Mikel Arteta has dropped a bombshell on Arsenal fans by revealing he doesn’t drink wine, despite being the face of one of the club’s most enduring vino-related memes.
Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup clash with Crystal Palace, the Spaniard was asked if and how he’ll celebrate his upcoming fifth anniversary as the main man in the Gunners’ dugout. His response caught many off guard.
“I don’t drink wine!” he told reporters. “But yes it will be a special day. Obviously, five years in this job, especially the size of the club that we are is a big thing, so very grateful.”
“I wouldn’t have a celebration but probably I will reflect on it, have some memories and look through some pictures and comments and a few moments that we have spent together. Recall it and value it because it’s quite a long time.
For supporters, the revelation will come as a shock given Arteta fronted a campaign for Santa Rita – a Chilean winery that once partnered with the club.
The origin of the meme dates back to 2020, when Arteta appeared in a video message to fans, celebrating the team’s FA Cup win from that summer. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, fans couldn’t attend the final at Wembley in person, so Arteta, holding a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, gave a heartfelt toast to the fans watching from home, saying, “Cheers”.
Since then, a screenshot of that moment has become a popular meme among supporters, who use it to toast the team’s successes and mock their rivals’ failures.
Over time, the image has taken on a life of its own, becoming an integral part of the club’s online culture and a go-to reaction for the fanbase.
After drawing two of the last three games, we suspect the only way Arteta will want to celebrate Thursday’s anniversary is with two wins over Palace in the space of a few days. The manager is expecting a challenging encounter when the Eagles visit the Emirates.
“Very tough,” was his assessment of Oliver Glasner’s side. “When you look at the last results and the approach that they have, the quality of the individuals that they have, how they are coached as well.
“It’s always really tough, it’s another layer of difficulty as well when you play a team twice in four days, so we have prepared for that.”
Not sure if intentional but comments are off on the last article at the moment https://arseblog.news/2024/12/arteta-on-squad-fitness-and-using-the-carabao-cup-to-build-momentum/
I raise my glass to us getting back to winning ways and putting this stuck-in-the-mud first half of a season behind us. Nothing warms the cockles like good, winning football. Cheers.
Not sure what happened there, but they are back!
Awesome! Apologies for the double post below, wasn’t sure if the first one went through.
I raise my glass with you, though Arteta’s response baffles me a bit. They didn’t ask him if he was going to celebrate with a glass of wine. It would be like if my mate asked me, “Quiet night in tonight?” and I responded, “I don’t masturbate!” Which I don’t, obviously. But you get my drift.
He was asked about having wine in the press conference. So you, my friend, have needlessly said too much about what you supposedly don’t do, Mayor Freudian McSlip.
You’ve caught me red handed, Ebo.
Or white handed, perhaps…
Obviously.
Maybe he drinks Scotch, because the Basque country is the Scotland of Spain. Ask Kieran Tierney.
LOL.
Just win us games, Mikel. Congratulations on your 5th anniversary as an Arsenal manager. 5 years is a long time for us to still be looking fearful and devoud of ideas against lower oppositions. Where are the lessons learnt over the years when we missed the titles by losing or drawing games against West Ham, Fulham, Southampton, Aston Villa? We are solidly behind you but win us games. It is also very surprising that despite City having a stinker of a season and had been beyond terrible in the last 11 games, we are just 3 point ahead if them.… Read more »
It might not be surprising that if city fail to win in the Champions league and carrabao they don’t count as points dropped in the league. That aside, city were ahead of us in both the league and the CL super league table but despite us having that run without a win, we are ahead and way ahead in Europe
Thanks Gooner. Perspective is everything!
Just win us games, Mikel. Congratulations on your 5th anniversary as an Arsenal manager. 5 years is a long time for us to still be looking fearful and devoud of ideas against lower oppositions. Where are the lessons learnt over the years when we missed the titles by losing or drawing games against West Ham, Fulham, Southampton, Aston Villa? We are solidly behind you but win us games. It is also very surprising that despite City having a stinker of a season and had been beyond terrible in the last 11 games, we are just 3 point ahead if them.… Read more »
We are solidly behind this comment except for all the things that we don’t like about it.
Mikel should be happy that Arsenal isn’t owned by Abramovitch.
We ALL should be happy about that.
Supporting someone only when they win is not really supporting them. Your wedding vows must have been “For richer, oh no not that one, or that one, and in health”.
Hope that will help us in our title pursuit……
I think my trust in Arteta just decreased by a percentage point with this bombshell?98.5% now. He can regain the 1 percent by revealing himself as a connoisseur of whiskey. I recommend the Edradour 12yo for this Christmas, my gooner fam.
Edradour is Scottish so it’s Whisky. Excellent choice though.
I’ll try and give it a go if I can find it, thanks. Hope our upcoming performances are not EdraDour.
I raise my glass to us getting back to winning ways and putting this stuck-in-the-mud first half of a season behind us. Nothing warms the cockles like good, winning football. Cheers.
I think this is the reason trophies have eluded us since then. The universe is calling him out for the false representation.
Mikel, please put this right. At least have 1 glass of Napa merlot for me. The trophies will follow.
The 80’s, the 90’s and The Tuesday Club are truly over the hills and far away.
i think it’s time arseblog allows us to use images in the comment section! would love to see arteta saying cheers more often