Mikel Arteta joined Arsenal over four years ago, and the club is now completely unrecognisable from the one he returned to for his first managerial job.
Arsenal were at their lowest in the winter of 2019. Unai Emery was sacked with the Gunners in mid-table, with the last remnants of Arsene Wenger’s attacking philosophy in shreds, and a disjointed job formed by a dysfunctional executive team.
It took Arteta some time to rebuild the squad alongside Edu Gaspar, but he now has a young squad, tied down on long-term contracts, competing at the top of the Premier League and in the Champions League knockouts.
It was not an easy task for the Spaniard, and former midfielder Cesc Fabregas has now praised him for helping change what was a toxic culture at the club.
Cesc Fabregas praises Mikel Arteta for fixing toxic Arsenal culture
Speaking on the Planet Premier League Podcast, Fabregas explained why Arteta has been such a success at Arsenal, given the job on his hands when he took over.
“I think it’s quite simple. Arsenal was merged into a big mess. I think there was too many people talking. There was a lot of toxicity I would say within the club. It doesn’t necessarily need to be in the club, but around the club and he just came in,” he stated.
“He had an idea, he had his methodology, style of play, and he put it all together. He had the bravery, even though he’s a young coach, to put it all together and to say, right, this is the standards, this is what I want to do.
“I think he keeps repeating those words. In press conferences, he talks about intentions, he talks about character, about running, about standards. This is what he put in place – hardworking people, young people that really want to play for the badge, want to be there for the club, want to make the club grow.
“He took away all this toxicity around the club that was hurting the players, was hurting the managers and he’s doing really well.”
Arteta succeeded where Unai Emery failed at Arsenal
Whilst Emery’s eventual failure at Arsenal was down to poor tactical decisions as well, a big reason behind his downfall at the club was that he could not stop the rot of toxicity within the club.
The playing squad was ageing, the dressing room was fractured and despite there being some quality, there was serious indiscipline within the squad.
Emery handed the captaincy to Granit Xhaka, but later stripped him of it, and commanded little authority among the players.
Arteta’s clear ideas, and his ruthlessness, meant that he could gut out the squad and build one which the fans could adore, and which would set the club up for a period of success in the long term.