Arsenal’s Arteta says Premier League will leave Guardiola’s shadow | Football News

Mikel Arteta was Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Man City, but he lifted his former coach to the Premier League title.

Mikel Arteta silenced his doubters by waking up Arsenal’s sleeping giants, returning the Gunners to the top of English football.

Twenty-two years after the “Invincibles” of Arsene Wenger, Arsenal has finally managed to confirm the Arteta project, which began with his appointment in 2019.

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Arsenal gambled on their former club captain six-and-a-half years ago, despite his lack of previous experience.

But Arteta was blessed with excellent training, working alongside his former mentor Pep Guardiola.

When Guardiola arrived at Manchester City ten years ago, he sought Arteta’s experience in the English game and someone he knew from his time at Barcelona.

“As a player and a coach, he has been my inspiration, and he is the person who decided to bet on me to join me as a second coach,” Arteta said of Guardiola last year.

I will always be grateful to him; otherwise I wouldn’t be here.

However, in stark contrast to many other modern coaches, Arteta did not follow Guardiola’s path in building the side that lifted his former boss to the top.

Arteta was never successful at Barcelona, ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ but his experiences in the game shaped his style as a manager.

After brief spells at Paris Saint-Germain and Rangers, Arteta eventually found a home at Everton under David Moyes.

“I learned from him, on and off the pitch, team building and finding the right people to create what you want,” Arteta said of Moyes.

Arsenal’s team was built on a solid defensive foundation and went on to win the title with their strength in pieces that resembled Moyes’ playbook more than Guardiola’s philosophy.

In his first meeting with Arsenal officials, Arteta is said to have presented a five-point plan to return the club to the top of the Premier League and Europe.

He made his presence felt as seven players, including star names Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil, were left out as Arteta sought a major club deal.

Winning the FA Cup just a few months in charge bought him time, but it took another six years for more silverware to arrive.

In his first season, Arsenal finished eighth, their worst finish for 25 years, and failed to improve in the 2020/2021 campaign affected by COVID-19.

A year later, they missed the chance to qualify for the Champions League after a long absence and fell late on to finish fifth.

Despite the great progress that led to a third place in a row, Arteta’s ability to keep Arsenal top of the line was doubted.

Building from the back, he has often been criticized for being too conservative, and has walked a fine line with his entertaining performances.

Even this season, many believed that Arsenal had lost their way when they lost four in a row in March and April, ending their interest in the FA Cup and League Cup and allowing Manchester City to return to the Premier League.

But Arteta was able to right the train this time to finish the campaign strongly, seeing off Guardiola’s men and heading to the end of Arsenal’s greatest season yet.

If they beat Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest on May 30, they will become European champions for the first time.

“Sometimes, when it’s difficult at the beginning, it’s good to see the change and the joy in people,” Arteta said in Arsenal’s last game of the season against Burnley.

“It’s a fun thing to watch.”

At least the Arsenal man has time to be happy.