Today’s post is by PA regular Double Canister.
“He is Arsène Wenger on the pitch.”
I was prompted to write this after I saw a tweet to George saying as much and felt I could expand a bit on why I believe it is so.
I would have to state my conflict of interest first – the only Arsenal shirt I have ever put a name and number on the back of – ever – is Arteta No 8.
Mikel is far too highly skilled as a footballer for what other teams and commentators see as the classic Defensive Midfield role. He is not Makélélé, thankfully. He is not quite like Gilberto Silva as the Invisible Wall. We all know he is a better all-round footballer than Flamini. He is the man behind our multiple sexy attacking threats up front and the mind-fielder and is the oil in the engine of the Arsenal midfield. His contract expires in January 2015. He will be 32 years old this March, we may be seeing the best of him right now.
Arteta is a deep-lying playmaker. He wins the ball, see things, sees players – makes passes, and as was said by others – he can see the pass beyond the first pass. There is no one else in the English league I would compare him to. He is always available as the recovery pass. He hardly ever gives the ball away. He is not as psychotic as Roy Keane was though. He does the heavy pressing for Arsenal, and with Rosicky, they can both form a proper tiki-taka (the other half of what Barca used to do so well) and do what has to be done to press and win the ball back.
Pivot ye not
So what does Arteta do so well? Is he something like a trequartista or a regista? No, not exactly. In Argentine and Uruguayan football, a playmaker is known as an enganche – literally meaning “hook”. In basketball it’s called the point guard. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, they are expected to run the team’s offense by controlling the ball and making sure that it gets to the right players at the right time. Above all, the point guard must totally understand and accept his coach’s game plan; a point guard is a coach on the floor, who can handle and distribute the ball to teammates.
Situational awareness
It leads to a deeper question: what kind of football does Arsenal at the moment play under Wenger?
Wengerball!
Is the simple answer, but what really is that?
New Wengerball© is a unique blend of possessional, direct, and total football. I have often argued that the traditional DM role is obsolete at teams like Arsenal, we expect our players to be complete; defenders attack – attackers defend. You know – Total Football style. We also expect our midfielders to possess extraordinary levels of energy and skill (and a bit of nous too). We don’t use a holding midfielder anymore, as this would restrict our attack options by using up one of the midfield positions. Each and every one of the 6 players in front of the defence is an attacking weapon. It is a lightning quick pass-move system. Throw in one or the other of our two overlapping fullbacks as well. Teams we play against don’t know from where – or who – the next ball towards their goalmouth will come. Most English teams usually operate with only one recognised playmaker; Arsenal usually have 4 or 5. Arteta’s role as the point guard requires unusual skill and adaptability, combined with intelligent positioning. Look as Gerrard struggles so desperately whilst being converted into the same position so late in his career.
Festina lente
And what has this to do with asymmetric warfare?
There is as a phrase used in the military ‘Slow is smooth, and smooth is quick’. Arteta will ensure he (or at least one other covering player) stays around no further forward than centre circle when everyone else is playing school yard football. Lying deeper, he can orchestrate the movement of the whole team. His starting position is quite deep, probably due to fading pace but that is rarely exposed as he is usually first to react to loose balls. Mikel rarely gives the ball away. He gets criticised, unjustly, for making some side and back passes but he is no Carrack – there is a logic to what he does – the ball will be moving forward again after the next pass, often to one of the killer attackers like Ramsey, Wilshere, Cazorla or Ozil. The point is he can keep recycling the play from side to side, front to back, keep the passing rhythm, the tempo and speed impossibly high, until the opposition falter or make a mistake – and then BOOM!
Why he is Wenger’s brain on the pitch
Arteta has discipline – he will stick to the task. How many late goals have the Arsenal scored? How many late goals are conceded when he’s around? It often takes 70+ minutes to break down teams who play against us with a parked bus. In the last 20 minutes, when Arsenal are still usually trying to make sure of the result in the match, you will see some very interesting things happen.
Santi, Rosicky and Theo will typically keep swapping sides. Sanga may drop back into defensive mode and Monreal or Gibbs will be the one pushing forward.
The first 70 minutes were merely feints, the real XXXX comes now. Ozil becomes alive, new attack angles appear everywhere. Defenses can’t cope, but we need Arteta to be the one pinging the ball around to make it happen. His passing from the deep positions has to be spot-on reliable – and it usually is. Lying deeper, he has an oversight of the entire game from his usual position around the centre circle. He can move up or back depending on the situation and provides the extra body to an attack or a defence. Oh, and he will take one for the team if he has too. A +70% tackle success rate but he is not shy about the odd rugby tackle on an opponent if that is the last resort, and accruing the inevitable yellow card if he sees that we have been left too exposed behind him.
