Arsenal: 5 reasons Mikel Arteta should not be sacked

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

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta on the sidelines during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on August 28, 2021. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) /

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BRENTFORD, ENGLAND – AUGUST 13: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta looks on during the Premier League match between Brentford and Arsenal at Brentford Community Stadium on August 13, 2021 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /

2. The Unlucky Hand He’s Been Dealt

After last season’s errors and mistakes, and with a summer of investment, there was nowhere to hide for Arteta this time around.

Until lady luck came and turned that on its head.

Starting the season in less than ideal circumstances with a squad outbreak of COVID-19 and his best central defender, midfielder and forward all unavailable due to injury and fitness reasons, how bad of a hand can you be dealt?

Arsenal were woeful against Brentford but there is no denying such circumstances don’t help. Then, against Chelsea, there were more absences on top of previous ones and the rather unavoidable fact that the Blues are European champions and a substantially better side than Arsenal. Genuine title contenders.

As for Manchester City, there were returnees, but still no first choice centre-back partnership, nor the £50m midfielder who is so far ahead of the other central midfield options at the club that he looks out of place when he features.

When the international break concludes, Gabriel, Ben White and Thomas Partey will all be back fit and firing. That’s a core part of your spine absent, and about £130m worth of signings made by Arteta he can use together for the first time.

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