Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admitted his admiration for Diego Simeone and the similarities are striking as the Gunners hunt down a first Premier League title for over 20 years
Arteta's side moved seven points clear at the top of the Premier League
Arteta's side have moved seven points clear at the top
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Mikel Arteta said he “looks up to” Diego Simeone before they faced each other in the Champions League. The Arsenal boss is now taking that admiration to a whole new level as it feels he is slowly morphing into Simeone.
Atletico Madrid boss Simeone is one of European football’s most-respected coaches as he has won trophies, established his club as a real powerhouse and a team which is so hard to play against.
But Simeone has also been the arch purveyor of football’s dark arts when it comes to winning ugly, time-wasting and tactical fouls.
Let’s be clear here: this is not necessarily a negative comparison. Simeone has won La Liga twice during his 14-year reign along with the Europa League twice and the European Super Cup twice as well as finishing runners-up in the Champions League on two occasions.
Simeone has made a name for himself by defying the odds against the super powers of Barcelona and Real Madrid. To win and be successful in that environment is a remarkable achievement and mirrors the job Arteta is doing at Arsenal.
Arsenal are going toe-to-toe with Manchester City, Liverpool and the rest and, in six years, Arteta has turned the club from mediocrity to genuine title challengers.
Yes, they have spent a lot of money and this is hardly a David v Goliath story but anyone that thinks it is easy to overhaul City and Pep Guardiola is in fairytale land.
Arsenal have had to find a different way - and that is what you are seeing now. They are now just eight games from glory. If it winds up Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler then so be it.
But it is so unfair to paint them as anti-football, only good for set-pieces and time-wasters which was the perception after Arsenal’s hard-fought win at Brighton on Wednesday night.
Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta is sitting pretty(Image: Getty Images)
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Arsenal have been terrific at times this season: not least when they blitzed Simeone’s Atletico at the Emirates 4-0 back in October which was when Arteta was gushing in his praise of the former Argentina hard man.
Add to that the second half against Bayern Munich, two 4-1 wins over Tottenham and the thrashing of Aston Villa after Christmas.
But in the past few weeks, Arsenal have looked leggy, tired and it is obvious they are running on empty as they challenge on four fronts in the title race, Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
It has not been free-flowing. It has been about winning ugly, scrapping and getting over the line. The win at Brighton also provided several interesting stats from Opta.
The total time of Arsenal’s restarts was 30 minutes 51 seconds, their most in a Premier League game this season. The ball was in play for 53 mins 58 secs - 53.5 per cent of the 100 mins and 54 secs - which, according to Opta, was actually their ninth lowest this season.
But they are, interestingly, by no means the worst offenders. Sunderland, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Newcastle and Leeds have actually taken longer on average to restart after each stoppage.
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone(Image: Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
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However, Arsenal are doing what they do well. Gabriel was a colossus in defence. As was Piero Hincapie. They were hanging on for a victory which pushed them seven clear.
Arsenal go first before City in the next three match rounds and if they beat Everton at home - no easy task - then they will be ten points clear (albeit having played two games more) by the time Guardiola’s men kick off away at West Ham who are fighting for their lives.
Suddenly the title looks very much in Arsenal’s hands. And that must justify the means if it brings a title-winning end to the season.
It has been 22 years since Arsenal last won the title. They did it in style in the Invincibles season of 2003/04. They played the beautiful game that year. But there is more than one way to win.
And as legs tire and having come up short after finishing second in each of the past three seasons, they did not want another runners-up medal.
Arteta was branded a bottler and now his arch critics do not like him trying to fight back. He cannot win. Until he wins the title, of course.
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