This photo of them – they are soul mates
Arteta has the intelligence and senior experience to understand what must be done. Both never had international careers. It’s Arsenal or nothing for them both now. Their careers will not go on for much longer. It has to be done now.
Now watch this and tell me I’m wrong:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98xvudh4aB4
Double Canister can be told he’s wrong on Twitter @double_canister
Positively Arsenal 
Is he something like a trequartista or a regista?
pmsl
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great post DC, thank you.
im off to laugh at durham now asking what bergkamp has done to deserve a statue …. suggesting that alan smith and ian wright deserve it more than dennis ….
is durham english?
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Tremendous piece DC – very readable and very illuminating.
An intelligent player like Mikel can play anywhere, as he has got a little older he has learned to read the game that much better.
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”He is Arsène Wenger on the pitch.”
haha… mert too ..both tall skinny adorably clumsy and intelligent readers of the game
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Fantastic stuff DC,on top of all of these things he is a fantastic pro-a fine example to all our younger players-as Hunter says,it’s him and Per that have made such a difference and are AW’s men on the pitch. At the end of last season I think it was the Wigan or Everton game I was fortunate enough to get a seat downstairs on the halfway line and I swear to god Arteta did not shut up through the whole game especially with Aaron,not bollocking-prompting & coaching-one of AW’s best signings in my opinion.
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heh no no mel….a panic buy remember ?
still dont want him anywhere near penalties though….go on and shame me now mikel… now you can go on and score the most important one in our history… voodoo…
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Wow, what a wonderful piece, many, many thanks DC!
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Well done DC. I can’t say I disagree and I also believe MIKEL moved to the ARSENAL in part due to his wish to be some day considered for the national team. I know he is getting on in years but no one can do what he can as well as he can. Even though the Spanish national team is overflowing with talent in every position I still think he might be called up and I certainly wish for him to achieve that dream and goal. Meanwhile, for the immediate future he is all ours and there is nothing else on his mind but ARSENAL.
on another topic I can’t understand what this world has come to as far as stoke is concerned.. A hot reception is being prepared for the return of AARON to the Britannia by their fans?? They should forever be apologetic to this young man for what he went through due to an assaults by one of their men. And I mean forever. Its a credit to him and the ARSENAL that he and his career are back on track and doing very well thank you. These halfwits are planning to abuse him now and boo his every touch.
Like I said before, where the heck has all decency disappeared to. The world is turning upside down. I hope he gets a chance to shut them the hell up with a great game. Preferably with a few touches of his ending up in the back of their net. Absolute class on his part to shut up the hordes up there with no class.
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Very, very enjoyable read DC – thanks, and well done; I especially appreciate those posts that add to my understanding of the game and it’s players and this is one of those.
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Mel – yes, it’s interesting what you pick up from the game when you are very close to the pitch. Another one prone to the never-ending chat is Flamini and Per (not necessarily between each other) and frankly, it’s terrific to see as it hasn’t always been our strongest attribute.
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Goonerkam – those primitive Stokies are going to surprise themselves with how busy they will be on Saturday with their projected abuse of Aaron who will most likely be safely enconsced in London/anywherethatisn’tStoke – he’s not due back until the Spuds game on March 16th, as I understand things.
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If his contract expires in January 2015 why has there been little comment on a new deal for him, or is he planning on hanging up his boots sometime soon? Guess he can’t go on forever, but I’d like to think there is at least one more full season in him.
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Wonderful piece, DC. Thanks.
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The Prince.
I cannot undrstand how that City midfielder gets into the Spain squad ahead of Arteta, but I’m not complaining! I guess the Marquis can point to Martinez. Like all great managers, he makes mistakes too! (Whisper it. Can’t let the Groaners find out. I don’t want to be the one who forces them to engage their football brains).
Arteta may not try the Hollywood pass every ball but some of the lofted clips to Sagna on Saturday were very tasty. With Carzola pinging them in the other direction it was hard for Sunderland to please Gazprom fan Tony Gale on the eve of a final whilst chasing after the ball hacking (cheating) their way through the game risking injuries or suspension.
Sunderland attempted some attacks after going behind early in the game. When they came forward there were crunching challenges from Arteta, Sagna even the ‘keeper. Sunderland were not as poor on the day as some have said, Arsenal were just too good.
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Ah.. What a wonderful post. Mikel ‘s intelligence is definitely something which is serving us well now , as a player and a coach, some very lucky team in the future.
