Who would you like to see as next manager POLL

[falkirk goon]

-Arteta will say farewell to his friends at Manchester after Oxford clash today
-Arteta's contract with Arsenal is until 2023
-Salary of £5m per annum
-Official announcement by Arsenal tomorrow
-Presentation conference tomorrow at noon

[@TheAFCBeII]

When he messes up he will get a big pay off then...

Fixed for you mate

[IW8Goalmachine]

If it's on Twitter it must be true.

I never said if it was true or false

[SydneyGooner]

Evening Standard saying it's a three and a half year contract.

[SydneyGooner]

The Times

Mikel Arteta is expected to be unveiled as the new manager of Arsenal in the next 48 hours.

Sources close to Manchester City’s assistant coach expect him to be in charge for Arsenal’s Premier League encounter at Everton on Saturday, when it could well be that Carlo Ancelotti is sat in the opposite dug-out as the new manager at Goodison Park.

As The Times reported earlier this week, Arteta has had three separate meetings with members of the Arenal hierarchy, including face-to-face talks with Josh Kroenke, the son of owner Stan, and what was supposed to be a secret meeting at his Cheshire home with Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham in the early hours of Monday morning.

Arsenal officials were photographed leaving Arteta’s house at the conclusion of those talks, which left the Spaniard’s Manchester employers distinctly unimpressed given no official approach had been made to the English champions.

But it is understood a compensation fee has been agreed, as have the terms of Arteta’s new deal with Arsenal.


Arteta is still due to be alongside Pep Guardiola at this evening’s EFL Cup quarter-final clash at Oxford, but is then expected to part company with City and take up his new post in the next 48 hours.

Guardiola criticised Arsenal for the manner of their pursuit of Mikel Arteta, believing that they should have been more open about their desire for the Spaniard to succeed Unai Emery.

The Manchester City manager has revealed key figures from the two clubs spent time together during his side’s 3-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium in north London on Sunday, but that no mention was made of the future of his No 2.

City’s executives are known to be unhappy with Arsenal’s pursuit of the 37-year-old, a position backed up by their manager, in light of Sunday’s developments. “Mikel was honest with me. Arsenal? We were there two days ago,” Guardiola, 48, said.

“They were talking with our sporting director, the CEO and they didn’t say anything. I don’t know if the meeting [with Arteta] was because they didn’t want to make it public, but in the end it was public.

“Sometimes it’s not easy to handle this kind of situation. We cannot deny that all the clubs around the world make the first contact behind the scenes and try to avoid the clubs that are in charge, they don’t realise it and the media don’t realise it, so that process is normal.

“But all I can say as far as I’m concerned is that Mikel was clear with me and that’s all. Perhaps there is a problem with the chairman and the CEO [at Arsenal], they have to talk to each other.”

The snub delivered to Arteta by Arsenal 18 months ago, when they chose Emery to succeed Arsène Wenger, has not affected his desire to take over at the club he represented for five seasons at the end of his playing career.

Guardiola believes that he will develop into a fine manager, but he has warned him of the size of job he will face at a club in decline. Arsenal have failed to qualify for the Champions League for the past two seasons and are tenth in the Premier League, 27 points behind the leaders, Liverpool.

When asked if he thought it would be possible for Arteta to elevate Arsenal to the level of City, Guardiola replied: “I don’t know. When Arsène [Wenger] took over the team, he raised the club to another level and now they are struggling.

“Mikel’s a professional and a person I don’t have doubts about. If he stays I’d be happy, incredibly, because we all work together really well.

“If he decides to move I’ll wish him all the best, for him, his family and for his professional future.

“When the club takes a decision to replace the manager or buy players it’s always to attempt to be better. Whether it’s going to happen or not with Arsenal, I don’t know.”

[mcdowell42]

No contract signed so far as of now with Mikel Arteta, fine details close to being finalised such as assistants and what role Freddie will play as part of coaching staff. Told Freddie is staying though. Should be clarified tomorrow

[Topside Northbank]

Arteta it is then what if anything he can do with that defense and midfield can't expect anything much to change unless he gets serious money in January.Which I don't see happening.

I'm in no doubt if FL had overseen win's at Norwich and home to Brighton....we were always going to get stuffed by City he may well have been kept on until the end of the season as a cheap option or even get a permanent deal.

Arteta may be an excellent coach but how do you improve the toilet we have at the back impossible.organized or not our defense is championship level.laugh but Steve McClaren and Brian Kidd were also seen as great coaches,management is a different ball game.Players more than ever will throw in the towel and throw the manager under the bus.

He has to be given time.First managerial appointment we are taking a massive risk.I will give him time and support him especially if he writes off the usual slackers.

The season is a write off for me,maybe a Europa or FA Cup run but I don't see any dramatic upturn in results,he should just look to bin as much rubbish as he can in January and the summer,it is going to be about seeing some green shoots and looking for a style of play,no one expects miracles.

[GoonerMuzz]

Discouraging appointment to say the least and it is asymptomatic of where our once great club has arrived.

