Arsenal's campaign in the ongoing season has been getting mixed results. The club picked up big wins and suffered surprising defeats, and according to team manager Mikel Arteta, his side is still struggling to repair the damages incurred from the past.
Arteta took over from Unai Emery in late 2019 and admitted he was overwhelmed slightly by the problems he inherited. What the Spaniard found was a Gunners roster that lacked direction and the players uncertain what the future holds for them.
The boss said work is now underway to rebuild the team and it will take time to complete. A glaring sample of the disarray in the Arsenal locker room was the likelihood of key players, among them Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and former captain Granit Xhaka, wanting to get out of the Emirates.
Also, Arteta drew attention to his realization that the Gunners supporters were disenchanted when he first arrived. The coach said he was shocked to discover that fans turned against the team because they disapproved of Emery's managing style.
This suggestion was somehow reflected by the incident that involved Xhaka and Arsenal fans during a home match. The midfielder lost his cool when jeered by fans while marching off the pitch and fought with the supporters, which resulted in the loss of his captaincy.
The coach said his side is leaving the past behind but it doing away with the damage will not be easy.
"You cannot build something new [quickly], when something has been damaged and hurt badly, that you can see a big split between even our own fans and the team," Metro reported Arteta as saying.
The rebuilding process is like piecing together a puzzle and Arteta said the completion will not come quick. The manager, however, is proving gradually that he has been handling things rather more effectively.
The Spanish boss took the job of leading a club that has been plagued by numerous issues. But Arteta's mid-season entry proved a blessing. The Gunners finished the season by winning the FA Cup title over Chelsea, and for the effort, Arsenal will continue to compete in Europe in the season.
Yet as noted by Goal, the Gunners continue to struggle. Problems with players persist and the Mesut Ozil issue has yet to see a clear resolution. And the matches' results so far can be best described as a roller coaster ride.
In one game, Arsenal won over Manchester United at Old Trafford but in another Premier League encounter, Arteta's side got a sound 3-0 beating against Aston Villa. Momentum is not yet an ally for the Gunners it seemed.
