It’s been a roller-coaster few years for Mikel Arteta as Arsenal manager, but he is now thriving in his first job as head coach, and he has already set a new club record.
Arteta has managed 199 games for the club in all competitions, with Saturday’s trip to Brentford set to be his 200th, but he has already amassed more victories in his first 200 games than any other manager in the history of the club.
The former club captain replaced Unai Emery four years ago, and has won the FA Cup and two Community Shields since beginning his managerial career.
He has helped turn Arsenal from a crisis club to title challengers, but it has not been a quick process, with his first full season seeing his side finish a lowly eighth place in the league.
Arteta sets new Arsenal record
Arteta has won 115 games in his first 199 for the club, and will hope to make it 116 from 200 against Brentford on Saturday.
This is more than any other Arsenal manager managed in the same span of their first 200 games, including the legendary Arsene Wenger.
Wenger managed 111 wins in his first 200, whilst fellow legend George Graham managed 107.
Other notable names include Herbert Chapman managing 88, Bertie Mee overseeing 84 wins and George Allisson seeing 96 wins.
Arteta, Wenger and Graham are the only managers to have won over 100 of their first 200 matches as Arsenal manager, and the Spaniard is in some esteemed company.
Putting Arteta’s Arsenal stat into some context
A notable difference between Arteta and Wenger’s first 200 games is that Wenger helped Arsenal qualify for the Champions League in that time, whilst a substantial number of Arteta’s games have come in the Europa League.
Wenger and Graham also won league titles within their first 200 games, although Arteta did come close last season before Arsenal ran out of steam against Manchester City.
However, considering the squad that Arteta inherited, the problems off the pitch at the club and the first two seasons of struggle, for Arteta to be where he is now speaks volumes about the excellence of the current side.
The start of last season saw Arsenal pick up 50 points from 19 league games, and this season they are just one point off the top of the league, with the best defence in the division.
Although Arteta does not yet have the trophy haul of Wenger or Graham, all the signs are positive for the future.
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