5 mistakes Mikel Arteta has made at Arsenal

Mikel Arteta was appointed as Arsenal manager in December 2019. His start to his first-ever managerial assignment was rewarded almost immediately, with an FA Cup win against Chelsea at the end of his debut season. Since then, Arteta has divided Arsenal fans with his approach.

He may boast a handful of positives, but Arsenal endured their lowest league finish in 16 years and are set to be without European football for the first time in 24 years.

As we approach an intriguing transfer window after his first full season at the club, let’s take a look at five mistakes Mikel Arteta has made at Arsenal.

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#5 Failed to identify his preferred defensive line

Gabriel Magalhaes was signed from Lille for a reported 27 million pounds

Starting off initially with a 3-5-2 formation, he preferred Bukayo Saka and Hector Bellerin as his wingbacks. Considering Saka’s offensive contributions, it was imperative to play him in a more advanced role. With Kieran Tierney’s return from injury and the subsequent signing of highly-rated Brazilian center-back Gabriel Magalhaes from Lille for a reported £27 million, it looked like Arteta would finally move over to the 4-4-2 he had envisioned since his appointment.

However, 18 months later, it appears he is still unaware of his preferred formation and lineup at Arsenal. He has often been criticized for constantly switching his center-back partnership. Another common criticism has been the constant omission of Gabriel for David Luiz and others, thereby begging the question of why he was signed.

Although Arteta deserves the liberty to experiment before he can figure things out for himself, the decision to leave Gabriel on the bench against Villarreal in arguably the biggest game of Arsenal’s season can only be described as baffling.

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#4 Failure to sign a backup left-back at Arsenal

Arsenal lack an understudy for Kieran Tierney in the left-back position

One of the biggest mistakes that Arteta has committed is his negligence in signing a backup left-back. Kieran Tierney, as good as he has been for Arsenal this season, has a reputation of being injury-prone. In a system that relies heavily on wingbacks and crossing, not having a backup left-back in their ranks has cost Arsenal numerous times.

Furthermore, taking into account the fact that Sead Kolasinac (Arsenal’s only other orthodox left-back) was loaned out in the same season, it appears Arteta has been unmindful of the impact on the team.

In the past, players like Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Bukayo Saka have filled in for Tierney, but the pair don’t possess the attributes of an orthodox left-back. To add to this, Maitland-Niles was loaned out and Saka has since been converted to a right-winger.

Cedric Soares has also been used as a left-back; he has exceeded expectations, but his single-footedness and lack of pace have exposed him in the past.

These factors have forced Arteta to play Granit Xhaka at left-back. Although Xhaka is an experienced footballer who often pulls strings from midfield, the left-back position is not suited to his attributes, as he lacks the pace required to cover ground on the wing. Arteta likes to play with his wingbacks often overlapping the midfielders, something that we rarely see from Xhaka. His display against Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze was the final nail in the coffin; the culmination of Arteta’s negligence towards the left-back position.

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#3 Not using substitutions advantageously

Mikel Arteta has often waited too long before making substitutions

Another common theme throughout Mikel Arteta’s managerial tenure at Arsenal has been the underutilisation of his substitutes. Arteta’s approach towards making substitutions can be summed up by saying “too little, too late”. He has frequently failed to address obvious issues on the field, which has more often than not led to unfavorable results.

In fact, the only half-time substitutions made by Arteta have been due to injury concerns and not tactical adjustments. Fans often complain that Arteta waits too long to make substitutions and that the ones he eventually makes rarely influence the game. One common example includes the introduction of Willian in the final 15 minutes, irrespective of the scoreline.

When players have looked lackluster on the field, Arteta has often allowed them to play on without showing any urgency to make a replacement. Moreover, players who have picked up early yellow cards have been allowed to play till the end of the game with the ever-present risk of being reduced to 10 men; Dani Ceballos’ sending off against Villarreal remains a case in point. The stats are reflective of the same as well; Arsenal have received 10 red cards under Arteta.

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#2 Mismanagement of Lacazette, Aubameyang and Pepe

Mikel Arteta has used Aubameyang, Lacazette and Pepe across several different positions at Arsenal

The issue of how to fit Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the same system has been long part of Arsenal’s woes – Unai Emery faced it and was unable to fix it, and it appears to have Arteta scratching his head as well. This mistake hasn’t been due to a lack of trying; Arteta has pretty much played the trio of Aubameyang, Lacazette and Nicolas Pepe across all attacking positions.

Aubameyang was initially used as a left-winger, with Pepe on the right and Lacazette stationed as a #9. Although this looked like the best possible setup, the emergence of Bukayo Saka has made this decision a lot more difficult. Add to this Aubameyang’s injury and Arteta’s faith in Willian and the problem gets a lot more convoluted.

Arteta has tried all possible combinations upfront; he has played Aubameyang as a central striker and fielded Saka and Pepe on both wings. He has also used Lacazette as a false 9, and even played Willian as a false 9!

Although this is the first time in five years that three Arsenal players have scored 10+ goals in a Premier League season, he is yet to identify his preferred front line. Throw Gabriel Martinelli into the mix and the problem is further amplified. The fans have made their voices heard; they want Arteta to play Martinelli and Saka on the wings with Aubameyang through the middle, with Nicolas Pepe and Reiss Nelson as extremely handy backups.

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#1 Lack of a creative force in the Arsenal midfield

Mesut Ozil left Arsenal to join Turkish side Fenerbahce in January 2021

Creativity in attack has been an issue at Arsenal ever since Mesut Ozil’s rumored falling out at the club. Arsenal have failed to identify his replacement and the impact is there to be seen.

Although one could argue that the board and its owners carry part of the blame for not acquiring a creative midfielder in the summer, they did fill one gap by spending a reported £45 million on Thomas Partey. Although it’s still too soon to make a complete assessment, Partey has shown encouraging signs that he can become the defensive midfielder Arsenal have lacked for the last 15 years.

Arsenal were closely linked with the likes of Houssem Aouar and Nabil Fekir in the summer, both prolific players in their own right. However, Arteta and the club failed to sign any attacking midfielders, while also loaning out Matteo Guendouzi and selling Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

Arteta has, however, been very fortuitous, as his loan move for Martin Odegaard worked out well. The Norwegian had a very positive impact on the side, with his eye for a killer pass and the energy he brings to the side. The promotion of Emile Smith Rowe from the academy has also been very promising. The youngster has segued almost perfectly into the starting line-up and is often one of the first names on the team sheet. His ball-carrying ability and work rate has been great to see and he certainly looks like one for the future. However, Odegaard’s move was a loan and reports suggest it would cost in the region of £40 million to sign him permanently. The decision remains to be seen, but it is one that requires a lot of care and thought; Arsenal certainly need a world-class creative midfielder in their ranks if they want to challenge the top clubs in England and Europe.

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