There appears to be a split on Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta right now. The Gunners have gone from strength to strength under his leadership in recent seasons, evolving from perennial underachievers to genuine trophy contenders.
However, they haven't quite been able to take the final step. They have fallen short in three consecutive Premier League title races, and after crashing out of the Champions League, Arsenal's trophy drought will extend to beyond five years (an FA Cup, won in August 2020).
Despite the disappointment of falling short, most would agree Arsenal have come a long way under Arteta. There was a time when the Gunners would regularly get thrashed when travelling away to Anfield, but they picked up a point in a 2-2 draw, coming from two goals down, on the weekend against Liverpool.
As such, Arsenal have not been beaten by a 'Big Six' team in the Premier League since April 2023. A remarkable achievement, even if it hasn't delivered any titles.
Off the back of a respectable point against champions Liverpool, however, Manchester United icon Peter Schmeichel took the opportunity to aim a verbal rant, criticising Arteta's personality. Working as a pundit for Viaplay, in footage widely circulated on social media, he said:
"He was employed as head coach. He inherited a team, and that team is the only team that he's won a trophy with. Then it's his own team now. And in the process, he has now changed his job description, he's now the manager. So everything is on him. It's not recruitment, it's not the board."
When told by fellow pundits that he's 'not working alone', as they pointed out that Arteta obviously doesn't have sole control of all Arsenal's transfer business, Schmeichel hit back saying: "No, no no." He continued:
"Watch him in the technical area. Arteta is a control freak. He wants his players to play how he wants. He's directing everything. You know, you look at Arne Slot, he's so calm... Arteta instructed his players in training, in team talk... Arteta is still playing the game for the players and that would confuse the hell out of me as a football player."
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While it cannot be denied that Arteta probably is a 'control freak', the same can be said of Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, Arsene Wenger and – perhaps most famously – Schmeichel's former boss Sir Alex Ferguson.
The former Manchester United goalkeeper may have been confused by Arteta's passion on the sidelines if he were still playing, only he will truly know, but it's not as if Ferguson was a wallflower in the Old Trafford dugout during the Dane's time at Man Utd.
Arne Slot may have a calmer demeanour, but it seems very unlikely that this has played a significant role in Liverpool winning the league ahead of the Gunners this season. Schmeichel also seems to infer that Arsenal's FA Cup-winning team of 2020, which Arteta inherited, is better than the one he has created – or at least suggests that the Spaniard doesn't deserve credit for the trophy. An interesting claim, especially when Gary Neville referred to the defenders in that team as 'uncoachable.'
It's perhaps most telling that Schmeichel is unable to take aim at any of Arteta's tactical decisions, so instead berates the Spaniard's personality.