Thursday, March 28, 2024

Arteta: Liverpool’s progress an example, but my only objective is for Arsenal to be the best

Mikel Arteta says his only objective is for Arsenal to ‘be the best’, and acknowledges that Liverpool’s progression under Jurgen Klopp is an example to follow, even if the situations are very different.

Ahead of Wednesday night’s clash with the champions, the Arsenal boss says the club need to look at what they have done, but insists the Gunners need to find a way to replicate it in more challenging circumstances.

Finances have been massively impacted by the Covid-19 crisis, and there’s the very real possibility we’ll be without European football next season for the first time in 25 years.

All of which makes the job a lot more difficult, but Arteta sounded clear about what he wants to do in the Emirates hot-seat.

“What they’ve done is phenomenal,” he said of Liverpool’s work over the last number of years.

“Obviously the first two years it took them some time to rebuild the squad and to create a new culture, a new philosophy, and a game model which suited the coach.

“Then they started to recruit every single player in relation to what they needed and that’s where I think they were really smart, because they bought a specificity in every position that was required to get strong.

“Obviously financially they had big, big backing, and made some big signings, which completely changed the club in my opinion.”

It was put to him that he needed to do a similar job at Arsenal, and was asked if he could envisage the Gunners being champions in a four year time frame.

“If am sitting here in four years time and tell you ‘we have done it’, I will be so happy,” said the Spaniard.

“But I know how many decisions have to be right; how much support you need from the club and the people around it; how much connection you have to generate with all your fans to have the full package.

“The context right now is different from what it was four years ago and the abilities of a club to rebuild something are more limited. It’s something we have to look at, how they did it, because it’s a great example.

“But we know we have to do it our way, with our resources, and having in mind the context is different … but we are heading to be the best, that is my only objective, and we have to find a way to do it.”

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OnlyBeingHonest

Given time i think Arteta will be the man for Arsenal going forward, Speaks brilliantly, everyone at the club speaks very highly of him, Addresses issues head on, I hope he gets backed in the next transfer window, he really could turn this club around, its a question now of how ambitious this club/ownership really is, and we will find out very soon.

Con

A long road to recovery.

Jury’s out on Sanllehi, Venkatesham and Gaspar.

goongot

We are going to win fa cup. Come back after city game and chelsea final and drop a note here.

MarkG

It seems every time he speaks now it’s a challenge to the club itself to get serious.

I’m right behind Arteta, as I’m sure many of you are. I’m excited to see his ideas and philosophies grow and progress. Hopefully he does get the backing he’s demanding as it’s the only way we have a chance of getting back to a respectable, competitive level any time soon.

Carll

Arteta isn’t the best man for this job. In my opinion, he is the only man for it at the moment. Even so, I think the idea of us becoming champions in 4 years is highly unrealistic. The owners just have no ambition. Arteta is a fantastic coach but the Spurs game highlighted the mammoth task he has. We’ll grow stronger slowly, but will not reach the upper echelons again until we have ambitious ownership, who are prepared to spend money, to make money.

goonerink

Im not so sure, bring in 4 players with crazy value and we are competing.

do that over the period of 4 years and put a big middle finger to FFP and we are champions.

difference is we are a classy club with a classless owner.

canon fodder

I understand your sentiment and perspective but until FFP becomes a reality rather than window dressing, we will always lag behind the monied clubs. If FFP was serious in its intent, all clubs would have had to rely on bringing home grown/academy players through. As long as the Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Chelsea can inflate the market, we will not be able to compete with them in the transfer market and therefore lag behind them in terms of success.

Northerngooner

Arteta is on the same learning curve as Saka, Nketiah et all. They are all treading on new ground and none of them is the finished article yet. Will they be any good, as in title challenging (and winning) good?, too soon to say. I’m by no means a Kroenke defender, but how is their input different to that of FSG at Liverpool?. Liverpool have invested big but only because they have sold big, something we have been completely incapable of doing. (Even before the arrival of the current set of chancers, by the way). It’s easy to get on… Read more »

loose_cannon

Some good points here but the 3-3 draw with Palace that cost them title and selling Suarez happened under Rodgers, not Klopp, and of course he was eventually sacked in the end.

As for the difference between FSG and Kronke you have actually said it yourself. They sold their big players and reinvested intelligently. We…erm, didn’t. They’ve also made more speculative gambles outside of the money they got for Coutinho, trusting the analytics and football management instead of listening to dodgy agents like Kia.

Northerngooner

That is indeed correct, that 3-3 was under Rodgers.

I was mainly talking about the direction of travel and model they were pursuing, Klopp improved a group that was already in the ascendency and he was repeatedly questioned along the way.

