Can Arteta Finally Lead Arsenal to Glory Again?

Published: 24 April 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online.

Mikel Arteta remains deeply engaged in searching for definitive answers for his Arsenal side. The manager recently employed a bonfire at London Colney during preparations for facing Manchester City. This unusual training ground tactic unfortunately caused a nearby Watford coach to lose his voice. Dan Gosling described the thick smoke as being strong enough to smell across the hedge. Arteta has certainly tried almost everything to improve his squad since taking his job. He planted a historic olive tree shortly after his arrival in late December of 2019. That tree was meant to symbolise the deep roots and history of this famous football club. He later used a simple lightbulb during a talk to inspire energy and electric focus. The manager even hired professional pickpockets for a team dinner to test his players’ awareness. He famously adopted a chocolate labrador called Win to help lower stress levels for everyone. Unfortunately, the club has not secured a major trophy since winning the FA Cup early on. Win will celebrate her fifth birthday soon but has not yet seen much significant success.

Arsenal has spent many nights at the top of the Premier League table without winning. Arteta has surpassed the record set by Kevin Keegan for days spent leading the league standings. Arsenal has sat at the summit for many days since they were champions back in 2004. Manchester City remains the dominant force and has spent more time at the top recently. The Citizens have secured eight league titles while Arsenal has struggled to cross the final line. It felt incredibly symbolic to see Arteta on his knees after that painful recent defeat. Kai Havertz missed a golden opportunity to equalise in the final moments of that game. Arsenal played hard against Pep Guardiola but they unfortunately came up short once again tonight. There are only five matches left in this extremely tight and competitive league title race. Goal difference might ultimately decide if they finish as runners up for a fourth year. Arteta must now find a way to inspire his talented squad to play with freedom.

During the previous season when Arsenal led for record time, the attacking output was high. Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli both finished that campaign with fifteen league goals each, remarkably. Bukayo Saka added fourteen goals during that same period to help drive the team forward. Their combined output has been much lower during this current and very difficult league campaign. All three of these key players have dealt with frustrating spells on the sidelines recently. There are lingering concerns regarding the availability of Saka for this final intense stretch. He is currently struggling with a difficult injury to his achilles during this busy period. Odegaard and Martinelli must now find a way to step up for the team immediately. Arteta also needs to show more trust in Eberechi Eze for the remaining important matches. He made a strange decision to substitute the player right after he hit the post. That team is currently lacking the necessary creativity to break down tough defensive rival units. He appears to be the one player truly capable of unlocking the most stubborn defences.

Arteta made a very bold decision to drop Viktor Gyokeres from his starting lineup recently. The Swedish striker had been showing clear signs of improvement during his recent training sessions. It was very noticeable how much smoother Arsenal looked in attack with Havertz playing there. The irony remains that the Germany international was originally bought to play in the midfield. Arsenal had finished as runners up to City after a heavy defeat at the Etihad. That specific loss forced Arteta to adopt a much more cautious approach the following season. He has emerged as a much better alternative at the number nine position lately today. His limitations as a striker were illustrated by those two missed chances against Manchester City. Gyokeres lacks the ability that Havertz shows when linking up the play during the game. Pairing them together has not really worked for the team in a truly effective way. A lack of other in form options means Arteta may have to be brave now. Boldness is not a trait typically associated with him over these past few difficult years.

The philosophy has been all about trusting the process throughout his time at the club. The Spanish manager is a known workaholic who starts his very long days at dawn. He starts his work two hours before Guardiola and many other top Premier League managers. His demeanour on the touchline has been criticised for sending the wrong message to players. This intensity may reflect the anxiety he feels about the title he never won before. Success on the football pitch is never a guarantee of future success in the dugout. Guardiola enjoyed many league titles as a player and has much more experience than Arteta. The Arsenal manager only won a championship as a player in Scotland with Rangers previously. Arteta has probably not helped his image by remaining guarded during his weekly press conferences. Calling his own supporters to arms has tended to backfire on him quite frequently lately. He will surely take a very different approach before facing Newcastle United this coming Saturday.

Arteta saw his sixteen year old son Gabriel make a debut for the youth team. He is understood to retain the full faith of the Arsenal board regardless of results. If neither the league nor Champions League is won, the board would face pressure. A growing section of loyal fans has questioned if he can take that final step. It is easy to forget that this is the first managerial job for the young boss. The psychological stunts have been part of his attempt to stamp his own authority. He is working with a largely young and very impressionable group of talented professional players. The pressure has been released slightly after losing the lead they held for so long. It is now time for the manager and his squad to finally deliver results. Success is the only thing that will satisfy the hungry and demanding Arsenal fan base. The final matches of the season will define the legacy of this particular current team. Everyone is waiting to see if the manager can finally get things going again.

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