This archive report was first published on 20 December 2019.
Five Key Tasks for Mikel Arteta at Arsenal ¶
Published on December 20, 2019
Mikel Arteta has been handed the task of reviving Arsenal, a team that has not won a title in 15 years. The Spaniard takes over with Arsenal languishing 10th in the Premier League.
Arteta's first task is to forge an identity for the team. Under Arsene Wenger, Arsenal was renowned for its attacking brand of football, but the final seasons of Wenger's 22-year reign saw a decline in results and an inability to challenge for the biggest prizes.
Arteta has spoken about his desire to have a team that is expressive and entertaining, dictating the game and taking the initiative. He has served an apprenticeship as a coach under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, where Guardiola has managed to find the perfect blend of entertaining football while piling up trophies.
One of Arteta's biggest challenges will be finding a dominant center-back. Arsenal's lack of a strong defense has been a constant in the decline of Wenger, Emery's struggles, and a run of one win in five matches under caretaker manager Freddie Ljungberg.
Arteta must also balance the midfield, which has been bypassed to leave the shaky backline exposed. He has potential midfielders like Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira, but they have gone backwards in their second seasons at the Emirates.
Another challenge for Arteta will be getting the best out of key players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe. Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette are two of Arsenal's few world-class talents, but both want to play in the same position as the central striker.
Arteta's task is to find a way to make it work, while also getting the best out of Pepe, who has struggled to make an impact since joining the club for a club-record £72 million ($94 million).
