Arsenal: Has Arteta silenced the doubters after Spurs win?

After serious calls for his Arsenal sacking from fans and media personalities alike just weeks ago after a horror start to the year, Mikel Arteta is now basking in the glow of four consecutive wins, one of which was a complete demolition job against Tottenham.

Several weeks ago Arteta was rumored to be given just five games to save his Arsenal job. With games against Norwich, Burnley, Tottenham, Brighton, and Crystal Palace to decide his fate, there was a fear that Arteta would not survive this stretch of games based on what was seen in the opening weeks.

Alas, that was not the case. Instead, after a narrow but deserved,1-0 win over Norwich to get the momentum going thanks to a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang tap-in in the second half, the Gunners then traveled to Burnley and produced an outstanding defensive performance. Again, it was a gritty 1-0 win, and the jury was still out on Arteta, albeit with a little less conviction.

Then came the North London Derby at the Emirates, one billed as a game Arsenal simply had to win given several factors. The first of those being Spurs were not in the best of form despite fielding their full-strength line-up, and the other being that Arteta put out arguably his best and strongest XI with all of his summer signings present. Tottenham was there for the taking.

Has Mikel Arteta silenced those doubting his position as Arsenal manager after the win over Spurs or is it far too soon to be making that call?

Just about everything was on the line for Arteta. It was his team, with his signings, the tactics, everything. It was all on the Arsenal boss to show not only the fans but the football world that ‘trust the process’ was in fact meaningful and had substance.

It has serious substance now. What Arsenal produced under Arteta in the first half of the game was nothing short of breathtaking as they ripped Spurs apart.

Everything Arteta did from team selection to how he set his team up tactically was spot on; something that can’t always be said but give credit where it is due.

From the way he set his team up to pounce in transition to how he kept Bukayo Saka out wide to exploit Sergo Reguilon’s positional weakness was measured and effective. Nuno Espirito Santo was caught cold.

On top of that, the players that Arteta signed in the summer have had a big say in how the team has turned its fortunes around. They’re utterly paramount in Arteta aiming to silence his doubters.

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