When he first took the position the balls he played to the CBs sometimes put them in trouble, however as he has developed the role he has eliminated this flaw from his game. When Mikel is on his game then ARSENAL tick and his many passes searching for holes in the opposition are like a boxer throwing hundreds of jabs into the body of his victim waiting for that moment when the big blow will see them lying on the floor.
Gk, I think AA is right and Aarons return is not expected quite so early as stoke due to the set backs he’s had in training.
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Obviously not as good as the piece I wrote on Arteta in the summer, but not bad DC.
I have a sneaky feeling that one of the potential long term plans is for Arteta to become an Arsenal manager one day. He has the potential.
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My money was on Bould, before he was even appointed as assistant manager. That’s why I remember the Groaners groaning at the appointment, before belated and lame efforts were made to credit all improvements upon his shoulders. The Groaners, they know how to groan.
Arsene’s ‘eyes and ears’ could well be in with a shout one day. Interesting.
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AW” Arteta is a very intelligent player, he understands EVERYTHING that is happening on the pitch. He is underrated,but not by us”
I just love Mikel.
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Great analysis of a fantastic player
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Right then
Zadok the Priest
30,000 raging Greeks
Another uncomfortable night for the chosen one in prospect
A good evening beckons
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Thanks for putting up the piece George, I thought after the 5-1 drubbing at Liverpool poor Mikel’s reputation would be damaged long term (and this blog chucked into the wastebasket) but he put in a vintage performance last Saturday against Sunderland.
That was watching the team hit a higher gear that they normally manage to reach at times, the 1st half against Napoli was also exceptional.
Himself and Rosicky – they get it.
Thanks SA – Mikel does look like coach or management material.
Poor deluded & bitter stokies, I think Aaron will be at Twickenham next weekend, hopefully watching his Nation do a bit better than the Irish did.
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Really super article from Alistair Brookshaw (@albrookshaw) over at our friend Mean Lean’s Arsenal Vision:
http://www.arsenalvision.co.uk/articles/4557-the-naive-optimism-of-arsenal-fans.html
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Hat-trick for Campbell.
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thanks dc.
and thank you again because you have written a piece to praise one of our players without destroying the others. this i find very encouraging which others can learn from. every arsenal player is unique and important piece in the team formation altogether. sometimes arteta is not my kind of player but whenever he is not playing, i begin to querry the reason he wasnt included.
arteta is arsene wenger on the pitch but you dc are arsene wenger on this blog. why, you didnt destroy other players just because you want to emphasis the importance of arteta. just like mouthrinhole is destroying eto’o just to praise falcao.
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Exceptional piece of work there DC. The volume of nonsense I read online about Arteta is evidence that too many football fans are beholden to stereotypes and tradition. How often do we read that Mikel is useless because he is not your typical midfield destroyer. Cue some comparison with Flamini, Tiote, Wanyama, Obi-Mikel etc. Or the dissing of MA8 because of the importance he gives to retaining possession rather than making long, hollywood passes to the opposition defenders a la Steven Gerard. Or the slagging because he is no Usain Bolt, instead giving empasis to superior positioning vs his opponents.
The question we should ask the doubters, are we a better team since Mikel replaced Alex Song as a midfield anchor.
OK case closed.
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There was a game recently, which we either won or lost, (and forgive me, for I can’t remember the match or the date) when he was interviewed almost before the final whistle: he was absolutely incensed and spitting blood. This team really matters to him, and that’s worth more than the odd yard of pace sometimes.
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Great well-written and spot on article. Agree with every word. Thanks for writing it.
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“When he first took the position the balls he played to the CBs sometimes put them in trouble, however as he has developed the role he has eliminated this flaw from his game.”
I confess to some early doubts about him when he first joined the team for this very reason. But now I see what DC means and I understand and appreciate his importance to the team. Really interesting piece DC. I enjoyed reading your thoughts on his position.
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(0(
Mouthinhole. Good one.
ANDREW & A OR B
glad AARON won’t have to put up with that nonsense, .this time.
My point is why should he ffs. Any decent crowd anywhere would applaud and cheer a player coming back this strong after sinking so low due to a criminal assault. Here he gets abuse. Incredible. Where is your sense of decency? Hell, where is your sense of guilt? Human beings , hayyy. The cruelty and the base animal savagery. Heck it doesn’t surprise me anymore. There are fires burning all over the world. It is very disheartening. To say the least.
GO ON CAMPBELL!!!! TRASH MANURE. GREEK PRIDE. GIVE IT TO THEM. MAKEEM EAT GRASS.!!!
there. Out of my system.
