Mikel Arteta has returned Arsenal to limelight of football. Though he has a FA Cup and a community shield to show for it and a promising sign, the real task is delivering the Premier League title. As Arsenal move closer to rewriting their name on major trophy, the question remains: can Arteta bring the Gunners back to the greatness?
Managing a top football club like Arsenal in this era comes with far greater responsibility than in previous time. Arsenal football club which as a great history and success, has seen a dramatic decline in the game since Arsène Wenger’s reign.
Wenger, who managed Arsenal from 1996 to 2018, created a legacy that placed him among elite managers in football. In the era of the French man the Gunners dominate English football, winning three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups, alongside an unbeaten league season in 2003-04.
Recently Mikel Arteta now drives the club forward, the task at hand is different. Arteta’s journey presents a unique challenge: to emulate Wenger’s consistency and long-term impact while navigating modern football’s heightened financial pressures and competitiveness.
Financial Pressures and Higher Responsibilities
One of the defining differences in managing Arsenal today compared to Wenger’s early years is the increased financial pressure. The Premier League’s growth into a global entertainment product has brought in series of investment. Wealthy owners, massive TV deals, and sponsorship money have entered the game, raising expectations and making success demanding for clubs outside the very top side.
For clubs like Arsenal, which traditionally recruit players from their academy and limit their spending pressure, this new environment has demand smarter investments and efficient management.
Arteta’s Arsenal has had to navigate these financial responsibilities carefully. Although the club has spent significantly in recent transfer windows, particularly to rebuild and challenge in the Premier League, Arteta faces constant pressure to quicken a great result. Unlike Wenger’s early days, where he had so much time to build a great squad with the resources he had at his own pace.
This financial pressure manifests in player signings and squad management. In Wenger’s time he relied on the youth and talents which come cheaply.
Arteta, on the other hand, must now strike a delicate balance between youth development and securing high-profile signings to keep up the pressure with the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea, who all form a great squad with financial backing.
Can Arteta Emulate Wenger?
Consistency is one of the most difficult traits for any manager to establish. During Wenger’s tenure consistently qualified for the UEFA Champions League for nearly two decades.
For Arteta, the challenge is not only returning Arsenal to Europe’s elite competition but sustaining that success long enough to define his own legacy.
Arteta has already won the FA Cup in 2020 and lifting two Community Shields. His tactical approach, a blend of possession-based football and pressing intensity, has made Arsenal more competitive. However, to truly emulate Wenger, Arteta must foster long-term consistency that can see Arsenal competing for major trophies year in year out.
There are promising signs already, the Gunners almost clinched the Premier League title last season before missing out to the defending champion Manchester City. Arteta’s progress in transforming the club’s fortunes. Yet, the expectation is huge, and every season without a major title to show for it the criticism increases.
Can Arteta Secure the Premier League Title?
Ultimately, Arteta’s tenure will likely be judged by whether he can bring the Premier League title back to Emirate. The task is huge. Clubs like Manchester City have invested in their team to bring success, with great players and experience management. Arteta’s challenge is to break through this great task deliver the kind of sustained success Arsenal fans enjoyed under Wenger.
His current squad, blending youth (Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli) with experience (Martin Ødegaard, Declan Rice), is well-equipped for the challenge. But to lift the Premier League trophy, Arteta must do the extraordinary, from managing player form, to dealing with injuries, and financial pressures while keeping tab with rivals.
Despite the change in performance the expectation is high, only time will tell if Mikel Arteta can deliver the Premier League trophy to the Arsenal fans just like how Wenger did in the past.
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