Former Premier League midfielder Gordon Strachan has said that Mikel Arteta has done a better job than “anyone else in the world” at Arsenal.
The Gunners look to have missed out on the Premier League title for a third consecutive season under Arteta as they currently sit 12 points behind Liverpool going into the March international break.
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Last season, Arsenal lost the title race to rivals Manchester City by just two points in heart-breaking fashion, after what was their best season since 2003/04.
The season before that, they lost to City by just five points, and have been in a position of almost title-winners under Arteta. This has led many to criticise the Arsenal boss, however, former Premier League midfielder Strachan has batted away those claims.
He told makthavare.se: “Maybe where Arsenal are and where they have been over the last few seasons is the best the football club can do. What gives them the right to win the Premier League?
“Arteta might have done better than anybody else in the world could have done with these players. His record after his first 200 games was better than Wenger’s, he won more games in that time then he did.
“The question for any disillusioned Arsenal fans should be: Who’s to say any other manager would do any better?
“Where would you go right now and say that guy’s better? You had Unai Emery, who’s arguably one of the best in the world. You had him, it didn’t work. Arsenal are there, Arsenal are the only ones that have put up any sort of fight against Man City in recent years. Now that’s not bad.”
Arteta compared to Wenger at Arsenal
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Arsene Wenger will no doubt be considered the greatest Arsenal manager of all time. He won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups, including the famous ‘invincibles’ season of 2003/04.
However, after 200 games, Arteta’s numbers were far better than Wenger begging the question of whether his tenure can match the success that Wenger had.
Arteta won 116 of his first 200 matches in charge of the Gunners, whereas Wenger only won 111 wins. Plus the current Arsenal boss won silverware in his first season (FA Cup), something that Wenger never managed.
The only thing missing for Arteta to really boost his numbers…a Premier League title.