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Enjoy the game
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Totally unrelated to the post, but I’ve just found this on Arsenal Player – It’s good to see a different side of the players.
http://player.arsenal.com/player/4777-unclassic-commentary
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gr8 article dc, very informative I remember that shirt from dublin, where I must admit a few groaners did reside & we carried the hopes of the abu. keep up the positivity, right on shotta, love these lads.
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Good 45 from Campbell.
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campbell will make me proud some day. in arsenal shirt ofcourse.
how will manure be able to beat shity with this shit team?
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Top top finish from Campbell!
Sweet.
Mission accomplished. Well done Dick Law! Hehe
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He’s a lefty so he can only complement Walcott and Chambo if he moves back.
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Holy crap what a goal by Campbell. Nutmegs Carrick and massacres De Gea with a beautifully curled shot.
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joel campbell!!!!!!
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What a talent we have unearthed. With Sanogo looking strong and Joel coming back for next season I hope, suddenly we look well stocked up front.
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Olympiakos easy victory
Probably disappointed not to get three or four
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http://www.arsenal.com/match/report/1314/post/youth/youth-league-arsenal-3-1-shakhtar
youth team winning in CL 3-1 with a player down and Chuba playing really well, Joel Campbell scoring, manure losing and Guillem Balague on sky sports saying Morata has agreed personal terms to arrive in the summer. what a good night and the striker situation with Oliver and Yaya looking very bright oh and that’s not including Benik doing well on loan
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great goal campbell
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Guillem Balague ? I would rather hack my leg off with a rusty saw rather than believe one word that odious little shite has to say A – pure self publicising fantasy as usual
Still a good night though – 50,000 angry Turks tomorrow to look forward to
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interesting
“So Metro ran a poll of Arsenal fans to see whether we agreed with (Bob) Wilson. The results are good news for Le Prof and I am surprised how emphatic it was, with 75 percent agreeing. That puts the Arsenal fans who still feel that the `In Wenger we Trust` phrase is still relevant, in a majority of three to one over the AOBs. Hopefully the Gunners will reward such loyalty with a trophy or two soon. This year would be nice…”
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A5, normally I would agree but I don’t so much believe the source as the forum he has said it on. As plastic as SS is, deals announced on there are usually correct.
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or am I just believing something that’s sound good …..maybe
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Thanks for all the comments.
It’s a pleasure sharing this blog with such understanding fans.
Watching Utd. lose is always a joy. I just hope all this poor form from PL teams does not damage Arsenal’s UEFA coefficient too much, dropping to a 2nd pot team would be hard to take.
Thanks SA, I must have missed a few articles in the summer – too busy involving myself in the transfer window meltdown.
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Özil is our enganche, not Mikel. In Argentina, Arteta would be considered a number five or deep lying playmaker/pivot like Redondo used to play. Either way, good iob on the post. We need more discussions about football around here.
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This is excellent DC! Nothing more to add really, you covered everything. Arteta is class all the way.
That Joel Campbell is special.
Thanks for the well wishes from the last write up! Those who I did not thank, that is.
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Cheers Gains.
I knew someone would mention Redondo!
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Sensational Arsenal’s post in Arteta from last summer:
And credit to SA for identifying it was PozaninmyPants with the quote that he is Arsene’s mind in the pitch.
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So maniou first team get a spanking from the Greeks. Another wakeup call. And they think they can play champions league next year by winning it this year. (0(
Stranger things have happened. I really like our chances against the barverians in the second leg. It might come to LUKAS and how many penalty kicks he can stop.
ANDREW
thanks for the link to AL s article . Recommend reading.
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MA8 is the real captain of this team.
Well written piece there DC.
Wish he’d come to us sooner though.
Joel Campbell’s the real deal.
AW knew that from day one.
Moyes inherited a sinking ship…
Rio, Vidic, Evra & Giggs are done.
Nani’s mojo was systematically deconstructed over the seasons by Red Nose
(unlike lil Jose’s quickie on Mata)…
Rooney’s best days are behind him and since he copped the nu hair, he thinks he’s Iniesta…
RvP can s**k hard on his one PL medal…and try for the rest of his life to explain to Shaqeel why he judassed all up on the Arse…..twat!
Carrick baled them out last season
They still have a core of good players they can “rebuild” around but their season should be effectively over in 3 weeks.
Eventually investor pressure might be too much for David Moyes and he could be gone by the time the US withdraws from Afghanistan.
..while the ARSENAL march on!
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