Winterburn: Arteta should be given time
The Gunners legend believes it’s unlikely for Arsenal to get back into European competitions this season but demands patience over Arteta’s performance.
Mikel Arteta
’s first year as Arsenal coach has been a roller coaster of success and failure as the manager’s early achievements in FA Cup and Community Shield has been followed by a terrible 2020-21 campaign start. The former Pep Guardiola assistant was intended to be the coach who returns the Gunners to the
Champions Leaguebut instead has found his team in the Premier League’s relegation zone. Arsenal has been defeated 8 times in their 15 matches this season and Arteta is under fire for his team’s inconsistent performances.
Nigel Winterburn
hopes that the club’s board is patient enough to give Arteta more time to prove himself as a coach who can complete a long-term project at the Emirates.
"I never like to discuss the possibility of managers being sacked and who should replace them, but it does happen, of course it does,
"From everything I've heard since the day Mikel Arteta walked into the club, I've just heard good things. It would be wrong of me to say, 'I'd like to see this guy come in' if Arteta loses his job.
"You can bring a manager in who has won a Champions League, he's won league titles - but the only thing we're interested in is, can he do it when he comes to Arsenal? We shouldn't care about his past. His past really doesn't matter.
"I haven't thought about Arteta going as I didn't see it as an option that it could happen. I'd still like to see what Mikel Arteta can do and I'd like to see him given that time.
"However, results are everything and once someone squeezes, puts the pressure on and one of the board members starts to panic then I wouldn't be surprised if it did happen."
Asked about the possibility of Arsenal winning a trophy this season, Winterburn responded:
"We need to talk about current form with the manager and the players who have got to turn it around quickly. Back-to-back victories will help them build confidence and belief within the team.
"There's lots of games still to come. People keep talking about the run in the Europa League - I expected Arsenal to win those games. When talking about the Premier League though, it's ruthless.
"You're coming up against strong opponents every single week."
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