Arteta’s special coaching ability shows why Arsenal have the right man

Doubts abounded when Mikel Arteta was appointed Arsenal manager. And rightly so. The Spaniard had no managerial experience. He had been limited to a few years as an assistant to Pep Guardiola. While the opportunity to learn from one of the best minds in football was present, standing at the helm of not just a team, but an entire club, is completely different.

These doubts somewhat dissipate over time but bubble back to the surface on occasion. Three straight losses against mid-table Premier League opposition provide an example of the latter.

Arteta is still learning and growing. His tactical tinkering in games can be brilliant or disastrous. Sometimes he may deploy Willian as a false nine or slot Granit Xhaka in at left-back. Other times, he instructs Thomas Partey to play as a lone pivot and dominates Manchester City at home. Not every decision he makes is perfect but each experience is one that provides an opportunity for him to learn.

Fans have often been left frustrated by the speed of the rebuild. Why should one of the best clubs in the world be forced to suffer in the short term? Why can they not simply splash the cash and draw big names now? Luckily, these fans are not in control of crucial club decisions. Instead, the hierarchy have adopted for a more careful and piecemeal approach to the situation. They have opted to stand with Arteta as he molds not just the players on the pitch, but changes the entire culture of the club.

Mikel Arteta’s ability to improve individuals at Arsenal is further indication why he is the right manager to lead this club going forward

This is no easy task. Changing years of weak mentality and mediocrity will take time. While Arteta has stumbled in patches throughout his time at Arsenal so far, he has shown one quality which, by itself, should necessitate him staying as manager for as long as possible: his ability to improve those around him.

Regarding the first group, the improvement the squad has seen has been incredible. Xhaka was one of the most inconsistent and infuriating players to watch. He was slow on the ball, defensively lax and prone to errors. Arteta has made him the most consistent and stable player in the squad.

Odegaard was a solid if somewhat unexceptional player during his loan spell. Arteta has helped elevate him into one of the most creative players in the Premier League, one who contributes game after game. Saka was promoted to the first squad under Emery but Arteta has made him and Smith Rowe into integral members of the squad, with both youngsters hitting double figures in goals.

Gabriel has refined his game tremendously, Nketiah is more well-rounded. Even Elneny has seen vast improvements. His energy is still ever-present but he has become more press-resistant and forward-thinking in his passing. Even if some of the individual improvements are organic, the list goes on and on. Nearly every single player at the club has seen improvements in their game since Arteta became manager.

His desire for perfection, however, is infectious, spreading far beyond the eleven players on the pitch.

Arteta does not just improve the players under his tutelage, he raises the level of his coaching staff, too. He invigorates the fans. He puts pressure on those at the top to support him and the team.

Arteta certainly has weaknesses, yet his track record of improving those around him far outweighs his drawbacks, which will only diminish as he learns on his way to becoming one of the best managers in world football.