Mikel Arteta: Page 2 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One more in the Tolly

Mikel Arteta

JazzG

Don Pacifico Listening to the Arsenal vision podcast and they said last four seasons nobody has more points than Arsenal, this title win validates that. It proves that this wasn't all for nothing. We were so close but for various reasons fell short but the most important thing was we were doing the right thing and this title win justifies that. Sometimes it happens straight away and sometimes it takes a few goes but we kept going.

Don Pacifico

JazzG fully agree. I always felt that some of the criticism was a bit premature. It's only been this season that I felt concerned that we might have reached our ceiling with Mikel but we've won the league now so he's earned a stay of execution. 😉

My one expectation now is that we address the issues with our front line next season. If we do that, we have the potential to build a dynasty.

est

JazzG last four seasons nobody has more points than Arsenal, this title win validates that

This is important.

So glad we finally got over the line. We definitely deserve it, given our consistency over the last few years.

USArsenal

JazzG last four seasons nobody has more points than Arsenal, this title win validates that

Ehhhhhhh.. 'Techincally' true i guess, but it makes it seem like we have more points than anyone else.

Manchester City 78+71+91+89 = 329 points

Arsenal 82+74+89+84 = 329 points

Same amount of points as City... But is still validates us winning (finally) this season. We've been on par with the top team(s) and we finally have something to show for it.

JazzG

Don Pacifico My one expectation now is that we address the issues with our front line next season. If we do that, we have the potential to build a dynasty.

Interestingly Arteta talks about this, says he knows the team can't score 100 goals or have a 35 goal player. I hope that is mainly down to injuries and not player related because otherwise it does raise some questions about our transfer policy last summer. If those guys aren't the ones to elevate our attacking play then that is a problem!

Don Pacifico

JazzG not to bring up our 'favourite topic' but I think last summer was about getting warm bodies in up top; a direct response to the previous season. And I find it hard to argue too much with that thinking, even if I found it hard to swallow at times. So I'd have no issue if we replaced some of those players this summer; I certainly want us to be thinking about how we can plan for the future up top, even if those signings are more 'future' than 'now'.

Burnwinter

Don Pacifico So I'd have no issue if we replaced some of those players this summer; I certainly want us to be thinking about how we can plan for the future up top, even if those signings are more 'future' than 'now'.

I agree. I think we should look at the forward positions just as ruthlessly this summer as we looked at them expansively last summer. Our squad is now overstocked with not-quite-elite forwards for a club that's aiming to be the best in Europe, and I say that with respect to some very good players.

JazzG

Don Pacifico That is fair but these bodies didn't come cheap so there is an argument to be made whether spending _£170m on Gyokeres, Eze and Madueke is a good allocation of transfer funds. They've all played their part but argument to made none of them have justified their price tag so far.

Mirth

In one of the interviews I saw, Arteta basically said the way we played during October/November was closer to his vision for the team.

est

USArsenal Same amount of points as City

And they've got two titles to show for it. Almost three.

JazzG

USArsenal Even if we have just matched them that still shows great consistency over 4 years. I think the bigger point is if we had finished with nothing I do do wonder if this project was over. Could the manager get himself back up and convince the players to go again? The casual pundits would have written us off as failures. The club no doubt would back Arteta but I can imagine self doubts would probably consume him.

Now at least we can say we trusted the process and it got us to where we wanted. You can see that, the relief on the players and manager is so obvious. Now is the time to build on this and hopefully win a few titles. We have built foundations to go on and dominate or at least be up there so need to make that count.

MistaT

Rohit -- what's this about? source?

Asterix

I read something somewhere that Eze also told Mikel the players needed a bit of a breather rather than another intense training session a few weeks ago and Mikel listened to him. Maybe in one of The Athletic pieces recently.

RocktheCasbah

Asterix I think it was the Independent piece from Miguel Delaney..

Sicario2

Don Pacifico this was only 4 years ago. Makes you appreciate how far we have come even if this season was do or die for a lot of us

Don Pacifico

Burnwinter Our squad is now overstocked with not-quite-elite forwards for a club that's aiming to be the best in Europe, and I say that with respect to some very good players.

💯 (although I'd say not-quite-elite is a little generous)

Burnwinter

JazzG They've all played their part but argument to made none of them have justified their price tag so far.

We did just win the league and even Madueke has played his part in that. Eze has graced several crucial occasions and Gyökeres has been structural. It's not about whether they were worth the money then, they were. It's about the question of improving the squad.

RowJimmy

JazzG
Judgments by fans about whether transfer fees are "worth it" are always at least a year (and sometimes several years) behind actual pricing.

USArsenal

JazzG Now at least we can say we trusted the process and it got us to where we wanted. You can see that, the relief on the players and manager is so obvious. Now is the time to build on this and hopefully win a few titles. We have built foundations to go on and dominate or at least be up there so need to make that count.

I agree with all of this.

JazzG

Burnwinter It's not about whether they were worth the money then, they were. It's about the question of improving the squad.

My point is we spent £65m on Eze, giving us a few memorable moments is good but for that kind of money I'd expect more. Likewise for Madueke and Gyokeres. If we wanted purely for numbers that is fine but we have paid top player money for them.

Hopefully for all three next season they'll push on, players do need a season to settle in to a new environment.

Coombs

JazzG we haven't paid top player money. They are all budget signings. We (and they) have done brilliantly.

Burnwinter

JazzG My point is we spent £65m on Eze, giving us a few memorable moments is good but for that kind of money I'd expect more.

I don't really disagree, but it's not all about the results we're getting for money we already spent, it's about the results we could expect if we were to take the money we expect we could get from selling the results we're getting and reinvesting that money in the results we expect we could get.

It's all about "how can we improve?" or even "how can we maintain?" rather than "are we any good?" ... winning the league ought to hammer that point home pretty hard. Contract retention has gone well, but questions like how certain players' minutes can be managed need to be front and square. The state some of our best talents' bodies have been reduced to is a huge worry, especially when they're all facing a World Cup summer.

Claudius

JazzG My point is we spent £65m on Eze, giving us a few memorable moments is good but for that kind of money I'd expect more. Likewise for Madueke and Gyokeres. If we wanted purely for numbers that is fine but we have paid top player money for them

You got a title. Thats the more you get. Since Covid, these are City’s biggest signings. One is home. A couple barely used. Doku has 11 premier league goals in 3 seasons. Winning allows you to mask the fact that transfers are risky.
Jack Grealish (2021) £100m
Joško Gvardiol (2023) £77.5m
Antoine Semenyo (2026) £64m
Rúben Dias (2020) £62m
Omar Marmoush (2025) £59m
Jeremy Doku (2023) £55m
Erling Haaland (2022) £51m
Nathan Aké (2020) £40m
Savinho (2024) £31m

Meatwad

Coombs
budget signings? we'd do backflips if we could sell a player for 60m.

JazzG

Coombs In my mind that is top money but yeah fair enough compared to say Isak/Wirtz not top money.

Budget is pushing it, you should be getting damn good players for that kind of money. I think Eze/Madueke are damn good players so still hopeful for them, I think everyone knows what I think of Gyokeres!

Semenyo, Cunha and Joao Pedro all went for money in that price bracket and I'd argue have looked better than our signings.

Burnwinter

Coombs Wouldn't say budget but certainly we haven't overpaid on average in this market. If you throw £60m on a forward in this market you get an Eze or a Madueke. Forwards widely perceived as world class are now over £100m.

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