Arsenal: 5 managerial candidates who could replace Mikel Arteta

3. Graham Potter – Brighton

Many joke that it was Arsene Wenger who put Graham Potter on the managerial map as the latter’s Östersunds FK side left the Emirates Stadium with a historic 2-1 Europa League win back in February 2018. In truth, him leading them from the third tier of Swedish football into Europe was distinctly more important.

He took over at Swansea that same summer and recorded a 41.2% win percentage during his year in Wales, before Brighton poached him where he remains to this day.

He has many admirers. This despite recording 15th and 16th finishes in his two full terms in charge.

Adopting a 3-4-2-1/3-4-3 system, one in which Ben White flourished, he had garnered praise for the confident and youthful sides he puts out each week in the Premier League. His desire to build play from the goalkeeper through the thirds is one key reason behind supporters’ interest in him taking over from Arteta, should such a scenario arise.

Arsenal struggle to manage their way around a press, or indeed impose their own effectively, and as a coach Potter’s tactical fluidity with varying shapes and methods have seen Brighton gain many neutral followers.

Their routes to goal are intriguing, with the results all that lack. Infamous xG haters, the key question surrounding Potter is how much more effective his methods could be were he in charge of a higher quality of player. Which, sadly, rules Arsenal out.

Ha, ha.