Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has proven far more popular so far than his predecessor Unai Emery.
In less than a year in charge, the inexperienced Spanish tactician has seemingly done a great deal to lift the morale at the Emirates Stadium, guiding the club to a surprise FA Cup victory last season, beating Manchester City and Chelsea in the semi-finals and final, respectively.
MORE: Video: Martin Keown criticises Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal tactics
Arteta was highly rated as part of Pep Guardiola’s coaching team at Manchester City, and he surely has a big future in management ahead of him.
That said, Gooners may be concerned by his stats in his first 26 Premier League games in comparison to Emery…
I prefer not to speak… ? pic.twitter.com/B8URnuvbLY
— The Sun – Arsenal (@SunArsenal) October 26, 2020
Somewhat surprisingly, Arsenal have won fewer games, drawn more, lost more, scored less, taken fewer shots, and had less of the ball than they did at the start of Emery’s unsuccessful reign.
That doesn’t exactly bode well, and there’s no doubt Arsenal looked a very flawed side as they lost at home to Leicester City yesterday.
Did that FA Cup win paper over a few cracks at Arsenal? These worrying figures suggest it might have, though of course fans won’t complain too much if the football isn’t great but it delivers trophies.
It is worth noting that Arteta’s Arsenal are at least conceding fewer goals than Emery’s side did, so that’s some progress, but the lack of creativity and attacking spark in this team suggests the 38-year-old’s bizarre snubbing of Mesut Ozil might be a big mistake.
? Aubameyang – out wide, or central?
? Why no Ozil or Pepe?
? Go back in for Aouar?
Was a pleasure to chat about Arsenal's many issues with @MichaelThomas_4 https://t.co/tMew13kLQ5 #AFC
— Mark Brus (@mbrus88) October 27, 2020
Cebellos is far from Arsenal standard.
Özil is far more creative …..
Omit Özil will cost Arsenal badly…..
Arteta’s priority was to sort out our defence from day one and that is why you’re able to massage the stats. Now he needs to find a settled backline.
I agree with, Keown, there’s been a little too much change to the team with three new players thrown straight in.
All that Ozil stuff came up at bad time [to top it all off] with it affecting our players and managers focus. But I must applaud Ainsley Maitland Niles* for how he dealt with it in the end. The maturity shown by, Niles, to respond to an established player, Ozil, in the manner he did was commendable. He was a real pro and I was surprised it was he who eventually told him to button it.