Arsenal’s hunt for the Premier League continues. Although they have enjoyed remarkable improvement in recent years, they have yet to win major silverware.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has led the Gunners to second place in consecutive seasons when they finished behind Manchester City.
Having ended the campaign only two points behind Pep Guardiola’s side in 2023/24, there is a feeling they should have done much better in the decisive moments.
Indeed, the North Londoners were in a commanding position in each of the last two seasons, only to be overtaken by the Mancunians in the final weeks and end up empty-handed.
That feeling of deja vu compounds the hurt as their quest for another Premier League title enters a 21st year. The inability to consolidate their visible achievements with tangible trophies has invited criticism of Arteta, whose only major honour counts as an FA Cup victory during his first six months in charge.
Arsenal’s trophy drought has enabled some to cast doubt over Arteta’s capability, and a club legend has added his voice to the conversation.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has questioned the Spaniard’s credentials to be a ruthless winning manager. Saying:
“Arteta has done well bringing Arsenal up, but if he is the right man for Arsenal now… I am not sure,” the former Gunners favorite told The Telegraph in an interview.
“Last year, they were leading, and in one month [April], they lost it [three draws and one defeat]. The culmination was when [Bukayo] Saka missed the penalty against West Ham at 2-0 up, and it was a draw. It was two points.”
Lehmann is unsure whether Arteta has the winning mentality needed to get Arsenal over the line in the Premier League, and he added:
“What people who hire coaches sometimes don’t understand is that the personality of the coach is super important as well.
“Look at the personality of the coach. Is he a winner, or is he a nice guy who brings you to a certain level, and then it is over? Inside a football team, people thought the same [about me], but after a while, they changed their minds; they thought: ‘Okay, he is difficult, but he helps me to win.’
“The difference between winning and losing is that losing is very easy. You don’t need to do a lot to lose. You don’t have to practice a lot. You don’t need to argue with your teammates. You don’t need to argue with the coach. You don’t need to command a lot to challenge a lot. When you lose, it’s nice, and it’s no effort. Everyone can lose. You do nothing – you lose. But you are a nice loser.
“You want to win? It’s the opposite. You have to do a lot. You have to talk a lot, you have to argue a lot, you have to discuss, you have to dispute a lot. That takes time and energy, but it is worth it, and along the way, it creates friction.”
The ex-German goalkeeper was a respected member of Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ Premier League winning side of 2003/04, playing every match of their unbeaten season and finishing with the most clean sheets in the league.
Lehmann had been an inspired addition to that team as he joined at the start of that season, which had a major effect on their ability to go unbeaten. The German spent five years with the Gunners and also picked up winners’ medals in the FA Cup and Community Shield while reaching the 2006 UEFA Champions League final.
He became the first keeper to be sent off in a UCL final but was nevertheless named the Champions League Goalkeeper of the Year for the 2005/06 campaign after going 853 minutes without conceding a goal.
Lehmann certainly knows what it takes to be part of a title-winning team and the qualities needed to get over the line in tough situations. Hence, he may have a point about Arteta’s personality not being enough to galvanize his team in the face of unprecedented pressure.
What can Arsenal do to win the Premier League?
The Gunners recorded their highest Premier League points tally since the Invincibles campaign of 2003/04 which is hot on the heels of a 25-point improvement in 2022/23.
Arsenal have enjoyed a remarkable evolution over the last two seasons which is down to a solid recruitment system that has revitalized Mikel Arteta’s team. Their fluid play over the past two seasons has led to an increase in the demand for Arsenal tickets.
The Gunners can now compete fiercely with Man City, but they have a few notches to go before potentially overcoming them in what could be Pep Guardiola’s final season at the Etihad Stadium.
The thought of upgrading statistically the club’s best team in decades may be daunting, but there are certain areas of the Arsenal squad where depth can be improved upon.
They must strengthen even further to finally get over the line; having crashed out of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals against Bayern Munich, plans are already in place to boost their squad for a claim as one of Europe’s top sides.
Par for the course, Arsenal have identified three priority positions to strengthen for this next step in their development. The ultimate aim is to find pieces to complete their jigsaw.
Benjamin Šeško is at the top of Arsenal’s striker wishlist, but the 21-year-old has elected to stay at RB Leipzig and sign a new contract.
Elsewhere, Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi is a major midfield target alongside Bruno Guimarães, but other names like Youssouf Fofana, João Neves, and Amadou Onana have also been mooted as alternatives.
The left-back spot needs a refresh as Oleksandr Zinchenko’s fitness is becoming a serious concern; the need for consistency there has birthed links to Jorrel Hato of Ajax.
For his part, Arteta will be rallying his troops for another title race while Jurgen Klopp’s departure from Liverpool must also be seen as a potential rival being weakened.
Arteta will want to be Guardiola’s sole competitor for the top honor in 2024/25 and banish critics such as Lehmann. However, failure to do so will attract serious questions about his competence despite the team’s improvement under his tenure.