Whichever way we look at it, we have a few lean years ahead of us.

Andy

Liverpool have traded brilliantly. Sold their best players, Suarez and Coutinho for silly money, and bought the defensive spine of champions – Allison and Van Dyke. Bought intelligently – Salah, Mane and Firmino – without breaking the bank. What do we do? Let our best assets go for fuck all – Sanchez, Ramsey. Overpay for average players: Xhaka, Mustafi. And pay 18m a year for a player who never plays. Needs a total overhaul.

YOLO Toure

I agree – I don’t think we’ll become champions in 4 years. But if we get to a place where we’re challenging, finishing 2nd or 3rd within 5ish points of the champions and making Champions League semis / finals, I think that would be serious progress to then hopefully win the title from the 5th year etc.

Heavenly Chapecoense

Chelsea seem to be rebuilding and not jumping in the context-is-different bandwagon.

Cultured Determination

Chelsea is smart. They know the market is suppressed now so they got timo for 50 mil, and can sell him on for 80-100 mil if he scores a ton of goals.
Opportunistic purchase, make use of the talent, and then selling on for a profit. Thats good business acumen.
We on the other hand let alexis go for an exchange instead of 50 mil bid from mancs, let ram go for free instead of for 50 mil to 75 mil. Welbz free. Hand ozil a 350k wage package for him to fall asleep.

We Arsenalled It Again

I think that following the Liverpool model is a good idea. It’s a lot more structured and convincing than the dreaded “contact based approach.” I’m just not convinced that Sanllehi would warm to this reasonable approach to transfers – which is a shame.

John C

What is this contacts based approach nonsense coming from?

We’ve got 2 players from the same agent and all of a sudden Kia Joorabchain is in charge of our transfer policy.

Did he buy Pepe, Martinelli and Tierney too?

We Arsenalled It Again

You’re right regarding Pepe, Martinelli and Tierney. I think they have been good signings and they represent the kind of transfers I’d like to see more often (relatively cheap – except Pepe of course – with relatively high upside potential). Value has clearly been an issue in our squad and Sanllehi has a big job in the summer regarding squad building. Like anyone else, I feel he can be praised and critiqued depending on his performance. I also hope that Arteta has a considerable say when it comes to player acquisition.

FabulousFabregas

But you cant deny Kia has a significant hold on our ‘head of football’.At any shortcoming/obstacle to fill up a position,Raul turns to him.And this ‘contact based approach’ is exactly what Sven said after getting kicked out.Imagine if Mislintat and Arteta worked together this transfer window

We Arsenalled It Again

You’re right on the money! Sven left the club because of that “contact based approach.” It’s a shame.

John C

I can deny it as there’s no proof.

In the cases of Luiz and Soares, they’re both cheap players and it’s quite possible that when working on a budget having close relationships with agents is beneficial.

David Luiz for instance, despite the hysterics, at £30m for 2 years is a cheap player in modern standards. What’s the alternative at that price? At that price point you’re buying a flawed player, you just have to decide what flaws or strengths you would rather have in a player.

Naked Cygan

We will only be a GREAT club again if we admit we have a systemic problem and not just blame an individual, or one issue after each defeat. Each time we have a bad result we pick one of these issues from the bag. Ozil, Guendouzi, Mustafi, Pepe, Luiz, our weak mentality, playing with fear, not giving 100%, our poor defense, our weak midfield, Laca is not good enough, Emery, Stan, Raul, Edu, funding by the board, shitty contracts, letting top players leave, top players joining rivals, key players leaving for free, hiring a manager with no first team management… Read more »

Paul

…not important but some people still include Wenger at number 1 or 2 of that list.
I totally agree with you.

John C

Wenger’s poor management over his final 10-15 years is why we’re here, it’s important to remember it!

And too Naked Cygan, no on paper we don’t have a good team, on paper most of our players are mid-table.

Serious question, which of our players would Liverpool or City want to buy? In fact which of our players would Man U, Chelsea or Spurs want to buy?

Cultured Determination

Liverpool has a great transfer team. Sold couintho and spent it on world class CB and keeper to stabilize the team. Bought mane and salah on comparatively cheaper price.
What about us? Who do we have to sell for 100 mil to ignite the smart purchases and who’s going to get those buys with mislintat gone?

karl

For all Arteta’s good ideas and tactical thinking, the current defence can undo it all in a moment.

Laca new signing

In Mikel we trust. I hope he can make as much or even more impact in the club as Arsene Wenger. If he wins the Champions League I’ll have a tattoo of him!

Modha

I love him, I love how he talks about the club and his ambition

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