Erik ten Hag tipped as Arsenal replacement for Arteta

Mikel Arteta finds himself in trapped in a cycle. One minute his ideas at Arsenal are visible on the pitch, either in short bursts or across longer stretches, and the next minute he’s making inexplicable decisions that prove counterproductive.

After a ten match unbeaten run across all competitions where it appeared as if a style had began imprinting itself on the team, three defeats in four Premier League matches have turned the situation on its head.

Defeat at Goodison Park seemed to turn the clocks back to last season with similarly bland and predictable patterns of play in place of the more intense and cutthroat performances dotted about across the aforementioned ten matches.

It has, of course, resulted in calls for a new manager to enter the fray.

Erik ten Hag tipped as Arsenal replacement for under fire Mikel Arteta after three defeats in four Premier League matches – but it doesn’t matter

With few candidates across the globe either available or suited to the job at hand in north London, some of the names considered more in the ‘elite’ category continue to be mentioned at the point of any managerial uncertainty.

One of those men is Erik ten Hag, who has attracted admiring glances from across Europe with his distinct brand of football at Ajax and adherence to the core principles of the club. He has a track record of developing players under his leadership.

Helping his cause is another superb season from his team. In the Eredivisie Ajax have fallen to defeat just once across their 15 matches, conceding the rather stunning total of two goals during that period. Meanwhile, they’ve netted 48.

Factoring in the very relevant caveat of the quality of sides in the division outside of the top three, a glance at their Champions League group containing Sporting CP, Borussia Dortmund and Besiktas reading six matches played and six wins further evidences his, and Ajax’s, quality.

Tipped for a move elsewhere in a more competitive league, former Ajax manager turned analyst Aad de Mos tickled a few tastebuds by tipping Arsenal as one of the potential destinations for his fellow Dutchman.

"“It has to be purely attacking anyway, so the DNA of Ajax has to be in it,” he told Algemeen Dagblad, relayed by Voetbal Primeur. “I think Borussia Dortmund is the ideal option for him. If Nagelsmann leaves, then it’s Bayern Munich. At FC Barcelona, Xavi is only just starting, Arsenal, if Arteta doesn’t do well. Then we’ll be sold out soon.”"

That’s just one man’s opinion. That’s all it should be perceived as. And besides, other teams feature more strongly on that list.

Working on the basis that Arsenal could ever be an enticing option for Ten Hag as Arteta continues to lose supporters in north London over the results and performances his side produce, the truth is that it doesn’t matter one bit.

It really doesn’t.

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Arsenal Will Not Sack Arteta Yet So Erik Ten Hag Links Are Meaningless

De Mos seems to think Ten Hag would be keen on joining Arsenal should the opportunity arise, which is debatable in itself due to the volume of clubs established in European competition also keen on his signature, but whether he is or not is irrelevant.

It’s near impossible to see Arsenal sacking Arteta this season. It would have to get extremely unsettling in north London for that to be the action they take.

Firstly, they’ve invested time and money into him, publicly backing him both verbally and in the transfer market, and entrusting him to spearhead a substantial squad overhaul that has his finger prints all over it.

As far as the club are concerned this project is effectively 12 matches old – the Premier League matches he’s had with this group after the window shut.

Whether one believes Arteta to be the man to lead Arsenal onto bigger and better things or not, there are no indications from the club that their faith has waned. Perhaps it has slightly, in certain areas, but every source close to Arsenal maintains that it is full steam ahead on Project Arteta.

Having stuck with him through the horror run last season, something of similarly catastrophic proportions would need to play out to twist the club’s arm.

This is, of course, not for certain and instead based off of all the noise. Everything suggests complete commitment, which is set to follow through in the coming windows with investment being planned on a new striker, midfielder and beyond.

Ten Hag is a manager whose stock continues to rise. He plays an attractive brand of football and promotes youth from within who’ve all been embedded into the philosophy from a young age. He’s set for a big move.

Being tipped by a fellow national and former Ajax alumni may whet a few appetites, but there needs to be a vacancy first of all. At the moment the one at Arsenal is occupied.

Support is the best form of retort for disgruntled fans. If you back the manager and he still fails then you’ve not only done your job as a fan, you’ve also got your wish when the axe is wielded.