Mikel Arteta speaks to the players in a meeting after winning the Premier League… ❤️🏆
🗣️ “You have sent a message to sport, to football, to a lot of people, how you win & how you deserve to win something. It’s in your heart, your soul, your values.” 😤
Say whatever the fuck you want about Gyokeres but he ran his bollocks off tonight and fought for every fucking ball. Playing for the badge is something I will always respect.
Get some perspective:
Back in 1979–80, Arsenal played 70 games and won absolutely nothing. Brian Talbot played every single game. Won nothing. Alan Sunderland scored 29 goals. Won nothing. The defence conceded only 36 goals in the league and only 3 in 9 European games. They even kept a clean sheet against a peak Juventus side in Italy! Won nothing.
We lost the FA Cup final to West Ham on a Saturday and the European CWC final on penalties to Valencia the following Wednesday.
No one stopped supporting. No one abused the team. We came back year after year and backed the team. We won nothing for 8 years. Still we kept showing up.
If you’re a fan, start acting like one.
It took Pep until the 22nd of March to figure out the best way of playing for his team.
By that time, City were already knocked out of the Champions League by an Mbappé-less Madrid.
This idea that coaches ALWAYS get it right is nonsense.
Less eyes on City. Less pressure.
But the broader point centres around Arteta.
He is the reason Arsenal are in this position in the first place.
He is the reason Arsenal got their highest ever points tally in Premier League history. The reason Arsenal are competing for major titles every season. The reason Arsenal are in the Champions League semi-final for two consecutive seasons. Even though, when he arrived, the club were physically, technically, culturally, and psychologically inept.
Be grateful for what you have. And the fact that you are competing in the first place. With a club that has the fourth of fifth biggest wage bill in the league. With a club that plays by the rules. With a club that says 'no' when their coach or director wants a player for several seasons because of financial limitations. With a club that hasn't won the Premier League since 2004. Or a Champions League in their history.
Imagine if Arsenal lose the league on goal difference and lose the Champions League final.
Should Arteta be sacked? That's what people are discussing. Despite what I've said above.
Arteta is one of the best coaches in the world. In fact, he is the most complete in the world. GOOD LUCK replacing him. Similar to when Klopp left Liverpool. The foundations are so special that the next manager may succeed in the short-term, but all the best maintaining what he built over a long period of time. The only way that is possible is by replacing him with another one of the best managers in the world.
Wake up. Some people don't know what reality is, even if it slaps them in the face.
We haven’t bottled anything.
Back the team to the end, the season is not over.
We are going to be crowned champions.
We are in the semifinals of the Champions League. The team needs our backing now more than ever.