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Mikel Arteta was appointed Arsenal's manager in December of 2019. The Spaniard has enjoyed a mixed spell so far but is quickly gathering support as he builds a squad to challenge for top prizes. Arteta had previously spent three years as Manchester City's assistant manager under Pep Guardiola.
Arteta has evidently learned a lot from his time under Pep and has employed several of the same philosophies with the Gunners. He won the FA Cup almost immediately after taking up the role. However, he followed that up with a lackluster season that saw the Gunners miss out on European football for the first time in more than two decades.
Arsenal are now one of the most in-form sides in the Premier League, winning six of their last seven league games. They are now fourth in the table and in a strong position to secure Champions League football.
On that note, let's take a look at the five best decisions made by Mikel Arteta at Arsenal.
#5. Trimming the wage bill
One of Mikel Arteta's best decisions has been to trim the wage bill for the club. When Arteta first came in, the squad was packed with several high-earners who did not justify their wages on the field. Arteta employed a ruthless approach and proceeded to sell or loan many players and cut down the club's wage bill.
The likes of Mesut Ozil, Shkodran Mustafi, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and David Luiz have either been sold out or loaned out, causing a significant drop in the club's monthly wage bill.
Arteta's astute nature has been key in the rebuilding of the squad and the club is much the better for it.
#4. Replacing Bernd Leno with Aaron Ramsdale
Bernd Leno was Arsenal's number one when Arteta signed for the club. The German is undoubtedly a fantastic goalkeeper but lacks the distribution that Arteta expects from his number one. Arteta's decision to scout and sign Aaron Ramsdale for 25 million pounds was met with raised eyebrows but the move has paid dividends.
Ramsdale has added a sense of stability to the club's backline. He is an excellent shot-stopper and possesses outstanding passing abilities. Lining up behind a new-look defensive line, Ramsdale has already kept 12 clean sheets this season.
Arteta deserves praise for stabilizing his side's defensive line. The Gunners have only conceded eight goals in the league this year and look much harder to beat.
#3. Appointing Nicolas Jover
Mikel Arteta's appointment of Nicolas Jover as a set-pieces coach will go down as a masterstroke in the Spaniard's managerial career.
The Gunners previously had a notorious record for being easy to score against from set-pieces. The backline lacked structure and would often let in goals from corners and free-kicks, a phenomenon that has changed drastically this season.
Nicolas Jover was previously with Manchester City for two seasons and signed on as Arsenal's set-piece specialist last summer. His impact has been nothing short of spectacular. The north London club are yet to concede a goal despite facing 121 corners so far this season.
Jover has also improved them offensively, with Arsenal already scoring six goals from set-pieces this season. To put that into context, they only managed the same number across the whole of last season.
#2. Shrewd signings
Mikel Arteta has used the transfer window to great effect. The Spaniard has made numerous signings during his time so far and seems to have a clear idea of what the club needs. The summer signings were initially met with the contempt of the fans but have gone on to shine on the field.
Arteta has signed Thomas Partey, Ben White, Martin Odegaard and Aaron Ramsdale ever since he became the club's head coach. Many of these signings were regarded as average players but have excelled under Arteta's tutelage.
Most of his signings have been integrated into the first team and have flourished in their roles under the Spaniard. It only goes to show that Arteta's transfer acumen is worth trusting and will only lead to the club's betterment.
#1. Empowering the youth
Mikel Arteta's squad has been synonymous with young talent this season. The Gunners manager has transformed the likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli into excellent footballers. They are all certified starters in the side's lineup and have contributed greatly to the team's success.
While these players already possessed raw talent, Arteta has honed their skills and enabled them to contribute more on the scoresheet. Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Sako are the Gunners' highest goalscorer in the league this season, with ten goals each across all competitions.
Arteta has fielded extremely young squads so far this season. Despite many fans and pundits calling the side inexperienced, they have gone on to perform exceptionally well and are currently fourth in the Premier League table.
Arteta has shown great promise this season and securing European football will certainly be the icing on the cake. Several fans have switched sides and are now 'trusting the process' with each passing day.
