🔗 Share this article

As he approaches his half-decade plus one year as manager, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his continued role with the club is inextricably linked to winning major honors.

A Look Back: From Appointment to Present

The Spanish coach was appointed on December 20th, 2019 and promptly led the team to an cup win not long after. However, that first major trophy is still his lone major honor since succeeding Unai Emery.

“Yes,” the manager said in response to a query about remaining in charge after his current deal. “However, it is about today. And many things need to fall into place in the coming months as well to deserve that opportunity.”

This weekend sees the anniversary with a match versus Everton, the exact opponent Arsenal faced just after his appointment was announced.

The Current Landscape

As trailing Manchester City taking on West Ham on Saturday afternoon, Arsenal risk losing the summit in the Premier League before their own match begins. This potential shift despite Arteta overseeing a squad that has suffered in excess of one hundred injury setbacks over the course of last season.

The manager currently has 18 months to run on the deal he signed in 2024, yet understands fully that he must deliver promptly.

The Manager's Mandate

Arteta elaborated, stressing the constant necessity to prove his worth. “In my view a manager has to earn the right to be here tomorrow. And that is determined by how you react, how you address the media, how you go into the dressing room, the instructions you give.”

He added, commending the unwavering support from the club's ownership, yet identifying the players' commitment as the key factor. “In the final analysis, the most important ones are those players... During my tenure, I’ve seen just players with a standard of focus, willingness to improve and give their all to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

The squad faces the upcoming game dealing with an additional absence. Defender Ben White has been ruled out with a hamstring injury that is likely to keep him out for several weeks.

Evolved Priorities

Even with the fitness woes and the intense pressure, Arteta believes the club's “focus and dialogue” are vastly different from when he first arrived.

He pointed to the record-breaking achievements as evidence of progress. “You look at the performances, all the records that we... were breaking... We still haven't been able to do that [win trophies]. But that indicates the caliber we've reached.”

He finished by saying, “It represents a quality that the Premier League has not seen before in the past. And we want to achieve even higher goals. And if we do that, I think we are on the proper course to winning.”