Much criticism and doubts had been levied against Mikel Arteta when his Arsenal side were plunged into upheavals the major part of last season as the gaffer stuck to his original game plans of setting right the football philosophy at the club with the enduring Gunners DNA. Both coach and team also endured a nightmare start to the new season even after having refrehingly outfitted the squad with new reinforcements and acquisitions in the transfer window as they battled through persistent injuries that afflicted the squad but are now are back to full strength and progressing consistently up the table.
Remarkably, not since August 28 have Arsenal tasted defeat. And this was after they had shipped five at Manchester City to continue their patchy start to the season, which left them dry and goal-less and devoid of points in the bottom three as the heavy fogs of pessimism set in on them.
The club bosses then lugged out a surprise war chest, thus enabling Arteta to make several young additions in the summer to bolster his squad with much-needed new talents, but he was still compelled to work with a depleted squad.
At a time when all looked seamlessly bleak and hopeless, the Arsenal gaffer remained obdurate and steadfast, sticking resolutely to his guns that he would eventually be able to turn things around with his revitalised team. This was the time when his former boss, Pep Guardiola, spoke up and passionately defended former No 2, insisting that indue time Arteta would come good and do exceedingly well.
The Manchester City boss was quick to point out that the Gunners were indisposed to play without a number of their regular stalwarts, and that it was too hasty to judge them.
Guardiola told BT Sport: “Only I can say I work two, three years together. What I learn with him is a few times in my life I could learn many things. He’s above and beyond a good manager.
“The character, personality, the leading. He’s incredibly beloved from all of us, we were sad when he leaves.
“Sometimes people expect results immediately. The squad he played today isn’t the team he dreamed because they had seven or eight injuries. Really important players. Ben White, Thomas Partey. He can’t use the players he needs to do it. All the managers need the deep squad.
“I am a big fan of him and if they trust him they will do a good job in Arsenal.”
The Emirates board continued to back their man and gave Arteta all the support he needed despite clamors from certain quarters of the fanbase demanding his removal. The tenacious Spaniard has finally justified the faith of the Arsenal board in him and has shown just how quickly things can change in an instant in the perplexing world of football.
It looks like Guardiola’s words seem to laced with a prophetic touch on Saturday as the Gunners secured a convincing 2-0 win over Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City to extend their unbeaten run to nine in all competitions. Thankfully Arteta has been able to pick his selection from a squad almost fully recovering from injuries now.
Refreshingly in stark contrast with the dismal injuries situation prevailing earlier, his options are now so greatly expanded that Alexandre Lacazette is now being almost regularly consigned to the bench as an impact player with the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka preceding him in the pecking order. How things have changed for the positive in the wink of an eye.
The spirit in the team has rapidly grown to be one of immersive cohesiveness and unity. Ben White, who was previously unproven in a top side, has forged an impressive and galvanising partnership with Gabriel at the back, while Aaron Ramsdale, a signing most heavily criticised earlier, has proven his mettle in between the sticks, playing a crucial role in the decisive win over the Foxes. Takehiro Tomiyasu, a relative unknown when the Gunners bought him on deadline day, has surprisingly emerged as a regular star performer.
All signs are clearly and positively pointing to an upward trajectory for a recently-beleaguered Arteta and his Arsenal with the north Londoners now just a think shaving of three points off the top four in the league.
However, Arteta has opted to remain coy regarding his team’s ambitions but has succeeded in clearly proving beyond all doubts that with no pieces missing, he is unquestionably adept at putting the jigsaw puzzle together in an amazingly short period of time.
“When you play against a team that is going to be up there, it is great when you are able to beat them,” said the Spaniard.
“It’s another game, we are on a good run and we have to continue to do so because there are still a lot of things we have to improve.”