“When will criticism of Mikel Arteta occur?” asks Stan Colliemore. It’s literally happening all the time, mate.
Former Premier League striker Pandit is truly baffled by a catch-offside column where Arteta hasn’t put pressure on Arsenal for two obvious and painful reasons.
“I’m pretty surprised that Mikel Arteta isn’t under pressure at Arsenal. Every season I wrote this column, I always say at some point in the season: when will Mikel Arteta’s criticism happen? And the only reason I can think of why he doesn’t criticize is because he has this mysterious ability to enter his next press conference with a big, glorious smile, just like he’s putting out a team beaten Real Madrid 6-0.
Only this week, Arteta was roundly criticized by fans, experts and the press for his safe, pedestrian football, who was defeated by Liverpool. On this day we compared his soccer to the soccer of a rugby team. We argue that Arteta gets more than a significant percentage of his criticism. That’s one of our absolute favorite things.
And “the only reason”? Really? His three consecutive second-place finishes, the amazing team he helped build, or what love and affection he has created between his fans and players? Certainly that’s an opinion.
“That’s amazing. Every press conference, he looks confident. And I personally think it’s very bold for a manager who won one major trophy. The reality is that if he was a golfer, we kept talking about him as an elite golfer, but for the past five years he hasn’t won a major, he says he’s not an elite golfer. And I think you can say the same thing as an elite manager.”
Years between majors for “non-elite” golfers: Phil Mickelson – 8 years. Ernie Els – 10 years. Tiger Woods – 11 years. Rory McIlroy – 11 years.
Read: Arsenal bottoms on the “Big Chance” Metric Premier League Table
“I feel like there’s a myth that was raised with the power that had to turn Arsenal around, which was always finished in the top 10. They were solid for the sixth, seventh, eighth days, not the lower half of the table. And all they needed was someone to come in and buy two or three players. It wasn’t the main surgery needed where the guys ended up uniting or spurring.
Sorry, who pedals this bottom half “myth”? And who is the manager who can lead a sixth, seventh or eighth Premier League team to the title? There have been not many people plump this season because of Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Brighton as title winners.
“From my point of view, I’m really surprised that I haven’t seen him being advertised to take his position at this early stage of the season, taking into account his performance against Liverpool, being warm at best and lacking in any belief. And as he wasn’t fired in the first few years, he can now become Arsenal manager for the next 10 years and finishing 2, 3, 4, 2, 3, 4, 4.
Stan was three games. They beat Manchester United at Old Trafford to smack Leeds 5-0 and undoubtedly showed too much respect at Anfield at Liverpool, but lost that game thanks to Dominique Schizoboschlei’s ridiculous, great free kick.
People who don’t call his bag after three games don’t mean they won’t go after ten times. Trust us, even with the whims of his potential for looting, we are there to slap that story into the throats of those who are willing to come with us for a ride and those who are not.
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And not a single living person believes Arteta will become a trophyless for the “next 10 years” at Arsenal. The consensus is that it must be this season or he’s out. But again, it’s three games, and they’re third.
‘Have you seen Pep Guardiola last season and it reached a point where people were legally asking if this was the end of Pep? Ange Postecoglou won the Europa League and was later fired. Why does Mikel Arteta’s work at Arsenal make the ship more exceptional than stabilizing it? So for me, it’s really easy. He should be under pressure this season, especially after Liverpool’s game. And if he doesn’t deliver at the end of this season, it’s time to go. ”
But people weren’t really asking if PEP would be fired, did they? The question was whether he would walk. And the comparison of Ange Postecoglou may be the most insane. Tottenham scored 36 points from Arsenal, earning a trophy that Arteta could not use as Arsenal became too good to compete in the Europa League.
And he concludes it all with two points that no one has objected to – Arteta should be under pressure and if he doesn’t deliver this season he’ll be fired – as if it were a summary of crazy speculative nonsense beforehand.
Why is he not under pressure? He is under pressure. Why does Arteta claim to have had a massive operation at Arsenal? They aren’t. Why is it okay if he finishes second, third or fourth in the next decade? Not so, and no one has said it is. When Ange Postecoglou was there, why wasn’t he fired? Ah, ffs.
