Arsenal’s appointment of Mikel Arteta a year ago seemed to buck a Premier League trend of ex-player turned managers. Not a quick fix, but a vision for the future.
However, in Arteta’s stance, he was given time to build something new out of the rough ashes at the Emirate after the malaise-filled tenure of Unai Emery. In one of football’s cruel ironies, what was supposed to be a long-term process for the Mikel Arteta-Arsenal project has taken a deep nose-dive.
Management is about making decisions which mostly involves weighing risks. Some risks could turn out well, given the outcome, while some could lead to regrets.
One could only grieve for the club and its supporters as it coasts gradually to a state of bedlam. Immediately Arsenal got knocked out of this season’s Europa League against Villareal managed by his predecessor (Unai Emery ), there was only one question on the lips of the club’s fans, football enthusiasts, and pundits across the world.
Where does Arsenal go from here?
It’s pertinent for this question to be answered as soon as possible given that the chance of the club playing in Europe next season looks mirthless.
And should it happen, it’ll be the first time in 25 years.
Contrary to what happened last season, where the Gunners qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup. As there’s obviously nothing like such this season, it gives credence to the question been asked. Where does Arsenal go from here?
Without mincing words, for any miracle to happen, for the current Arsenal players to be spurred to action again, it takes a revolution in every aspect of the administrative level of the club.
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But this time? Let’s deal with the managerial level.
The answer to the question isn’t farfetched, Mikel Arteta needs to leave. As his exit will erase the dark clouds hovering over the Emirates and inspire hope, courage in the players.
When Arteta leaves, who comes next to replace him? Here are the candidates to replace the young and not-so-vibrant Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta.
- Rafa Benitez
Benitez’s trajectory since his sack as a Real Madrid boss in 2016 has been on a downward slope as he’s managed teams of not-so-great pedigree, at least in the 21st century.
The Spanish tactician terminated his contract with Chinese side Dalian Pro in January 2021 and has been out of a job ever since.
But with him in charge of Arsenal, it’s a win-win situation for the club and the manager.
With Benitez at the helm, the Gunners could quickly bounce back to being a force to reckon with on the home front and in Europe.
Benitez’s experience having managed at club sides that have been in more precarious situations and his ability to handle whatever pressure that may come from the fans as to the huge expectations they will have for him to quickly turn things around will be a great advantage.
However, if Benitez will come in, Arsenal must spend.
- Brendan Rodgers
Brendan Rodgers is a manager that has always been long courted by clubs who have the same problems Arsenal currently has, there were also talks about Rodgers leaving the project at the King Power to come manage Tottenham Hotspur after the sack of Mourinho.
Arsenal under Arteta has lacked consistency in their performances and discipline. But a quick peep into what Brendan Rodgers has been able to achieve with the East Midland club, Leicester, one would discover that some of the things that have helped the former Liverpool boss in bringing Leicester this far are as a result of discipline and consistency in his team.
Another thing about Rodgers is that he’s capable to handle clubs with low budgets like Arsenal. But, he must be given much time to turn things around just like he’s doing with Leicester City.
Meanwhile, the bookmakers seem to have favored the Irishman more than some other candidates mentioned to take the place of Mikel Arteta.
- Paulo Fonseca
Fonseca obviously, will be out of a job at the end of this season following AS Roma’s announcement of appointing Jose Mourinho as the club’s manager from the beginning of next season.
The 48-year-old Mozambican have had a good CV, at least for a start. Fonseca, a winner of the Ukrainian Premier League with Shakhtar Donetsk and qualifying the club for the second round of the UEFA Champions League.
He ostensibly has a fantastic record with managing young players and making them win. Also, his record as a Roma manager hasn’t been terrible.
Fonseca led the Roma side to a fifth-place finish last season and led the Giallorossi semifinals of the UEFA Europa League this season.
However, questions will be asked again, if his CV is enough justification for him to manage the current Arsenal team.
- Gian Piero Gasperini
A great bargain for Arsenal if only the club gets him. Gasperini is experienced, aged, and has an incredible style of play.
Fortunately for Arsenal, Gasperini sets up his team in a 3-4-3 style. A setup that hasn’t worked well for Arsenal for the few times they’ve tried it both under Emery and Arteta.
Gasperini often relies on the versatility of his midfielders and attackers, hence, his setup is always possession-based which gives room for some massive flows of attacking football.
Ever tried finding out how his Atalanta side has been able to do 100+ goals for three consecutive seasons in the Italian Serie A?
His secret is that his team is always hyper-offensive-minded and places plenty of focus on scoring goals. After all, the best way of defending is to keep on attacking.
Again, Gasperini is another manager that’s cut out to handle a low-budget team like Arsenal.
READ ALSO: Top Managers Who Started Early After Retirement
- Patrick Vieira
Even before the appointment of Mikel Arteta as Arsenal boss, Vieira was in the mix to replace Unai Emery at the Emirates before the club eventually settled for Arteta.
It’s left to be seen if Arsenal fans will embrace another legend of the club as a manager because obviously, the idea of clubs appointing its ex-players or legends as managers will not work with every club.
For the records, it didn’t work with Chelsea, it’s not working with Juventus, it definitely hasn’t worked with Arsenal and will most likely not work again.
- Massimiliano Allegri
Allegri is the front runner of all the managers outlined to replace the Spaniard at the Emirates.
In his five years with the Bianconeri, the 53-year-old won the Scudetto every season along with six other trophies while also taking them to the finals of the UEFA Champions League twice. A hugely impressive CV laden with trophies, backed with experience at two of the biggest clubs in Europe and immediate availability, Allegri would be a dream appointment for Arsenal.
There’s no better time for the former Juventus and Milan boss to steer the affairs of Arsenal than now. He’s experienced, knows what it takes to compete at the top levels, also known for his tactical nous, and will do the Gunners a whole lot of good in terms of branding and attracting the bigger players
