surprise the players were crying in the dressing room after the game. Maybe in that moment they realised what Arsenal is: A glorified FA Cup team with a loser mentality.

If I was Bukayo Saka, I’d be crying too after being guilt tripped into Harry Kaning my career down the toilet out of misguided sentiment and misplaced loyalty.

This is a club with no European pedigree whatsoever, having lost 4 out of 5 European finals to teams including Galatasaray, Valencia and Zaragoza.

Arsenal is basically a scam, hoovering up impressionable young football fans into supporting a supposed ‘Premier League giant’ for life, using smoke and mirrors to conceal what this club really is. These poor urchins are so deeply hoodwinked by the Arsenal narrative that they are dumbfounded by AFC’s constant failure. Arsenal are an FA Cup team who occasionally knock a top side out of a cup competition, who haven’t won the league for over 20 years and have never won the champions league.

Maybe they should never have left their original home in south east London. They are basically Charlton Athletic cosplaying Man United. Spurs have won 3 times as many European trophies as Arsenal.
Ben Teacher

What Arsenal must do next
I think Arteta is a very good coach, but I think he’s going to have to change a lot to get to the next level.

Arsenal players look extremely (overly) regimented in what they’re allowed (?) to do – it’s the Pep obsessiveness without the Pep players. There’s no imagination beyond Saka. Rice is superb, but he’s direct, not subtle.

Last night they were taking nearly a minute over throw ins in their own half when needing two goals to level the tie. I get that you don’t want to go for it too early, but the game never really got stretched and once Saka missed his chance they didn’t create much more.

A lack of imagination just comes through in almost everything they do. The set pieces (especially the throw ins, which were effective for the first 10 minutes and then easily dealt with) were exactly the same every time and the subs were entirely like for like – MLS for Calafiori, White for Timber and Trossard for Martinelli. The plan wasn’t working so the response was to do the plan again, with more intensity.

Did Kiwior really need to stay on for the whole 90? Would putting Nwaneri on and moving Saka inside a bit have helped raise the pressure on PSG? You’re going out anyway – at least have a go!

What would concern me if I were an Arsenal fan is that there didn’t seem to be any acknowledgement of that after the game from Arteta. Best team in the competition – PSG bench said we were better etc.

As I said, he’s a very good manager, but if you’re not going to encourage your players to be problem solvers they’re going to run out of ideas. Interesting to see if he changes that, or even if they can buy enough good players to make up that last gap.
Tom, Andover

Not listening to the criticism; Arsenal bring joy
As we wait for the expected dissecting of Arsenal’s “failure” by your Will Fords, your “this means more” and your cartoon babies, you know what, it doesn’t matter. I started supporting Arsenal in the early seventies, lots of moments of disappointment and some moments of joy (beating the spuds 5-0 with a sublime Liam Brady goal comes to mind) but that’s what it is supporting a team, moments of joy and disappointment. Sure, there are more moments of joy when you win a cup or a league, and as the years have gone by I’ve been lucky enough to have witnessed some truly amazing moments, beating Juventus at their place with a Paul Vassen goal, Michael Thomas charging through the midfield, Tony Adams goal against Everton, it’s only Ray Parlour, etc. etc.

Moments of joy were lean for a while towards the end of the Wenger days and then into Emery era, but the joy moments have increased over the last few years, this season didn’t bring silverware, but I didn’t start supporting my team for just that, if I’d wanted that I would have started off supporting Liverpool, then switched to Manchester United, to Arsenal, back to Manchester United, Chelsea, blah blah.

So Stewie, Will and your ilk, I won’t read your verbal diarrhoea, and while you may well call me deluded, I will savour my hammering City 5-1, Declan’s free kicks joy moments, get over losing to PSG disappointment moment and not really challenging for the league (although more than most) disappointing moments and look forward to more “moments ” next season and maybe even a few more this.
Andrew Goonerabroad Brown

…Any “Arteta Out” or “bottle job” mails can go straight in the bin. It’s been a very challenging season, particularly with injuries which have undoubtedly hindered what we’ve been able to achieve. Despite them, we’re on course to a decent position in the league (yes, we haven’t won, a more consistent team has, congrats to them) and we’ve just been edged out of a very close semi-final tie with arguably the best team in Europe at the moment.

There’s room for improvement undoubtedly, but I for one haven’t forgotten that a few years ago we were a total mess in terms of squad and performances. Now we’re at the top end of the league proving we can go toe to toe with the best teams. Arteta and the players are evolving into a seriously competitive team, and I’m certain they’ll carry on improving.

I’m expecting to see four significant signings this summer (up front, out wide, centre mid and a backup goalkeeper) and actually have the confidence the club will get it done (not a given during the Wenger years or immediately after). With an improved squad and better luck on the injury front I’m feeling relatively optimistic!

I expect this mail will be drowned out by haters and negativity, but I feel better that some positivity about Arsenal is in the mix too!
Diaby

Mail to Will Ford
Show me on the doll where Arteta hurt you.

The hit pieces are embarrassing.

Proud of the boys.

Semi finals with a depleted squad. Amazing run. Hope PSG win it. So silky at times.
Stu AFC Illinois

MORE ON ARSENAL’S SEMI-FINAL DEFEAT TO PSG 
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👉 Arteta the ‘Poundland Mourinho’ earning £10m more than Inzaghi to lead Netflix FC
👉 Wenger rejects Arteta’s bold post-match claim as Luis Enrique hits back at Arsenal boss