Arsenal: 3 biggest mistakes Mikel Arteta made in 2020/21

2. Timing

Timing. If there is one word to encapsulate the weaknesses Arteta has shown in a managerial sense this season, it’s timing. And, starting from the top, the slowness to react to William Saliba’s situation set the ball in motion. There are other ways of framing his handling of it – some harsh but completely justified – yet sending him out on loan six months after a decision had been made not to play him in 2020/21 was mistake.

There were circumstances around his personal life that had an impact that can’t be fully calculated, yet for half the season he played Under-23 matches. Those should have been spent at another club, be it in France or even the Championship.

As for in-game decisions, Arteta’s tardiness came to the fore across the whole season. A regular disgruntlement was his reaction times to matters on the pitch. Substitutions took to long to make; tactical deficiencies were allowed to play out over weeks on end without alteration; the misuse of certain players in certain positions detracting from what he was trying to create on the pitch.

This includes the avoidance of a playmaker in the team and the 3-4-3, as well as trying to cover up the attacking fallacies by implementing other foolish methods like churning out cross after cross with nobody to aim for, another ploy he granted too much air time.

Of course, nowhere else was his poor timing more clear than in the Europa League. Starting with Slavia Prague at home, the team selection and setup was wildly inaccurate for the manner the Czech side played and while even tactical novices like this writer could see the need for runners in behind, it took Arteta until the 78th minute to change things. It worked almost immediately.

In between that game and the semi-final came the introduction of Granit Xhaka at left-back and Thomas Partey as a single pivot. This was a left-field move that worked superbly, showed Arteta’s mind at work and elevated his standing as a fine technician. Yet it was rinse and repeat with the timing as it should have been put to bed after (during) the Everton game.

It did not (there is undoubted arrogance in Arteta’s stubborness) and then Smith Rowe in the false nine away at Villarreal happened and it was an unmitigated disaster. It was more shooting himself in the head as opposed to the foot. Half-time came and nothing changed, except for how many people there were on the pitch as Arteta dallied on what he should have done with Dani Ceballos.

Decisions made too slow. Answers provided too late.

Much of this is due to the manager being so inexperienced, completely new to the job. He is learning as he goes and the issue is that he hasn’t learnt quick enough. These are mistakes to eradicate next season.