‘We all know this wasn’t a quick fix’: Mikel Arteta admits it will take ‘time to shake things up’ at Arsenal … because he admits their form took the trick off an anniversary his first year as a leader – and says he’s not ‘good enough’
- Mikel Arteta took over from Unai Emery as Arsenal manager in December last year
- The Spaniard watched a 0-0 draw in the Everton stands alongside Edu
- The Arteta side return to Goodison Park this weekend off the back of a bad run
- Spaniard admits recent results have ‘taken the glass off’ his first year
Mikel Arteta has admitted that Arsenal ‘s recent Premier League form has taken the call off his first 12 months in charge and was not good enough for this football club. ‘
Sunday marks the one-year anniversary of Arteta’s announcement as Unai Emery’s permanent fan in December last year.
The day after confirming his return, Arteta was in the stands for Arsenal’s 0-0 draw at his former club Everton and will return to Goodison Park tomorrow 15th in the record, having seven of their 13 league games have been lost this season including four of the last five at home.
Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal’s recent Premier League form has not ‘been good enough’
The Arsenal boss in the stands last year alongside technical director Edu at Goodison Park
But Arteta maintains that it ‘feels that the owners, the board and the technical director really have support [Edu]’, and stressed that it was never going to be a‘ quick fix ’. ‘
‘In this business you need results,’ said the Spaniard.
‘But after a big shake-up we have to find stability and to do that we need time. We all knew, at least the decision – makers knew that this new project was not a quick fix. When you shake things up, it can take a while. ‘
As Arteta led to a desperate finish in eighth place in the Premier League, they beat Manchester City and Chelsea to win the FA Cup.
They beat Liverpool Premier League winners in the Community Shield but their poor league form sees them ranked 15th in the table, with just 14 points from 13 games.
‘It’s been one of the most challenging years in the club’s history for many, many reasons,’ said Arteta. ‘I think we’ve made a lot of progress and implemented a lot of positive things that have worked really, really well.
Arteta with FA Cup finalist Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after last season’s win
But the Arsenal captain has struggled alongside the rest of the team so far in this campaign
‘We have gone through structural changes throughout the club which have obviously given the club a huge shake-up.
I would say the two awards are the highlights of the year [FA Cup and Community Shield] that we have won together and the most disappointing thing is that our fans have not brought us to take us through this difficult moment.
‘I think it could have been a very optimistic year but the recent form in the Premier League takes the glass where we did in a calendar year but we have to accept that the Premier League form a few weeks ago has not been good enough for this football club. ‘
Arsenal broke their run of consecutive home defenses in the league on Wednesday, in a 1-1 draw against Southampton, but Arteta did not hide behind the simple fact that a win must come as soon as possible.
Aubameyang found the back of the net in the 1-1 draw against Southampton on Wednesday
‘We could have won at the end when Rob Holding hit the post at the last minute and we were so lucky,’ he said.
‘But when a team is at this stage it can fall completely and give up but we never did that. It was completely different and I am proud to see that idea from the team.
‘But right now all we need to do is win matches. That is our reality. ‘
