This archive report was first published on 20 December 2019.
December 20, 2019
Arsenal have appointed Mikel Arteta as their new head coach, a move that has been met with a mix of excitement and skepticism.
Arteta, a former Arsenal player, takes over a team that has been struggling to find its footing in the Premier League. The team is languishing in 10th place and has not won a title in 15 years under Arsene Wenger.
Wenger's legacy is still felt at the club, and Arteta will be looking to build on the Frenchman's work. Wenger transformed the culture at the club, moving away from the defensive-minded approach of George Graham's '1-0 to the Arsenal' era.
However, the final seasons of Wenger's 22-year reign saw a decline in results, and the team struggled to challenge for the biggest prizes. Arteta will be looking to restore the team's attacking brand of football, which was a hallmark of Wenger's tenure.
Arteta's own playing style was characterized by his desire for expressive and entertaining football. He told the Arsenal magazine during his playing days, 'I want the football to be expressive, entertaining. I cannot have a concept of football where everything is based on the opposition. We have to dictate the game, we have to be the ones taking the initiative, and we have to entertain the people coming to watch us.'
Arteta's managerial experience is limited, but he has served as a coach under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City for the past three-and-a-half years. Guardiola's success at City has been built on a blend of entertaining football and trophies, and Arteta will be looking to replicate this formula at Arsenal.
One of the biggest challenges facing Arteta is the team's lack of a dominant centre-back. The Gunners' hierarchy splurged a club-record fee on forward Nicolas Pepe in the summer, but failed to address the team's defensive issues. Arteta will need to find a way to strengthen the team's backline and prevent their midfield from being completely bypassed.
With a limited budget for the upcoming transfer window, Arteta will need to make the most of the resources available to him. He will also need to find a way to get the best out of his attacking talents, including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, who both want to play in the same position as the central striker.
