Arteta: This season, it’s now or never!

18/08/2025 22:29:00 SportScoop

This is the season when Mikel Arteta is compelled to win the Premier League with Arsenal. Yet, the Spanish coach is facing skepticism about his managerial abilities.

This marks the sixth year of Mikel Arteta as Arsenal’s head coach. In the past three consecutive seasons, his team has been title contenders, but always ended up as runners-up. After years of “almost there,” “nearly successful,” and “should have succeeded,” the biggest question now is whether this is the year Arsenal finally captures the Premier League trophy.

The pressure on Arteta

Arteta won the FA Cup in 2020, just months after being appointed, but it’s now been 21 years since Arsenal last won the Premier League and 31 years since their last European trophy. That’s why the Premier League or Champions League is now the true benchmark of success.

Arteta’s pressure comes from the very progress he’s made with Arsenal. The team has reached a level where they can compete with anyone, making it inevitable to feel disappointment without a major title. Still, his new contract through 2027 and a salary among the world’s highest show the board’s full confidence in him. The entire club model has been built around Arteta.

The main pressure comes from the media and the enormous expectations of the fans. A May 2025 survey by The Athletic showed 43% of supporters see winning the Premier League or Champions League as the minimum. 91% believe Arsenal will win the Premier League under Arteta. Yet, some critics—including legends like Thierry Henry and Tony Adams—doubt his ability to deliver glory for the Gunners.

Some disagreements are due to how Arteta handled fan favorites like Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Others criticize the club’s response to Thomas Partey’s scandals or question the attacking setup. The press, never fond of Arteta’s closed-off approach, are quick to attack whenever Arsenal lose.

In summer 2025, Arsenal spent around £200 million on six new signings. Martin Zubimendi—a target Arteta has pursued for years—finally arrived. Viktor Gyokeres brings top quality to the center-forward role, which Arsenal has lacked since Aubameyang’s departure. Also joining are Noni Madueke, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Cristhian Mosquera, and Christian Norgaard. All are mature players, ready to play immediately. Their average age is 26.8, almost matching the 26.5 considered ideal for winning titles by researchers.

This strategy signals Arsenal’s shift: from building with young players to an immediate “must win” phase. Ending Takehiro Tomiyasu’s contract while he was still recovering from injury shows Arteta’s uncompromising approach. Over the last five years, he has signed and let go of 91 players each.

The most notable signing is Gyokeres, the Swedish striker from Sporting Lisbon, costing over £63 million. Unlike Benjamin Sesko—a younger backup who still needs time to develop—Gyokeres is seen as a finished product, with over 100 goals in the past two years for club and country. He’s expected to give Arsenal a true center-forward, capable of direct attacking in the box.

The pressure on Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is steadily increasing.

Arsenal needs a breakthrough

Arteta is renowned for his obsession with detail, always stressing incremental progress. From picking the Emirates Stadium anthem and modifying the tunnel to amplify crowd noise, to naming his training ground dog “Win,” he believes that gradual accumulation leads to success for Arsenal.

However, as The Times journalist Jonathan Northcroft points out, Arsenal now needs more than small steps—they require a major leap. After three straight seasons as runners-up, patience is running thin. Football history rarely sees a squad take nearly a decade to finally succeed. Maintaining motivation and belief over such a long period is extremely difficult.

Arteta has often used statistics to argue that Arsenal “deserved at least two titles” over the last three seasons. He believes the team has been unlucky with refereeing and injuries, but overall league data doesn’t support this. Therefore, this season, Arsenal must show clear dominance, not just rely on small margins.

Arteta’s Arsenal is praised for defensive organization and flexibility between high pressing and dropping deep. Coaches like Ernesto Valverde of Bilbao and former Manchester United assistant Mitchell van der Gaag have called Arsenal one of the best-organized teams. But in attack, the team is criticized for being overly patient, holding possession without enough explosiveness, and relying heavily on Bukayo Saka.

Summer friendlies have shown Arteta starting to diversify: using direct long passes to Gyokeres, quick switches of play, or early crosses. The partnership of Zubimendi and Declan Rice promises added depth in midfield.

At 43, Arteta is still young compared to many of his peers. Only Jose Mourinho won the Premier League at a younger age. But after six seasons in charge, this is clearly a pivotal point. He could become Arsenal’s “Ferguson,” who needed six years to lead Manchester United to the title. However, there’s also the example of Rafa Benitez, who was dismissed by Liverpool after six years for failing to win the Premier League.

This season, Arsenal takes the pitch with one of the most expensive squads in the world, built according to Arteta’s vision, with full financial and institutional backing. If they fail, it will be hard to blame anything else.

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