Has Mikel Arteta shown that the process is working?

 


Has Mikel Arteta shown that the process is working? The Spaniard is entering a key phase in his Arsenal career.

By Oli Dickson Jefford

‘Trust the process’ is certainly Mikel Arteta’s favourite sporting cliché. 

Amid times of near-crisis the Spaniard has reverted back to this philosophy to ease the pressure on himself - and things might now be paying off.

There is greater positivity around Arsenal this season than there has been in recent years, and definitely more so than any other period of Arteta’s reign.

Has Arteta made an impact?

Perhaps the biggest positive of Arteta’s time as Arsenal manager, and one of the biggest positives this season, has been the development of the club’s younger players.

Academy graduates Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe have dazzled, leading Arsenal’s attack which has been particularly potent.



Gabriel Martinelli is also much improved and looks like a really good centre forward, while summer signings Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are making an impact defensively.

Having failed to secure European football last season they are well in the race for the Champions League spots this time, with a Europa League place looking like the minimum they could achieve.

Those all are positive signs that suggest Arteta’s process is starting to work, though there are still issues.

Displays against the biggest sides have generally been more encouraging in the past month or so, but Thursday’s EFL Cup loss to Liverpool and a New Year’s Day defeat to Man City show they still need to be more clinical.

Another glaring issue is that they are easily overrun in midfield, and this is one area that Arteta has struggled to tackle.

It was an issue when his time at the helm started and is still one now, and is something that he will need to look at - whether that involves a formation reshuffle or bringing in new players.

There is also a disciplinary issue that is dogging the club; since Arteta’s arrival there have been 14 league red cards for Arsenal, six more than any other side in the league.

Poor discipline has cost them in big matches and though this isn’t entirely Arteta’s responsibility, he should be doing more to tackle this.

Overall, there has certainly been progress in recent months under the Spaniard and things look to be heading in the right direction.

However, there is an argument that the issues he has not yet addressed are the most pressing - and that he should have made a bigger impact than he has in his two-year spell.

The rest of the season will be key for Arteta’s future, with the outcome potentially a ‘make or break’ moment for the Spaniard.

Image credit: Getty Images

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