Chelsea legend issues Mikel Arteta sack verdict after Arsenal’s second-place finish, ‘He has no excuses…’

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal all but secured second place in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon with a victory over Newcastle United at the Emirates.

Manchester City can technically still overtake the Gunners, although it would require Mikel Arteta’s team to lose by several goals away at relegated Southampton on the final day of the season.

Newcastle were defeated by Arsenal courtesy of a solitary goal from Declan Rice, who emphatically slotted past Nick Pope early in the second half.

The North Londoners will now finish runners-up for the third consecutive season in the English top flight, prompting some to question whether Arteta can take his team to the promised land.

• READ MORE: Arsenal are now ready to sell their ‘incredible’ player for a £10m profit, Antonio Conte wants him

John Obi Mikel slams Mikel Arteta for finishing second again

Arsenal are ready to spend big this summer to improve Arteta’s squad and help take the team closer to winning major honours.

Rice expects Arsenal to sign several players, with a striker, a winger, a midfielder, a defender and a back-up goalkeeper all understood to be on Andrea Berta’s wishlist.

However, former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel thinks Arteta has had ample investment over recent seasons and hasn’t been able to deliver silverware to the Emirates.

Calling for a change of voice over the summer at Arsenal, Obi Mikel said on beIN Sports: “It’s about winning trophies, it’s about winning trophies. Yes he got there, but he didn’t get them over the line.

“He always comes second, it’s always next season about Arsenal. Now he wants to spend again in the summer. These are his players, this is his team. So he has no excuses.

“For someone who has been there that long, and spent so much money, and just winning one FA Cup trophy, that’s not good enough.”

Arsenal shouldn’t sack Mikel Arteta

Obi Mikel’s point about Arsenal’s spending simply doesn’t stack up with the evidence.

Over the last five seasons, the Gunners’ net spend is significantly less than Chelsea’s, while Manchester United and Tottenham have also spent more.

While the Blues scrap for a place in the Champions League, having spent over £1 billion on their squad, the other two are currently 16th and 17th.

Yet, Arteta is facing criticism for having built a side that is now perennially competing for the title, with less money.

Domestic cup competitions shouldn’t be a metric for assessing a manager if a club is being run smartly, while you have no right to win the Premier League title.

From where Arsenal were, finishing second three seasons in a row and reaching a Champions League semi-final is a remarkable turnaround, and suggests that the general direction of travel is still positive.

The trophies should come eventually when you spend this long close to the top.