Arsenal would not be top of the league without the vision, execution and coaching quality of Mikel Arteta. The Spaniard has been the spearhead of the club’s revival and is the critical reason behind the rapid upturn in the club’s fortunes.
Since the Gunners' last league title in 2004, they have been outperformed and outspent by a number of teams but perhaps none more so than Chelsea. Roman Abramovich’s arrival which was then compounded by the takeover at Manchester City was potentially the worst thing that could have befallen the club.
Moving to a new ground, facing financial restrictions and players like Patrick Vieira moving on with Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp reaching the end of their time at the club was bad enough. Chelsea though, coming to the fore in the way they did, signing Ashley Cole and going on to become the most successful club in England over the next near-two decades was horrific timing.
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Now, though, there is a new horizon for both clubs and Abramovich’s departure replaced by arguably a new owner with even more willingness to spend, Todd Boehly, has created an opportunity for Arsenal. Although Chelsea are continuing to spend big, there is a lack of a decisive vision in West London.
Whoever took the reigns of the Blues would always have a huge impact on Arsenal. Just look back at what the last owner achieved in the time the Gunners slipped into a purgatorial state in the league.
Yet, Boehly has overseen a record-breaking level of investment which has resulted in a very poor league position with Chelsea currently sitting in the bottom half. Two managers have been sacked already this season despite an initial indication that the American wanted to build a long-term project at the club.
Many Arsenal supporters will be very familiar with feelings of doubt surrounding Arteta after back-to-back eighth-place finishes but patience and loyalty from the club have proven dividend. However, it’s certain the Spaniard wouldn’t have been able to do it without the collaboration and shared mindset of those above him.
Graham Potter, who was only recently sacked, never looked to see his vision realised. The January approach to recruitment just looked a further extension of the scattergun approach of the summer and certainly with a hint of school classroom copying of the Gunners’ targets.
Arsenal wanted both Joao Felix and Mykhailo Mudryk and only lost out it seems thanks to the Blues' willingness to spend considerably more. It’s hard not to believe both could have achieved more under Arteta and in this current Gunners group; just look at the elevation to Leandro Trossard’s output in such a short period of time.
Frank Lampard has, rather shockingly, been put in place until the end of the season. It’s difficult to see the benefit of installing a coach when the flip side was the see if Potter could recover a strong end to the season going into his first summer transfer window.
They might go the route of Luis Enrique, a manager that strikes the familiar observer of Chelsea as a return to form in that sector. Or Julian Nagelsmann who again appears better in a long-term project environment despite his short sub-two-year stint at Bayern Munich.
Despite nearly a full year down under Boehly Chelsea remain without identity or vision. Arsenal, meanwhile, under Mikel Arteta could not be more focused on their goals and know exactly how they want to achieve them.
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