Arsenal: 5 reasons Mikel Arteta should not be sacked – yet

You’re either in or you’re out. At this point in the timeline of events that is Arsenal Football Club, the situation surrounding manager Mikel Arteta has left fans on the fence of his suitability to the role in the minority: ‘Arteta in’ or ‘Arteta out‘, as it’s put. There line in the sand is blurred.

The calls have never been stronger, though. Following defeat to Manchester City in the manner it played out, what is left of Arteta’s credibility is sinking faster than Arsenal down the Premier League table.

Well, funnily enough, they can’t sink any lower. They’re bottom. With no points, no goals and a -9 goal difference.

All of the positive aspects of his tenure, those most notable during the FA Cup-winning run, are fizzling out. There is a lack of defensive organisation, discipline and direction. The transition into a more possession-based outfit who press higher and adopt a higher line has gone anything but smoothly.

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5 reasons Arsenal should not sack Mikel Arteta despite growing calls for his removal as manager following the 5-0 Premier League defeat to Manchester City

Overseeing some of the worst patches of form the club has ever endured as well as breaking numerous unwanted records, coupled with baffling tactical decisions in major European matches, has all contributed to this point.

Overcomplication and demanding too much of individuals haven’t helped either. Those two points were both on show at the Etihad.

So far, not much working in the manager’s favour, and this is all without mentioning decisions in the transfer market and the use – and lack of use – of other members of the squad. Well, umm, they’ve been mentioned now. Oh well.

Where is the hope? Where are the arguments that sacking him at this point is the wrong course of action? Admittedly, the cases for his removal are stronger than the cases against. But we mustn’t be vociferously opposed to the man in charge of Arsenal remaining in his post. There needs to be something that suggests it’s too soon, right?

Let’s, try, and take a look.

1. The Overhaul Is Not Complete

Including Sead Kolasinac and Willian, with neither due to be part of the squad come August 31, Arsenal will have moved on ten players since the January transfer window. Some of those are loans with options, others contract cancellations and some sales, but that’s a lot of deadwood shifted.

It’s not all of it either.

The desire to instil a new culture has been among the key elements of Arteta’s managerial tenure, so too lifting the floor of this group. His man-management skills have been rightly brought into question as have his choices for which players to keep and move on, but it’s nonetheless his vision not yet fully executed.

In terms of signings, this summer is the clearest indicator yet of what the approach is: five signings all aged 23 or under. A clear profile has been laid out and the strategic direction for that is to have a group of players who will all peak in and around the same time.

Moulding them into a unit that can compete is a different matter but these are players this manager wanted to bring in and hasn’t had much time to work with. With his own group, albeit only a few who will be starting in the league, should he not be granted a period long enough to prove he knows how to best utilise them?