Mikel Arteta’s journey at Arsenal has been marked by steady progress, yet his achievements are often undervalued.
Since his appointment in 2019, the Spaniard has delivered an FA Cup and two Community Shields, laying a foundation for a side that has gone from mid-table struggles to back-to-back Premier League title challenges.
Arteta, however, is clear about his ambitions. “We need more, we want more, and we want the big ones, that’s for sure,” he stated ahead of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace.
The Community Shields, often dismissed as minor trophies, were anything but straightforward victories.
Arsenal’s triumph in 2020 came against a Liverpool side that had just ended their 30-year wait for a league title. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s opener and a composed penalty shootout sealed that win.
In 2023, they outlasted Manchester City, a team fresh from winning the treble, with Leandro Trossard’s dramatic equaliser and another penalty masterclass.
These victories demonstrate Arsenal’s ability to rise to the occasion against the best in football.
Arteta recognises, however, that success in the Carabao Cup could provide an important stepping stone to further achievements.
Arsenal have not lifted this trophy since 1993, but Arteta is intent on changing that. “It is really helpful,” he explained. “It brings belief, trust, positive energy, touching the cup, and being in the semi-final and beating somebody in the final. It is that energy and it creates the right path to go and do something else.”
The Arsenal manager has built a team capable of challenging the best, finishing just five points off Manchester City in 2022/23 and narrowing that gap to two points last season. Without that City team that has spent heavily over the years, Arsenal might already have ended their title drought.
Still, Arsenal’s trajectory under Arteta remains upward. A Carabao Cup win could be more than just a trophy; it could remind everyone of Arteta’s credentials as one of the Premier League’s top managers. “We want to win and do everything we can to win it,” Arteta emphasised.
As Arsenal edge closer to major honours, their manager’s vision and leadership continue to drive them forward.