Mikel Arteta (Soon to be Mr. Manager)

Former Gunners
#963

Think Emery is just a temporary solution, but Artera would do worse, imo.

1 Like
#964

I think the fact we are talking about Arteta or Emery as the potential candidates for the job shows the complete lack of ambition of the board.
Both of these two were cheaper than elite managers and both could be persuaded to take the job with minimal funding for transfers.

What we needed was a Guardiola, Klopp, Simeone, Conte etc, to come in and take the club by the scruff of the neck and shake away the seasons of stagnation and complacency that Wenger had overseen and get given a substantial amount by the board to go out and get what we needed.

But who did we go for?
A complete unknown quantity in Arteta or a competent manager in Emery, who was willing to work under the constraints of the tightest owner of any of the top club in the PL?

I don’t think Arteta or Emery were the answer, they were the easy and cheap option.

The best way to describe our club under Wenger was stagnating.
The best way to describe the club under Emery is drifting.

There is no direction, no ambition and we’re going nowhere.

3 Likes
#965

Exactly. I do prefer a safe, but not great choice like Emery though. At least you know what you get with him.

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#966

Exactly. That was the problem :smile:

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#967

Nope because Arteta is completely unproven at high level, while Emery not. I do prefer the latter.

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#968

Never liked the argument that “we’ll we don’t know so it could be better.”

You hire the best person for the job all things considered. Can argue whether Emery was right choice among reasonable candidates, but imho Arteta was never a reasonable candidate and would have smacked of familiarism and he would have been massively scrutinized.

4 Likes
#969

You want an 38-game to 50-game season to be interesting to follow. Nothing about Unai fucking Emery is interesting. Nothing. The unknown quanity that Arteta is would make it an interesting follow.

This with in the back of my mind that nothing is going to be made out of Arsenal anyway. Not until we’re bought by some rich fuck.

2 Likes
#970

Exactly. It was like appointing Henry or Pires.

#971

Interesting? Might as well have appointed Luca or Phoebica.

2 Likes
#972

I’d be great. First order of business, bring back Giroud and give him the captain’s armband. Second on the list, send Mustafi to Siberia.

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#973

Wasn’t that the issue with Arsene though? Predictable season, one after the other?

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#974

I’ll happily take Fergie predictable or Pep or Simeone predictable.

Wenger was football purgatory at the end. Never too high, never too low (although one could say the bottom was falling out at the end).

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#975

Yeah, obviously you wouldn’t mind having a predictable coach, if he challenged and won titles on a consistent basis.

#976

Yeah predictable is fine when it’s someone exciting. But when it’s someone you know won’t take you to the next level i’d rather throw the dice on the unknown.

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#977

The only way Giroud would be brought back here, and go anywhere near the captains armband, is if he got a job in the Arsenal laundry room. :grinning:

#978

I think you’re right.
If Arteta had never been an Arsenal player we wouldn’t have given him a second look.
It was important to get someone with experience at the top level, and although Emery might not have been the best option at least he is different than what we’ve been used to with Wenger.

2 Likes
#979

I don’t believe it was about money. Arteta was just Ivan’s chance to show everyone what a genius he is by unearthing a top attacking manager out of nowhere. And then he realised his neck was actually on the line and bottled it.

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#980

Yes. More than Emery at least.

I really get the feeling three Europa League’s and one Ligue 1 title is giving Emery some cloud he honestly doesn’t deserve. But there is nothing to do about that apparantly.

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#981

To me choosing Emery is like marrying the girl you know is a nice girl and adequate but you aren’t truly in love. Basically settling for something because it’s ok, even though deep down you know you could find a better match out there, this is the safe option…

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#982

There aren’t beautiful girls out there for us atm.

1 Like