Mikel Arteta has paid tribute to the impressive work undertaken by Eddie Howe as Arsenal gears up for a showdown with Newcastle at Emirates Stadium.
Nobody predicted the two sides would be challenging at the top of the table at this stage of the season but with the Gunners top and the Magpies amongst the chasing pack, it’s set to be a mouthwatering clash.
Howe was appointed manager at St James’ Park in November 2021 and he’s overseen a rapid improvement in fortunes, lifting them to 11th in the table last season having taken over when they were winless.
Along the way, they inflicted a painful 3-0 defeat on Arsenal – one that destroyed our hopes of qualifying for the Champions League – that Arteta is sure to use as motivation.
“A very good team,” was the Spaniard’s assessment when he spoke after the 4-2 win over Brighton.
“Very well coached. I think what Eddie has done in that short period of time, you look at the numbers, it’s incredible. Big credit to him and his coaching staff.
“Then they have created a belief, a big momentum around the team that they play the same way against any opponent. We are going to play at home in front of our crowd and we’re looking forward to it.”
Should the Gunners triumph, our lead at the top of the table will be extended to 10 points before second-place Manchester City travel to Chelsea on Thursday. Against the odds, it will be our title to lose and the excitement amongst supporters will continue to grow.
Asked how he tempers expectations, Arteta said: “It’s not about stopping anybody, it’s about being realistic about where we are.
“The way we are performing is obviously impressive and we’re really happy with that, but we have set the bar and objectives in the short term of what we want to improve and what is making us win that many football matches.”
Despite it being a time of year for resolutions and setting new goals, Arteta continues to bang the drum for short-term ambitions.
“To win against Newcastle,” he responded when asked what he hopes to achieve in 2023.
“And then the next one and then the next one. That’s my dream. Then obviously that all my loved ones and everybody around the club feels healthy and satisfied and enjoys life which is beautiful.”
I love how Mikel speaks. So much clarity and integrity from day 1. We are so lucky to have him and Edu.
Yeah, I remember thinking when I saw his first Arsenal manager video, if he can manage a football team as well as he can communicate then we are in for some exciting times.
And it turns out he could.
COYG!
Not in the least concerned about tonight. We’ll blow them off the park. They basically want to be us but have crapper players. It’s counter attacking teams like United and Spurs we have to be wary of.
Like the confidence Mr Hats, I’m also very confident though with an air of caution. You never know in this league. COYG. I’m gonna put me neck out and go 3-0
Newcastle’s full backs are Trippier and Burn (sounds like a detective duo).
They just won’t be able to handle Sak and Gab.
Especially not 32 year old Trippier who is looking after Martinelli.
What’s happened to Santori, hopefully he is ok. I would be interested to know his thoughts now on Arteta and Edu.
😀
put these state-funded magpies to the sword please
I agree (although it won’t happen of course – all that money brings too much clout behind the scenes). I sometimes wonder though how many of us would say that if a state-funded enterprise had bought our club and pumped in really massive amounts of cash? Realistically, I suspect it would result more in a squeak than a thunderclap of protest if it resulted in huge success on the pitch. Many fans – as they have at the clubs where it’s happened – tend to look at the trophy cabinet first!
It’s individual, but for me I’d not welcome it at all. The reason I fell in love with arsenal are our values and the self sustaining philosophy brought by Wenger. Our owners are far from perfect, especially when we had a mobster like Usmanov, but it’s better than sugardaddy/oligarch/gulf state sportwashing BS. I’d always know that we are in a way cheating, like in a videogame when you’re using cheat codes, and skewing the market in an unfair way.
Sp*rs fans don’t look at the trophy cabinet, it gives them agoraphobia.
I’d probably look at it the same way I look at our current owners and all billionaires: bad
“They have created a belief” – more to do with Howe’s coaching or the owner’s bank balance I wonder.
Oh brother! The bank balance is yet to show! In the same period of time as takeover, Chelsea and MUN have spent near about the same as these magpies. And look at where they were all before the takeover. It’s a combination of very smart recruitment + good coaching + obviously healthy spending. And this is just the start sadly
Not to mention the fact that if players don’t perform, there’s loads of money to replace them!
Haven’t really seen them blow anyone out of the water with investments yet. At the moment it’s still largely the squad that Howe inherited.
Except the 200 million they’ve spent on players you mean
Both I guess.
Next season it’ll be all about finding out that Howe can’t step up to manage a load of prima donnas, after the oil boys have gone marquee signing mad in the summer.
The following season will be about how the new manager can’t get Howe’s lopsided squad to play his brand of football.
After that we need to worry.
I like Arteta’s pragmatism. There are 20+ games to go, I don’t understand all this talk of winning the title from fans at this stage. Let’s enjoy one game at a time , the displays are mouth watering. We have to qualify for CL, IMO that is critical. The title will come if not this year, then next , it’s our destiny 😀.
yeah, “our title to lose” with less than half a season played feels a little bit too much…
HEY, are yu referring 2 the accident nutmeg DJ did that time?
It is, because if we continue winning no one can stop us. Theoretically that is correct 🙂
Maybe it’s because this season is beginning to look like the ’15 – ’16 season.
All the top teams – City, Pool, Chelsea and United – seem not to be at their best, all at once.
Leicester was there then to take advantage; we are evidently primed to do same this season.
Well said, define!
You have to love his answers. “It’s not about stopping anybody” is such a great answer. His intensity and focus and recruiting players who believe in him is really the secret to our success
The 3-0 still stings! We were bullied and played off the park…. would be great to see how far we’ve come since then… Revenge 😉
They didn’t beat us 3 nil in the last meeting. It was 2 nil
Felt more like 10 nil to me at the time.
😀
Let’s beat them soundly today. Yes we can. COYG!!!
yes , 10-0 so ChickPEA finds some balance
We’ll win and win comfortably, I don’t think Newcastle will offer much threat going forward. They’ll sit deep and hope to counter, an early goal will help but I still think we’ll end up winning by 2 or 3.
Well, let’s hope that’s not the kiss of death for the result! Newcastle are certainly on the way up (in every sense) with the injection of new funds and a pretty good job by Eddie Howe as well. That said, I think we’ll win but it may well be a tighter game than you’re forecasting (although happy to be proven wrong about that).
Newcastle have had a great season
From my perspective, this is going to be the toughest game for us this season. Yeah we won against pool, spuds and chelsea, but they are all trash this season. Newcastle is a well coached team, their confidence is high, and their defence is tight!
Really hope we win, but this is going to be tough!