I think every Arsenal fan is rooting for Arteta. We all want him to succeed: former player, ex captain, won trophies as a player and as manager etc. That’s not the issue. But the concern is that there is minimal improvement shown in terms of performances and results in his year and a couple of months here. Fans are willing to be patient but not if there’s no clear progress demonstrated on the pitch and that’s what really matters all things considered.
Now we know it’s a process which will take time, but this is my biggest gripe with Arteta - if we’re going to be a midtable team playing midtable football and achieving midtable results, I’d be infinitely more comfortable with that reality if playing more of our young players and giving them proper chances was the cause of that. Being where we are in the table while Arteta hands a 32 year old disinterested Willian umpteen chances in favor of a Martinelli or Nelson who represent the future of our club simply doesn’t sit well with me and the vast majority of Arsenal fans. If we’re going to struggle because we’re having to re-build with our promising youngsters whose lack of experience means we would suffer growing pains, so be it. But that’s not the case at all. With the exception of Saka who’s made himself undroppable, none of our young players have been given a real go.
Arteta is not maximizing our resources. We have a top 4 wage bill whilst sitting in midtable - not efficient. That’s without taking into account the depreciation of our assets due to misuse or mismanagement. Guendouzi will be sold for far less than he should have for example. So will Torreira. So will Maitland-Niles whom Arteta decided against selling but proceeded to freeze out.
Let’s take it back to Emery. He had us finishing 5th with a worse squad and I’m sure everyone on this forum would agree with me on that. Not saying that we should’ve stuck with Emery, but if we’re happy with Arteta leading us to midtable obscurity a year into his tenure, then did Emery even deserve the sack? What are our standards? Where do you draw the line and say it’s not good enough and there has to be consequences?
If there’s an Arsenal fan anywhere that - in light of the positive mood around the club at the start of the season - told me that they actually did expect us to be languishing in 10th place in late February, they’d be lying.
