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

5. The Players Haven’t Turned on Arteta – Yet

Everyone remembers the 2-2 draw with Southampton in November 2019. Arsenal were 2-1 down with seconds left to play of injury time and Alexandre Lacazette poked home to snatch a draw.

Nobody cared.

Lacazette didn’t, and the fans weren’t especially jubilant at the late drama either. The Arsenal players had given up. They weren’t playing for Unai Emery.

Has that happened yet under Arteta? We’re blind to what goes on behind the scenes but the young players especially hail the impact of the Spaniard at the club and while there are clearly some misunderstandings when it comes to what roles they are supposed to be having on the pitch – Smith Rowe comes to mind on a few instances – as of yet there doesn’t appear to be that disconnect.

It sure might be close, though. And, yes, for all we know, it might already be there.

However, the manager regularly praises the effort of the team post-match and singles out the fight they’ve shown, therefore maybe it hasn’t yet festered in their minds.

Fans are losing patience and the players perhaps not far behind. But it does appear as if they still back the man at the helm.

Disclaimer: For what it is worth, this author believes the min-run after the international break is make or break.