It was not that long ago that Mikel Arteta’s position at Arsenal was under threat however he’s changed that with his tactics
In his two seasons at the North London club, the Gunners have had to settle for eighth place in the Premier League table.
The Spaniard did win the FA Cup in his first season in charge of the club, but throughout the majority of his time in the dugout, Arteta has been through some rough patches.
Arsenal’s form in the first half of the 2021/22 season has been very strong. They have won 11 of their opening 19 games in the campaign. As a result of that start, they are now 2/1 in the betting on sports online for a top four finish.
Arteta’s side have made it through to the semi-final of the EFL Cup where they will face Liverpool over two legs. They also have an FA Cup third round tie away to Nottingham Forest to look forward to. Those competitions offer Arsenal a realistic chance of winning some silverware this season.
Top Four Finish Would Be Huge And Mikel Arteta Can Do It With His Tactics
If Arsenal can keep up their form in the second half of the season, they are in with a great chance of finishing in the top four. They have not ended a campaign in one of those positions since 2016.
Not only would a top four finish be a clear sign that Arsenal are progressing in the right direction under Arteta, it would also see them qualify back into the Champions League. This would be a big financial boost for the club, and it would also help their recruitment drive next summer.
The results this season will give the Arsenal board a lot of confidence that they have the right manager in charge. It will also allow them to build for the future under the Spaniard’s leadership.
The competition for the top four places is strong this season. Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea all look on course for the top three spots. That leaves Arsenal, Leicester, Manchester United, Tottenham and West Ham fighting for that final position.
Aubameyang the Latest Problem for Arteta to Fix
Arteta has shown during his two-year tenure as Arsenal’s manager that he is not afraid to make big decisions. His recent move to strip Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as the club’s captain is a good example of that.
The issue surrounding Aubameyang is unlikely to go away soon for Arteta. The Gunners gave the 32-year-old a new three-year deal in 2020 thought to be in the region of £55 million. Offloading the striker could prove difficult which such high wages.
Arsenal will want to avoid the same embarrassment they suffered around Mesut Ozil. He was effectively shut out of the team for the best part of two years, despite earning over £300,000 a week.
If the club cannot sell Aubameyang, Arteta may have to patch up his relationship with the former Arsenal Player of the Season.
The majority of Arsenal fans will be very optimistic about the future of the club under Arteta. It is also another good example of how sticking with a manager can pay dividends down the line.
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