Arsenal have been told to keep faith in Mikel Arteta after a fan suggested he should be sacked.
That’s the belief of former Chelsea defender and talkSPORT presenter Jason Cundy, who praised the Gunners boss for making huge progress.
Arteta transformed Arsenal from whiplash to title contenders, but a disastrous week saw them lose top spot in the Premier League, before crashing out of Europe.
The north Londoners lost 1-0 away to Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, with their Champions League journey ending in the quarter-finals.
And it was too much for one disgruntled Gooner, as Jason phoned the Sports Bar to say: “We lost the home game. No German fans on the pitch, it was all Arsenal.
“It was up to us to take and do a number on them, we couldn’t do it. And Mikel Arteta, Aston Villa this weekend, he was trained by [Unai] Emery.
“He was trained as a manager by Emery, do you agree or not?”
After Cundy and Jamie O’Hara agreed that he did, the supporter then said: “Okay, well he has to go, doesn’t he?”
It was at this point that O’Hara simply buried his head in his hand in disbelief, while Jason continued: “I told you, big club, small manager.
“Tell me which club Mikel Arteta managed before he came to Arsenal and what he won? That’s what I’m going to ask you.”
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Cundy was quick to defend Arteta, remarking: “I’m surprised that’s your first thought, because there’s no doubt about it, where Arsenal were, when Arteta arrived, where you are now, you have made enormous progress.
“Now I’m not saying keep him in that position just to make progress, at some point there has to be something to show.
“But there’s no way on this earth I’m thinking about removing Arteta now, there’s no way I’m going anywhere near it.”
O’Hara responded by claiming that Arteta is an “almost a man”, prompting the talkSPORT caller to declare that he would have the same conversation about the Spaniard next season and that he ” must go.”
After Arteta was told “he doesn’t have the minerals”, Cundy said: “I think what it shows us, when you bring in players like [Eddie] Nketiah and [Gabriel] Jesus, I don’t think Arsenal are that far away from another challenge next year.
“I know everyone is going to get stronger, but we need to put another striker in there. I still think there is room for improvement in this team.
“But you need someone on the bench or a starter, you have Kai Havertz up there, he’s not a No.9.”
Arsenal fan Jason then said Arteta ‘doesn’t have what it takes’, leading Cundy to say: ‘I don’t think that’s what you should be thinking about right now .
“I think you should go back and give Arteta a number 9, any Chelsea fan will tell you, he will do a job up there, Kai Havertz, for you. He will.
“But when it comes to things like this, that’s where someone needs to step up.”
Arsenal have been told to keep faith in Mikel Arteta after a fan suggested he should be sacked.
That’s the belief of former Chelsea defender and talkSPORT presenter Jason Cundy, who praised the Gunners boss for making huge progress.
Arteta transformed Arsenal from whiplash to title contenders, but a disastrous week saw them lose top spot in the Premier League, before crashing out of Europe.
The north Londoners lost 1-0 away to Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, with their Champions League journey ending in the quarter-finals.
And it was too much for one disgruntled Gooner, as Jason phoned the Sports Bar to say: “We lost the home game. No German fans on the pitch, it was all Arsenal.
“It was up to us to take and do a number on them, we couldn’t do it. And Mikel Arteta, Aston Villa this weekend, he was trained by [Unai] Emery.
“He was trained as a manager by Emery, do you agree or not?”
After Cundy and Jamie O’Hara agreed that he did, the supporter then said: “Okay, well he has to go, doesn’t he?”
It was at this point that O’Hara simply buried his head in his hand in disbelief, while Jason continued: “I told you, big club, small manager.
“Tell me which club Mikel Arteta managed before he came to Arsenal and what he won? That’s what I’m going to ask you.”
Most read in the Champions League
Cundy was quick to defend Arteta, remarking: “I’m surprised that’s your first thought, because there’s no doubt about it, where Arsenal were, when Arteta arrived, where you are now, you have made enormous progress.
“Now I’m not saying keep him in that position just to make progress, at some point there has to be something to show.
“But there’s no way on this earth I’m thinking about removing Arteta now, there’s no way I’m going anywhere near it.”
O’Hara responded by claiming that Arteta is an “almost a man”, prompting the talkSPORT caller to declare that he would have the same conversation about the Spaniard next season and that he ” must go.”
After Arteta was told “he doesn’t have the minerals”, Cundy said: “I think what it shows us, when you bring in players like [Eddie] Nketiah and [Gabriel] Jesus, I don’t think Arsenal are that far away from another challenge next year.
“I know everyone is going to get stronger, but we need to put another striker in there. I still think there is room for improvement in this team.
“But you need someone on the bench or a starter, you have Kai Havertz up there, he’s not a No.9.”
Arsenal fan Jason then said Arteta ‘doesn’t have what it takes’, leading Cundy to say: ‘I don’t think that’s what you should be thinking about right now .
“I think you should go back and give Arteta a number 9, any Chelsea fan will tell you, he will do a job up there, Kai Havertz, for you. He will.
“But when it comes to things like this, that’s where someone needs to step up.”