Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo
Sport
Ben Hayward

Can Arsenal win Premier League under Mikel Arteta? Club legend has doubts over Gunners boss

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta applauds after a game against Chelsea in October 2023.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has received some criticism from an unexpected source, with the Basque's Premier League credentials questioned by a former Gunners favourite.

Arteta has led Arsenal to second place behind Manchester City in each of the last two Premier League seasons and the Gunners finished just two points behind Pep Guardiola's side in 2023/24.

However, the north Londoners looked to be in a commanding position in both seasons, only to be overtaken by City in the final weeks to end up empty-handed.

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann at a FIFA legends game in December 2022. (Image credit: Getty Images)

"Arteta has done really well bringing Arsenal up, but if he is the right man for Arsenal now… I am not sure," former Gunners goalkeeper Jens Lehmann told The Telegraph in an interview.

"Last year, they were leading, and in one month [April], they lost it [three draws and one defeat]. The culmination was when [Bukayo] Saka missed the penalty against West Ham at 2-0 up and it was a draw. It was two points."

Lehmann is unsure whether Arteta has the winning mentality needed to get Arsenal over the line in the Premier League and he added: "What people who hire coaches sometimes don't understand is that the personality of the coach is super important as well.

"Look at the personality of the coach. Is he a winner, or is he a nice guy who brings you to a certain level and then it is over? Inside a football team people thought the same [about me] but after a while they changed their minds, they thought: 'Okay, he is difficult but he helps me to win'.

"The difference between winning and losing is that losing is very easy. You don’t need to do a lot to lose. You don’t have to practice a lot. You don’t need to argue with your team-mates. You don’t need to argue with the coach. You don’t need to command a lot, to challenge a lot. When you lose it’s nice and it’s no effort. Everyone can lose. You do nothing – you lose. But you are a nice loser.

"You want to win? It’s the opposite. You have to do a lot. You have to talk a lot, you have to argue a lot, you have to discuss, you have to dispute a lot. That takes time and energy but it is worth it and along the way it creates friction."

More Arsenal stories

Arsenal and Manchester United on alert for HUGE signings, following Barcelona latest financial woes

Why Trent Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice can't have their preferred numbers at Euro 2024

Premier League released XI as Manchester United and Liverpool stars feature

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.