Arsenal plunged to their 12th loss in the premier league on Saturday when they crashed terribly at home, 0-3 to defending champions, Liverpool, who themselves have been underwhelming this season.
A Mohammed Salah strike sandwiched between a Diogo Jota brace ensured that Liverpool continued their revival towards ensuring a place in Europe next season.
While the performance by Liverpool was what we saw of them last season which has been missing for most part of this season, the disastrous outing of Arsenal was the more concerning talking point.
The loss was their 12th of the season, 6 of which have been at the Emirates, the highest number of games they've lost at home in over a decade. In fact, they have won lost as many league games as they have won this season.
For an observer, I believe Mikel Arteta is not been criticized as much as Frank Lampard got the boots and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is getting the heat, despite Manchester United currently sitting in second position.
Frank Lampard was doing well for Chelsea at the beginning of the season before a run of poor form cumulated in his sack. He was heavily criticized, understandably because Chelsea spent a fortune during the summer. Arteta also did relatively good business in the transfer markets with the arrival of Gabriel Maghaeles, Willian, who has been disappointing, Martin Odegaard and the renewal of Pierre Emerick Aubameyang's contract.
Solskjaer has led United to amass an amazing 25 league points from losing positions this season and is currently the second best team in the league, still with the hope of winning the title. Arteta is struggling to find his feet in 10th place as Arsenal were displaced in 9th position by Aston Villa, following their late comeback agant Fulham on Sunday evening.
In all of these, there have been less talks of #ArtetaOut in comparison with how many times we've seen the #OleOut trend on social media. Is this a case of Arsenal are no longer a big team not concerned with winning trophies or the management choosing to stick with Arteta.
To put in context, in 50 games, Arteta's Arsenal have won just 22 games and lost 17, almost a ratio of 1 to 1; win one, lose one. Is that the hallmark of team meant to be challenging for titles? Or, does the fact that there is a rebuilding in process mean that the whole club's legacy should be thrown in the mud which such appealing displays like we saw against Liverpool at the Emirates and have seen all season? In the same number of games, Unai Emery lost 13 and Arteta has not received backlash as much as his compatriot did.
Really, it is either Arteta is not yet ready for the job or the players do not believe in him or they are not playing to his instructions on the pitch and, he is still to be blamed for that. You make the players carry out your instructions. Anyone who's defaulting should be shown the door.
Hopefully, they can still save face and salvage their season by lifting the Europa League which is a tall order and until some drastic happens, thus may just be the beginning of more terrible years to come for Arsenal fans.
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