So Arsenal fans that questioned Mikel Arteta’s first years are now labelled ‘Disloyal’ or ‘Blinkered’? | OneFootball

Disloyal or Blinkered? by Ken 1945

It seems that anyone who has ever questioned Mikel Arteta has become a negative supporter who should be ostracised from the club.

As a lifelong supporter, I have seen many managers come and go, and I still haven’t come across one who the fans didn’t question on a daily basis.

It seems that, now MA has finally got it together, we should have all trusted the process… as some say they have from day one!!

It must be great to have been part of this ever growing fanbase, who were never concerned about the decisions being made, as they knew all along it would end up as it has been this season.

So was I wrong in asking why Willian was being selected in front of Martinelli?

Why it took a string of injuries before ESR was given his chance?

Perhaps I misjudged the tactics that saw us plummet to the bottom of the table, ensuring our worst ever start in over two decades?

Should I have ignored the fact that our home record was the worst in living memory?

Now I hear the cry “Arteta inherited a load of dross players” yet those players never finished 8th at the end of the season twice in a row and, in fact, this load of dross, actually won MA his first trophy as manager, when we beat City and Chelsea to win the FA cup.

I also read what he did to clear out the overpaid and underperforming players such as Ozil, Aubameyang and Guendouzi.

The interesting thing about the first two players is that he selected Ozil right up until the coronavirus epidemic, and Aubameyang only started to underperform under MA’s time after his mega contract…. which Mikel sanctioned!!

Remember, we are talking about a Golden Boot winner here, who, in the space of six months, was allowed to leave, while not replacing with a like-for-like goalscorer.

Now, I was not obviously cute enough to realise that all the above was part of the unquestionable ending that would result in us being where we are today.

I should have known that Kroenke, maligned by so many, was going to back MA up to the tune of £350,000,000 and still rising…. and it seems no one else did, hence the daily negative articles and comments about him.

It’s even been suggested that he’s only backing MA, in order that he will be able to sell at a huge profit…forgetting that he has turned down two offers to do just that already!!

My final observation is that, suddenly, despite writing to the contrary, certain fans on JA actually always backed MA and never doubted him for a minute.

Well, while never calling for his sacking, I’m afraid that I did have concerns about his management and questioned his decision making, along with his style of play – a style that was boring (remember we ALL complained about sideways and backward passing?) inconsistent and easy to play against.

Then we signed two top class players and, FINALLY, introduced Saliba into the squad.

Saliba was a player that I had real trouble explaining to myself as to why he wasn’t able to even make our first team squad, but I guess I was wrong again!!

This season has been a revelation and the football is second to none.

The club is as one when the game is on and I compare it to AW’s finest time as our manager, such is the improvement this season.

But, of course, we have the fans who want to play silly “told you so” games, while the majority of said fans conveniently forget their own questioning of Mikel, who by the way, agreed that he, himself, made mistakes!!!

So, as I read these wonderful “in hindsight” comments about backing MA 100%, I’m proud that I questioned him and stand by every one of my questions.

The REAL beauty is that I can appreciate exactly what MA has changed in the last year, and pat myself on the back when I see him bringing in (for example) Saliba, Martinelli and ESR with such tremendous success.

I am 100% behind MA and, while I could take this opportunity to apologise to him and all you wonderful fans for doubting him until this season, I’m comforted by his own words that he made mistakes and could have done better.

In Mikel Arteta we trust (at last).

ken1945

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