Recent news has suggested that manager Mikel Arteta could be replaced before Christmas if Arsenal don’t perform well this season. This is the opinion of former Arsenal player Paul Merson.
He believes that if the Gunners don’t finish in the top two of the Premier League by the end of the year, the club might have to think about getting a new manager. After all, now that the team has been in second place for a couple of seasons now, people are demanding more and more from Arteta.
Ever since Wenger led his team to the Premier League title in 2004, Arsenal has not been able to win the title. Many fans and commentators feel that Arteta is under a lot of pressure as the current manager, and he needs to prove that he is capable of leading the team back to the top.
Especially in the past period of time, some of Arteta’s decisions have caused controversy. For example, the team has not been able to bring in a true center forward. This problem is expected to be solved this summer as they are said to be considering signing a striker like Gioaceres or Cesc.
Merson believes that Arteta doesn’t have too many excuses to make now. This is because Arsenal nowadays not only have the money, but they can also attract top stars to join them. In other words, the team’s resources and conditions are good, so if the results still can’t go up, then the problem is probably with the coach.
In an interview with Sky Sports, he said, “I think Arteta can only last until Christmas at the most. By then, if the team is still not in the top two, the management might make a change.”
He also mentioned, “The attraction of Arsenal is strong now, it’s not difficult to recruit and money is not a problem. So Arteta must seize the opportunity to produce good results at a crucial stage next season. If he fails to do so, it could be his last season.”
He took Liverpool as an example and said, “Liverpool waited 30 years to regain the title and then it was all over. Arsenal have also reached a critical moment now, and if Arteta can’t take them to the title, then it will be difficult for him to remain in the managerial seat.”
Overall, Arteta has a heavy burden on his shoulders right now. Although the team’s overall strength is good, whether or not they can hit the ground running will depend on their performance in the next few months. If he doesn’t break into the top two by the end of the year, then I’m afraid his position will be unstable.
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