Mikel Arteta to Arsenal: FA ban sparks row as Gunners play dirty | Soccer | Sport

Set goals, title challenges and huge summer spending may be the norm at Arsenal now under Mikel Arteta. But if one characteristic has accentuated the changes made during the Spaniard’s five-year reign, it is his bad streak on and off the field.

Arteta took charge in December 2019 after being poached from Manchester Citywhere he worked as Pep Guardiolathe assistant. Having been handed a tired and aging Gunners squad riddled with indiscipline, the inexperienced boss quickly made his mark in north London.

He sent off popular playmaker Mesut Özil, sent Matteo Guendouzi packing and escorted their previous record-breaker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, out the door.

The sweetness that had apparently infected Arsenal during Arsène Wenger’s tenure was dissipating. Instead, players were asked to either align themselves with Arteta’s regime or opt out.

Few can claim that his methods are not effective, with Arsenal coming closer than ever to the end of their long wait for national success. They have gone from successive eighth places to challenging City all the way in the title race in each of the last two years. Premier League seasons.

To do this, they have had to change their identity from flashy football to the ‘dark arts’ – and no one beats that drum louder than Arteta, who has earned a reputation for being outspoken when it comes to referees and VAR.

His frustrations came to a head during a controversial match against Newcastlewhich Arsenal lost 1-0 after Anthony Gordon’s goal was allowed. VAR carried out a triple check to see if the ball had gone out of play before Joe Willock’s cross, whether Joelinton had fouled Gabriel, the Arsenal defender, and if Gordon was offside.

But in all three cases, officials sided Newcastle and the goal stood as the Gunners suffered a damaging defeat at St James’ Park. After the match, the Spaniard called the decision an “absolute shame”.

Arteta expressed his fury at VAR and said: “You have to talk about how that goal stood up? Amazing. I feel embarrassed. I now have to come here and try to defend the club and ask for help, because it is an absolute disgrace that this goal was allowed. An absolute shame.

The FA charged Arteta with a breach of Rule E3.1 for his comments, which were deemed “insulting to match officials and/or detrimental to the game and/or bringing the game into disrepute”.

Arsenal stood firmly behind their manager and released a statement the next day that read: “The Premier League is the best league in the world with the best players, coaches and fans, all of whom deserve better,” the statement read.

“PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) must urgently address refereeing standards and focus on action that moves us all from retrospective analysis, attempted explanations and excuses.”

He was later cleared of any wrongdoing. The ugly incident led to something positive as Arteta held ‘positive meetings’ with PGMOL to clear things up.

Yet there are no signs the passionate boss is ready to ease up on the touchline and a yellow card earned in a 4-3 win over Luton meant he was banned from the touchline for one match.

His record could be summed up as just one FA Cup trophy to his name in five years, but with help from the inspirational Bukayo Sakathe creative Martin Odegaard and the indomitable William Saliba, Arteta has reinvigorated Arsenal become a real European force again.

He may have made a few enemies along the way within the FA and PGMOL, but the 42-year-old from San Sebastian doesn’t care if it means finally toppling Guardiola and winning his first title in 21 years old.