Mikel Arteta has now built up a reputation as one of the best managers in the Premier League since he returned to Arsenal in 2019, but many may forget his brilliance in his playing days.
Arteta played in several different leagues throughout his career, initially starting off in the Barcelona academy before a loan move took him to Paris Saint-Germain, before he moved to Glasgow Rangers.
A move back to his hometown to play for Real Sociedad followed, until he finally arrived in the Premier League to play under David Moyes at Everton.
Arsene Wenger then struck gold in more ways than he could ever imagine when he then signed Arteta in a panicked transfer frenzy to help replace Cesc Fabregas, who had joined Barcelona.
Arteta was highly rated at Everton, but he had big shoes to fill with the departure of Fabregas, as he came in as an attack-minded midfielder. However, this would all change.
Mikel Arteta changed midfield role during Arsenal playing spell
Arteta’s first season saw him play alongside the likes of Alex Song and Tomas Rosicky as a more attack-minded central midfielder, scoring six and assisting twice, but Wenger would then take advantage of his supreme reading of the game.
Song departed for Barcelona, and Robin van Persie made a controversial move to Manchester United. Arsenal’s resources went on the attack, signing Lukas Podolski, Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla, who reportedly impressed so much in his first training session that his teammates applauded Wenger.
The problem then arose of who would play in a defensive midfield role. Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere were back from long-term injuries, but both preferred more advanced roles, and an injury to Abou Diaby early on in the 2012-13 season also reduced Wenger’s midfield options.
This burden then fell to Arteta, but the ageing midfielder then saw the benefit of playing in a deeper role, and he would thrive in this position.
Mikel Arteta outshone Michael Carrick in new Arsenal midfield role
The 2012-13 season was one of adjustment for Arsenal, but by the end of the campaign, Wenger’s side had found their balance, winning eight of their last 10 games to secure a top-four spot.
Van Persie won the title with Manchester United, and this also saw Michael Carrick deliver outstanding performances from a deep midfield role in Sir Alex Ferguson’s final season. However, for Carrick’s brilliance, Arteta went under the radar with his own performances, which actually outshone him on a statistical level.
Arteta played 34 games compared to Carrick’s 36, and he produced six goals and three assists compared to Carrick’s one strike and four assists, but these are not the stats which the focus should be on.
The Spaniard eclipsed the Man United star in every metric which made Carrick stand out, with his deep passing proving vital for Arsenal’s build-up play.
These stats at the time were not enough to earn Arteta credit. Carrick was named in the PFA Team of the Season, whilst Arteta, who was perhaps more influential in a worse side, was still yet to earn the approval of the entire Arsenal fanbase.
Mikel Arteta was a victim of comparisons
A picture of Arteta alongside Cesc Fabregas and Xabi Alonso has recently caused a frenzy on social media. Whilst Arteta is arguably the best manager of the three, in their playing days Alonso and Fabregas were truly world-class.
This picture has led to comparisons between the three as players, and Arteta is doomed from the start here. Most midfielders would pale in comparison to Alonso and Fabregas, who were World Cup winners in a Spain squad Arteta never appeared in.
This has harmed Arteta’s playing legacy in a way. The midfielder was an excellent option at both Everton and Arsenal, but he may never get the credit because of how well his peers did.
Even at Arsenal, replacing Fabregas was never going to be easy in an attacking sense, and Arteta’s brilliance perhaps went under the radar. As a defensive midfielder, many would highlight his lack of physicality compared to Gilberto Silva and Patrick Vieira in the past, and again Arteta’s qualities would be overlooked.
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If Arteta was playing for his own current Arsenal side, in a midfield alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, he may have been able to continue in a more advanced role, but his switch in 2012-13 was one which helped his team and Wenger, who reaped the rewards of his sheer intelligence on the pitch.