You can’t fault Mikel Arteta’s bravery at Arsenal.
When he first walked into the job, he was a complete novice himself because he went from being Pep Guardiola’s assistant to a high-profile Premier League manager.
It’s hard enough trying to take to the hotseat, but Mikel Arteta did it when Arsenal were really low.
Arsene Wenger left in a dreadful way because he was more hounded out than allowed to leave peacefully and the Unai Emery appointment just didn’t work, but he has gone on to have a ‘very good’ career since.
In truth, Arteta himself wasn’t exactly flying the kite high. He struggled for a number of years, but he kept doing things his way, regardless of the outside noise.
That included bringing in the players he wanted and, a lot of the times, they weren’t fashionable choices.
Go back to the Ben White transfer, bringing in Aaron Ramsdale when he had suffered back-to-back relegations, even the most recent inclusion of David Raya and the big-money transfer of Kai Havertz.
All of these calls at the time, were huge and questioned. Now they have been proven to be absolutely correct.
Dion Dublin touched upon the deal to bring in Havertz and how everybody looked and that signing from Chelsea and thought ‘really?’, as he told Football Focus.
The feeling was that the German international did ‘nothing’ at Stamford Bridge, so it wasn’t understandable why Arsenal were buying him.
But fast forward to the present and Dublin thinks Havertz is answering those questions and he has even become a ‘go-to man’ for his club.
Kai Havertz’s transfer to Arsenal
“He has looked at his squad and he hasn’t thought ‘I need to get the best players, just get them in and use them when I need them’,” said Dublin. “He’s looked for people that can affect football matches for him in that position.
“Rice has come in and been outstanding. I think if you ask people about their Team of the Year, then Rice would be in most of them.
“Havertz was the one that everybody has gone ‘really? He did nothing at Chelsea, we don’t know where he plays, what’s he going to bring, what kind of player is he and where does he play? I have no idea’. But I think he has gone in and people have gone ‘Oh, he’s not that bad, Havertz’. I think Arteta has thought about his signings carefully. He (struggled) at first, then he must have found his feet, chatted to the manager, got him on the training ground and said ‘listen, just calm down. I back you. I bought you. I know what you are capable of and you can score goals’. And he has got himself a few goals this season – he has been brilliant and the go-to man for goals.”
Arsenal’s summer transfer window
It’s going to be interesting to see what road Arsenal go down when the transfer market re-opens.
Even though the goals have been flying in this season, some still can’t stop talking about the club needing that number nine. Ivan Toney has been a hot topic.
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A lot will depend on if the team can win the Premier League title because, if they do, then the mood and feeling will probably change on that one.
You feel whatever calls are made, Arteta has to be trusted because, so far, they have got a lot right.
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