In December 2024, Mikel Arteta surpassed the five-year mark as Arsenal manager.

As a club with a proud tradition of long-term managerial appointments, Arteta became the seventh man to reach this landmark since Herbert Chapman’s eight and a half year reign almost 100 years ago.

Unfortunately for Arteta, he is just the second manager in that elite group, after Terry Neill, to have so far failed to deliver a league title for The Gunners.

Back in 2020/21, Arsenal finished eighth in Mikel Arteta’s first full season in charge at the Emirates Stadium and in his first four seasons there was real optimism in North London as his side improved their final position and Premier League points tally year-on-year.

That optimism is beginning to turn into discontent this season as Arsenal have failed to capitalise on a perfect storm of chaos and underachievement amongst many of the Premier League’s other so-called ‘bigger clubs’.

A Missed Opportunity

Manchester City, the only side to finish above Arsenal in the past two seasons seem to be in decline with many of their players who have helped them win four straight Premier League titles are now the wrong side of 30. There was also a feeling that Liverpool were coming to the end of an era when Jurgen Klopp brought his near-decade reign at Anfield to end last summer. Manchester United and Chelsea are not the forces they once were whilst Spurs are, well, Spurs! This was supposed to be the season when Arsenal would once again rise to the top of English football and deliver a first Premier League title since the 2004 Invincibles.

However, what we have witnessed in the first six months of the season is a rejuvenated Liverpool under new manager Arne Slot. Liverpool are closing in on a record-equalling twentieth English league title with Betfred and Paddy Power heading a list of UK betting sites to have already paid out on Liverpool to win this season’s Premier League title. After Wednesday’s matches, Liverpool hold a 13-point lead over Arsenal with just eleven league games remaining for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.

Arsenal have a hugely proud tradition in the English domestic cup competitions, boasting a record 14 FA Cup triumphs as well as two EFL Cup wins. Having already been eliminated from both cup competitions this season, Arsenal will pass the five-year mark without a major this summer. The jury is out on whether Arteta is the right man to lead Arsenal, with many fans calling for a change of manager.

The questions remain; is Arteta the right man for the job? If not, then who?