Arteta’s Arsenal future thrown into question as Kroenke made aware of major flaw

Mikel Arteta may not be the manager to lead Arsenal back to Premier League glory. Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan doubts whether the Spaniard is the right long-term boss for the Gunners due to a major flaw.

Arsenal have seen their title hopes this season go up in smoke. They were eight points clear of Manchester City at one stage and have been top for most of the campaign.

But a run of just two wins in seven matches has left City on the brink of a fifth title in six seasons. Pep Guardiola’s side can confirm top spot this Sunday if they beat Chelsea or if Arsenal lose to Nottingham Forest 24 hours earlier.

William Saliba’s absence through injury has no doubt played a big part in Arsenal’s form dropping off a cliff. But Jordan says there is a lot more to it.

He has doubts about Arteta’s credentials to get a team over the line. Jordan told talkSPORT: “I also worry, to use a Graeme Souness-ism, that Arteta is a son-in-law.

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“I’m not sure he has this particular gear in those narrowing of the eyes that concentrates players’ minds that gets them to the next level. Something was lost, it wasn’t just Saliba that didn’t get you past those games.”

Jordan has again praised Arteta for how he handled Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s final few months at Arsenal. But he says that doesn’t excuse the way his team have ended the last two seasons by seeing their respective aims in each campaign fail dramatically.

He added: “[Aubameyang’s] one moment in time and I applaud him for that. That was a courage of your convictions moment.

“But then you’ve got that moment where your team needs to do something different to be able to overcome the business end of the season. Arsenal’s business end to the season was similar to their business end of the season last year for different reasons.

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“Now whatever you say and whatever we want to say, which is don’t forget where they came from – well don’t forget where they were. Because where they came from is an incidental that excuses not achieving the ultimate outcome.”

Jordan says Arteta still has a lot to do to prove he is able to bring the glory days back to the north London club. He continued: “Yeah absolutely [Arteta has a lot to prove]. There’s this perspective that maybe he’s going to cut his cloth at Arsenal and end up in the dugout at Manchester City, and maybe he will, I don’t know.

“But the question is Arsenal. First of all, well done for finishing second in the league. Not so well done for stealing defeat from the jaws of victory.

“The third part of the equation is ‘Are they going to build on it? Is the next step to win the league?’ – I don’t think it is.”

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