John Obi Mikel did not mince his phrases when requested about Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes.
When requested who he believed would win this yr’s top-flight championship throughout an look on talkSPORT Drive, Mikel wanted simply three phrases.
“Positively not Arsenal,” Mikel stated.
The Nigerian’s response sparked laughter from Drive co-hosts Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent, who’s a diehard Gooner.
Mikel will hope he does not finish the season with egg on his face given Arsenal sit high of the Premier League after seven video games with 16 factors.
How Arsenal have carried out within the Premier League over time
Ought to the Gunners preserve their kind for the rest of the marketing campaign, it might convey in regards to the membership’s first league title since their iconic ‘Invincibles’ marketing campaign within the 2003/04 season.
Within the following years, Arsenal have completed wherever between second and eighth underneath managers Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta.
The theme of perennial bridesmaids has change into a frighteningly frequent one throughout Arteta’s reign, given Arsenal have endured three-straight second-place finishes within the Premier League.
Arteta has additionally didn’t convey any main silverware to the Emirates since his first season on the helm, when he steered the Gunners to an FA Cup in August 2020.
It has been a barren 5 years the place Arsenal haven’t progressed past the fourth spherical of the FA Cup and are but to succeed in the ultimate of the Carabao Cup.
Arsenal have additionally struggled to transform deep runs in European competitors into something significant, with their greatest finishes being a semi-final berth within the Europa League and Champions League.
How a lot has Arsenal spent underneath Mikel Arteta?
What makes Arsenal’s lack of silverware more durable to abdomen is the very fact Arteta has overseen a switch spend exceeding €1billion (£940million).
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The truth is, solely three of Arsenal’s ten most costly signings ever had been made earlier than Arteta’s arrival.
Declan Rice sits head and shoulders as the most costly of the bunch because the Gunners splashed out £105million to signal him from West Ham United in July 2023.
Given the lavish spending Arteta has loved since he took over at Arsenal coupled with the very fact the Spaniard’s crop are of his moulding, Mikel was adamant the FA Cup triumph in 2020 was not sufficient for the Gunners boss to hold his hat on.
What Arteta should to do be a hit at Arsenal
“Arsenal Soccer Membership, you should not be singing and dancing since you gained the FA Cup,” Mikel stated.
“I believe there was a cut-off date we stopped profitable the FA Cup at Chelsea. I believe the gamers had been like, ‘We have gained it 5, six occasions, we do not need to win it anymore, we need to win the Premier League and the Champions League.’
“Sure, it is a huge trophy. However to evaluate Mikel Arteta, he is spent over £1bn proper now. He is been there on the membership for 5, six years. He has to win the Premier League or the Champions League.
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“I like him, I believe he is a incredible supervisor. He is constructed an amazing squad, an amazing group. It is not simply the group as nicely, the soccer membership is run correctly proper now.
“Credit score to Arteta, he is are available in to the soccer membership and never simply modified the best way you see the group enjoying on the pitch.
“Exterior the pitch, the best way the membership is run, the best way you take a look at the soccer membership proper now, he has modified that mentality. It is a huge soccer membership and that is all the way down to Mikel Arteta.
“However is he that man to take them to the following degree? I believe he has an amazing squad, however after I take a look at this group, I believe it is the psychological aspect.
“These gamers, have they got the psychological aspect to go the following degree?”
Arteta’s aspect will look to show Mikel they do certainly have the mettle required for a drought-breaking Premier League title after they return to motion following the October worldwide break with a visit to Fulham on October 18.
