31 August 2023 , 11:37
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On the 28th of August 2011, Manchester United inflicted Arsenal's heaviest league defeat since 1927 when they demolished the Gunners 8-2 at Old Trafford.
Despite the fact that many within Arsenal's fanbase saw that day as the day then-manager Arsene Wenger should have either been dismissed from his post or walk away of his own volition, he stayed at the helm for another seven years, winning three more trophies in the process.
But those three FA Cups are arguably not the Frenchman's best contribution to the club between the day of the Old Trafford demolition and the day of his departure. Many could claim that it actually came just three days after the humiliation at the hands of United, this date 12 years ago when on deadline day 2011 Wenger landed the signatures of both Mikel Arteta and Per Mertesacker.
Two gifted, technical players that much is undeniable, with Arteta in particular known to English football followers from his time at Everton. The pair would win two of those aforementioned FA Cups together, but Arteta had called time on his playing career before the Gunners won the third in 2017.
However, it is not what the duo did on the pitch back then, but what they are doing off of it now that matters most to Arsenal fans across the world. Had it not been for that calamitous capitulation against United so early on in that 2011/12 season, there's every chance Arteta and Mertesacker wouldn't have been signed. To this day, many feel both of them were 'panic buys' in response to the dismal display in Manchester.
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Whatever the motives were behind Wenger's decision to sign Arteta and Mertesacker are no longer of concern. The key thing is that both of them clearly learnt from the iconic French coach during their time as Arsenal players and now both boast two of the most important roles in the club.
Mertesacker and Arteta went on to prove crucial additions to Arsenal on and off the pitch (Bongarts/Getty Images)Arteta is of course now first-team manager, while Mertesacker is now running Arsenal's academy. They work closely, with the latter's aim to produce and provide the former with as many in-house talents as possible. It seems to be working a treat, with the likes of Ethan Nwaneri, Amario Cozier-Duberry and Myles Lewis-Skelly all tipped for first-team minutes soon.
At first-team level, Arteta has helped transform Arsenal in comparison to the club he found upon his return in 2019. The Spaniard himself admitted the Gunners were in dire straights when he was named as Unai Emery's successor.
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Speaking earlier this summer, the Arsenal boss told MARCA : "This started [over] three years ago. I was Pep's assistant at City, we played against Arsenal and I saw that the soul of the club had been lost.
"It was not enjoyed, it was not felt. I knew that there was the option, shortly after, of being on the other bench and I knew that this club is so big that you had to connect the team with the fans.
"It has been hard to do, and now I feel happy. We have a clear identity, there is union and we are full of energy. That's the biggest thing. From top to bottom, they all push in the same direction."
Last season's second-placed finish has provided hope that they can go one better this term and win their first Premier League title since 2004. Arteta of all people knows how tough that will be up against the might of Manchster City, but for now his full focus will be on trying to win the next game.
So much of Arteta's relationship with Arsenal is intertwined by clashes with United, Sunday's opponents. His first win as Arsenal boss? A 2-0 victory over the Red Devils on New Year's Day 2020. It was Arteta who guided the Gunners to their first league win at Old Trafford in 14 years. It was Arteta that Wenger deemed the asnwer following the infamous 8-2 defeat.
Twelve years on, that looks like the correct call from the Frenchman after all.
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