Can Arteta break Arsenal's cycle of finishing second and avoid fate of Southgate's England?

Arsenal brag Mikel Arteta started his managerial vocation facing comparisons with Pep Guardiola earlier much precocious being likened to José Mourinho.

The Guardiola nexus was inevitable, a merchandise of their relationship dating backmost to 1997. Arteta archetypal met his idol astatine the Barcelona academy earlier moving nether him astatine Manchester City for 3 years arsenic a coach. They presumption the athletics the aforesaid way, and Arteta's Arsenal would look to embody galore of the aforesaid traits.

The parallel with Mourinho is simply a much caller occurrence, a effect of the Gunners' improvement into a physically imposing broadside chiefly founded connected resolute defending.

But that enactment of conservatism wrong their creation this play brings Arteta to a constituent analogous with a 3rd manager: Gareth Southgate.

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Arteta successful 2025-26 is successful a remarkably akin presumption to then-England brag Southgate astatine Euro 2024. Both managers took implicit teams successful a disparate state, restored their civilization and credibility connected the biggest signifier and had travel agonizingly adjacent to delivering the large trophy their fanbases crave. The last trial is this: Can the squad that you've admirably transformed into a almighty unit prehend the infinitesimal and triumph silverware?

Southgate came painfully adjacent again past summer, but near his relation successful July aft England mislaid the last 2-1 to Spain. Despite reaching back-to-back European Championship finals, the soundtrack to England's run was acrimonious. Expectations had accrued arsenic England assembled their astir dynamic squad successful a generation, conscionable arsenic Arsenal arguably person now. Southgate was accused of "playing with the handbrake on," the nonstop disapproval Arteta faced aft Arsenal mislaid 1-0 astatine Liverpool successful August and again erstwhile drafting 1-1 against Manchester City past month.

How Arteta responds implicit the people of the run volition spell a agelong mode to deciding whether the Gunners tin triumph their archetypal Premier League rubric since 2004. Ending, if you will, 22 years of hurt. Southgate's acquisition should service arsenic a informing due to the fact that helium had much successful communal with Arteta to this constituent than you mightiness think.

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