Arsenal: An Ode To Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta is not an Arsenal great. He is, however, a club captain, a leader and an inspiration. Here is the Pain in the Arsenal tribute to Mikel Arteta.

After five seasons with the club, Arsenal captain Mikel Arteta is set to retire. Signed in 2011 from Everton for a reported £10 million, Arteta was bought in to replace to another Spaniard, one Cesc Fabregas.

That Summer, the Arsenal fan favorite, captain and best player left for his childhood team to the tune of £30 million. Arsene Wenger needed a replacement for his main man, and looked to Arteta to become that player.

The former Everton midfielder played well in his opening season for the Gunners, playing mainly in a central midfield role. His touch, vision and creativity were clearly assets to his game, and he settled in well with Arsenal’s passing orientated style of play, scoring a total of six goals and creating a further two.

As Arteta grew in his role with the club, he gradually dropped deeper within the midfield. By the time Alex Song in 2012, Arteta became the starting holding midfielder, charged with running the game while protecting a vulnerable back four. Arteta was aging quickly by this point, and while his talent on the ball was undeniable, his defensive duties were neglected somewhat. His lack of physicality in the position weakened Arsenal significantly. Especially on the counter. And his poor tackling, tracking and pace would ultimately be the demise of his Arsenal career.

Before that point, however, Arteta would become the club captain, the face of the side, someone who was exemplary off the field. He was professional, adept in front of the media, and was very much a centerpiece of a successful Arsenal side. He ultimately captained the side to the 2014 FA Cup victory over Hull, and was an inspirational leader throughout his tenure as captain.

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As his career with the Gunners came to an end, Arteta was gradually eased out of the side in favor of the more athletic, stronger and quicker Francis Coquelin. However, he remained a leader off the field and was essential in developing a strong team spirit that saw Arsenal defend their FA Cup just a year later.

This year, Arteta has seen his playing time diminish further, partly due to injury and partly due to the improvement in other players in the squad, but his influence on the dressing room, his leadership qualities and professionalism is not something to be forgotten.

The Spaniard is looking to retire and move in to coaching, and it would be wise for Arsene Wenger to utilize his experience, detailed knowledge and understanding of the game. Arsenal could benefit greatly from having a coach with such a wide array of playing experiences, a versatility and awareness to play in a variety of positions and a long standing relationship with the club and its supporters.

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While it would be advantageous to see Arteta return in such a role, it has not been reported that such a scenario will play out. Whatever may come of that is unknown. In the meantime, his career with Arsenal should be celebrated and remembered. Perhaps not the best player on the field, Arteta is a consummate professional off it, a leader and an inspiration in the dressing room.

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