It is at a crossroads: Mikel Arteta. And Arsenal fans, the passionate crew that they are, are growing increasingly randy with their pitchforks as another Premier League title race appears to escape. The Gunners still don’t seem to be able to get out of their own way as they now once again look at a familiar end result—so close, yet so far for Liverpool. Is Arteta solely to blame, or does he lack the necessary resources?
Certainly, former Arsenal CEO Keith Edelman does not believe that it is just the Spaniard’s fault. He told Express Sport that Arsenal’s recruitment in question (or lack of) didn’t allow Arteta the right players to make a major title challenge.
Recruitment Woes: Where’s the World-Class Firepower?
As in football, you don’t bring a butter knife to the gunfight. Nevertheless, Arsenal appears to have done just that. Arsenal’s last world-class striker during its golden era has been Edelman, and he reckons the club has never brought in the right type of striker to bury second-place finishes and secure a title at the Emirates.
Although Arsenal have spent around £500 million in recent transfer windows, they have no proven, elite level No. 9 in their frontline. Talented though they both are, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are not players who instil fear into the hearts of Premier League defenders. The fire was only fanned by the club’s decision to sit the January transfer window out as Arteta asked for reinforcements, which only reinforced the idea that Pep Guardiola just shouldn’t be trusted.
Arteta’s Arsenal: Progress Without the Final Push?
There is very little doubt that Arteta has significantly changed Arsenal’s fortunes. Mid-table mediocrity to real title contenders. They play fluidly, look to defend and if they don’t fold, it’s been said they no longer look like a team that crumbles under pressure (most of the time).
But football is ruthless. Not getting titles does not earn you awards for getting close. Even Wenger, a man who revolutionised English football, faced pressure when Arsenal could only finish second, as Edelman pointed out. Now, Arteta is in a position similar to that of Betis. If Arsenal are without a League title in the next few years, the question will not be if to replace him, but when.
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