As with any new Coach, i wont say Manager, he gets the support until he is no longer worthy of it however what he can do with this bunch i have no idea and i genuinely can't see him dropping Ozil, Xhaka or any of the other Muppets any time soon, the available alternatives are nearly as bad and due to injuries etc we are already a little threadbare.

Can he improve things, there is always hope, but in reality i think he'll struggle to even steady the ship. This is less about his experience and ability and more about the desire of the players, he can cajole them, harangue them or even mollycoddle them but if the players hearts aren't in it then there is very little he can do and in my opinion there are a core of players who have lost any interest in playing for the Arsenal and want out the door, i cant see them suddenly buying into Mr Blands philosophy when other clubs are showing interest.

We are royally fucked unless Arteta can perform miracles in a short space of time, and much as i hate the appointment of Arteta the blame for this mess falls squarely on the shoulders of those who appointed him. If however he succeeds it will be the appointment of the decade, but if he fails I wont blame him because it fall on the board and directors and they deserves all the abuse they get.

[Natural Born Gooner]

Meh appointment!

[Topside Northbank]

Discouraging appointment to say the least and it is asymptomatic of where our once great club has arrived.

As with any new Coach, i wont say Manager, he gets the support until he is no longer worthy of it however what he can do with this bunch i have no idea and i genuinely can't see him dropping Ozil, Xhaka or any of the other Muppets any time soon, the available alternatives are nearly as bad and due to injuries etc we are already a little threadbare.

Can he improve things, there is always hope, but in reality i think he'll struggle to even steady the ship. This is less about his experience and ability and more about the desire of the players, he can cajole them, harangue them or even mollycoddle them but if the players hearts aren't in it then there is very little he can do and in my opinion there are a core of players who have lost any interest in playing for the Arsenal and want out the door, i cant see them suddenly buying into Mr Blands philosophy when other clubs are showing interest.

We are royally fucked unless Arteta can perform miracles in a short space of time, and much as i hate the appointment of Arteta the blame for this mess falls squarely on the shoulders of those who appointed him. If however he succeeds it will be the appointment of the decade, but if he fails I wont blame him because it falls board and directors and they deserves all the abuse they get.

Very good post and my thoughts entirely.Man City upset with our approach and how it was done,,,, like they have never done it especially unsettling our players all wanted out Barndoor,Clichy,Nasty Nas and Sagna let alone other players you have to laugh.

They the board are having a big punt on a coach with a decent reputation,no experience and reeks of what they did in LA with hiring a young coach different game of course.

At 37 years old how is he going to play it try and get the players onside as you say,the captains of the squad like Ozil,Xhaka ex skipper.Luiz good luck Arteta you really will need luck and January to be kind in getting not just bad players out but weak and spineless characters out of the dressing room,

[mcdowell42]

According to @MENSports, Man City are adamant that they have not agreed a deal for Arteta despite reports that his move to Arsenal is done and dusted. City sources insist that there has still has been no contact from #Arsenal. https://t.co/M27CGuCRq4

[Natural Born Gooner]

Well it looks like we're appointing Sammy Lee Mk.2. Fuck me this is depressing!

[Topside Northbank]

Don't think it would matter if we got Klopp in that defense is relegation material.

Good luck Arteta pretty sure he was in charge of City last season in a CL game or two and they struggled,lost 2-1 at home to Lyon he was sat down writing things IIRC.

Hopefully the budget if he comes includes a personalized biro and pad as he will be writing war and peace on what is wrong with what he is seeing.

Sorry lads got to have gallows hunour,we are in serious decline and could get worse before better especially as the board are a bunch of charlatans.

[Jock Gooner]

Discouraging appointment to say the least and it is asymptomatic of where our once great club has arrived.

We are royally fucked

Very good post and my thoughts entirely.Man City upset with our approach and how it was done,,,, like they have never done it especially unsettling our players all wanted out Barndoor,Clichy,Nasty Nas and Sagna let alone other players you have to laugh.

I was thinking along the same lines re citeh being upset with the approach...when you think about how their shitty club benefited from our players over the years and all they are losing is the no 2 to their main man

Seamo, rocky, Marwood, Vieira, Toure and anelka also did a bit for city over the years ......fuc.king ungrateful manc cu.nts.

Oh but we did give them Eddie McG too so maybe they're entitled to hold a grudge

[Arsenal Till I Die]

Hopefully the budget if he comes includes a personalized biro and pad as he will be writing war and peace on what is wrong with what he is seeing.

[mcdowell42]

Ornstein: "Arsenal do hope to make an appointment this week, but even people they have been speaking to in private, they have been urging a little bit of caution - playing their cards very close to their chest."

A City source tells the Mirror: "Its surprising to hear that plans are being made by #Arsenal to unveil our coach as their Head Coach on Friday on the basis that no contact has been made by the club to discuss this matter" https://t.co/UAdkDGDQG8

The Telegraph say City are not going to stand in Arteta’s way but they are understood to be enraged by #Arsenal’s conduct as they were yet to receive any approach ahead of their meeting with Oxford tonight. https://t.co/3sPWLupG2b