Arsenal have had a good start to the season, as they aspire to be in another title challenge this season after falling short last season. They had a good run last season but ultimately lost out to Manchester City due to late-season defeats. This season saw new hope among fans, as the club decided to spend heavily to reinforce the squad.
They began the season with two good wins against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace but dropped two points against Fulham. This means they are now just 6th in the Premier League, which though early is a bit of disappointment among fans. ESPN pundits didn’t shy away from taking a dig at the Gunners, especially at their manager, Mikel Arteta.
Jamie Carragher takes a swipe at Arteta over Arsenal’s title ambitions
Despite only three games, former Liverpool player and current pundit Jamie Carragher believes manager Mikel Arteta is the reason Arsenal are hindered. In a column in the Telegraph, he wrote that Arteta and the fans were being too reactive with unreasonable expectations.
He pointed out Arteta’s reaction to the late draw against Fulham, where the manager was visibly upset with his players for the dropped points. Carragher summed it up writing: “Mikel Arteta’s side approach to the opening fixtures has been more reminiscent of the title run-in, where every mistake is amplified and dropped points are considered catastrophic to hopes of winning the championship.”
Not only after losing, he said the same happens after victories where they celebrate a simple win too much. An example of the post-match celebrations against Crystal Palace was made. Carragher also urged fans and players to not indulge in these manners after games, as after all, it is just the start of the season.
He did point out why this is happening, as he believes Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City has created a very high standard. This has led to Arteta and Arsenal having high expectations as well, as every game matters in the long run. Carragher also suggested therefore to let go of this mentality and to slowly aspire to win the title.
Arsenal spent $263 million on summer transfer
However, it is not hard to see why the fans have high expectations of the team. Arteta is under added pressure after the club heavily backed him in the summer transfer window, spending $263 million to reinforce the squad. This was their busiest transfer window in a while.
The first signing was Kai Havertz, who was bought for £65m from rivals Chelsea. The German attacking midfielder is versatile, as he can also play as a winger. However, he has yet to impress the Gunners as he has not yet adapted to the team fully.
The club then announced the £105m signing of Declan Rice from West Ham, making him the most expensive English player of all time. The defensive midfielder was highly sought and no doubt could be one of Arsenal’s best signings in years. The England international has transformed into one of the best in the English league and has already impressed this season.
Last but not least, they have signed Jurrien Timber from Ajax Amsterdam. The Dutch center-back will join for a £40m deal. He is a versatile player and has experience playing everywhere in the backline. He also likes to go forward a lot, which was why Arteta wanted him. However, he could miss seven months of playing time due to an injury suffered in the opening match.
So while they have spent heavily to reinforce the squad, Arteta still has to manage expectations and take it one game at a time. The Spaniard will manage his team tonight against Manchester United, as they hope to grab a win to boost their confidence.
