Mikel Arteta concern raised as Arsenal branded ‘joke club’ and Stan Kroenke slammed

Arsenal: Arteta happy to keep going in European fight

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Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has suggested that Mikel Arteta is not the right man for Arsenal in an extraordinary attack on the Gunners having labelled them as a “joke club”. The north London outfit have endured an utterly woeful campaign under the Spaniard and have also been embroiled in controversy for their involvement in the European Super League plans.

At the time of writing, they sit eighth in the current Premier League standings.

They are under real threat of missing out on European football altogether for the first time since 1995.

That form has seen rumours emerge that Arteta could be replaced, with Jordan suggesting that his work at the Emirates Stadium is now being undone.

Speaking as a guest on talkSPORT, he said: “The fact of the matter is that despite the advancing of the thought that Mikel Arteta was going to be a good manager, by people like me… I’m beginning to think that’s unwinding.

“But I also think the reason for that is that Arsenal are a joke football club right now, in lots of ways.”

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Jordan was also critical of the way Stan Kroenke has run the club in recent seasons having seen the Gunners fall from Champions League regulars to just about scraping into the Europa League.

Fan protests have taken place at the Emirates Stadium in opposition to the American’s ownership of the club.

There have also been rumours of a potential takeover fronted by Spotify owner Daniel Ek but a deal is yet to be struck.

He is set to be joined by Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira.

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Kroenke is rumoured to have no desire to sell however.

“They’ve got an owner who is disengaged and happy with mediocrity,” Jordan continued.

“They’ve got a director of football who I don’t think is pulling up any trees, and they’ve gone for a manager who sounds good on paper, but when it comes down to it, I’m not sure he’s got the chops to do what Arsenal need him to do.”

“Arsenal have just gone in a self-appointed organisation of the top six clubs… but they’ve worked their way backwards in the league and they are now a big club in image and reputation alone, because they are not a big club in any other department right now.”

The Gunners did at least manage to secure one positive in mid-week as they beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, courtesy of Emile Smith-Rowe’s strike.

The victory lifted Arteta’s men to eighth and just one point behind rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Seventh place should be enough this season to earn a spot in the inaugural season of the UEFA Europa Conference League beginning next term.

The Gunners managed to reach the semi-finals of the Europa League this term.

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