Player Focus: Are Arsenal Right to Extend Arteta's Contract?

Following the long-awaited capture of Petr Cech, Arsene Wenger was widely praised by some quarters of the Arsenal fanbase for his ruthlessness. David Ospina did little wrong to suggest he required displacing from the Gunners starting XI, but when a goalkeeper of Cech’s ilk becomes available; one does not simply turn down the chance to sign a shotstopper of his calibre. 

As harsh as that is on Ospina, it’s this heartless approach that won Wenger numerous admirers. On the back of their FA Cup win, the Gunners have been tipped to invest heavily in the transfer window in order to strengthen a squad that could be capable of challenging for the Premier League title. Cech may be the only player the club have signed so far, but there is still ample time for Arsenal to improve. 

However, the news that Mikel Arteta has been handed a new one-year contract extension by the club is not the way to go about doing so. The Gunners had been linked with the likes of William Carvalho and Arturo Vidal this summer in a bid to strengthen in midfield. With Mathieu Flamini set to be released a year before his current deal comes to an end, the decision to prolong Arteta’s stay in north London is all the more puzzling. 

While the Frenchman is unlikely to force his way into the starting XI, he remains a solid, if unspectacular, option to call on. Flamini had the best pass success rate (91.3%) of players that featured in at least half of Premier League games last season. Capable of breaking up play and recycling possession, the 31-year-old brings more tenacity to the Gunners midfield than Arteta, whose services have been retained for another 12 months. Over the duration of the season, Arsenal’s gameplan altered in that they were more direct when in possession. This saw them average more shots per game last term (16.1) than the previous campaign (13.8), despite having the same amount of possession (56.7%) over the two seasons.  

The onus was to get the ball to the attacking players as quickly as possible and, given Wenger could call on Alexis Sánchez, Mesut Özil and Santi Cazorla in the final third, this came as little surprise. It’s also no coincidence that the Gunners’ best football of the season came when Wenger was without Arteta. A calf problem followed by ankle surgery ended the experienced midfielder’s season back in November, the former injury sustained in the 2-0 Champions League home win over Borussia Dortmund. 

That, though, was a blessing in disguise for the club. Aaron Ramsey’s subsequent hamstring injury he picked up in the win over Galatasaray the following month saw Arsenal recall Francis Coquelin from his loan spell at Charlton and the rest, as they say, is history. Arteta’s influence was minimised and many associated with the club felt he would be deemed surplus to requirements this summer, let alone offered a new contract. 

An experienced head in such a key position can be crucial, with Wenger favouring the experienced Spaniard’s influence off the pitch, but Arteta’s impact is expected to be minimal on it. Injury restricted the 33-year-old to just 10 competitive appearances last season, but even then he showed signs that his best years were behind him. Granted, a pass success rate of 93.8% only accentuates his WhoScored strength of ‘passing’, but this merely suggests Arteta would play the safer option rather than look to pierce the opposition defence. 

This often slowed Arsenal’s attacks and meant the team were unable to fully utilise Alexis’ explosiveness or maximise Özil’s creativity. With Coquelin alongside one of Cazorla or Ramsey in the deeper lying roles, carrying possession forward and probing the backline, the Gunners’ were a much more penetrative side without Arteta. Don’t get me wrong, when Arsenal need a player to see out a match and are looking to hold onto the ball, the former Everton captain is a capable performer, provided he does not have to face quick opposition. 

In these situations, though, a player of Flamini’s style would benefit Arsenal more and given his aforementioned pass success rate and the energy he brings to the midfield, it may have been in the Gunners' best interests to retain the Frenchman rather than his Spanish teammate. Nevertheless, Flamini looks set to depart for pastures new this summer, while Arteta is kept on at the Emirates. His experience could well be crucial, of that there is no doubt, but he is unlikely to play a key role at the club in the foreseeable future, despite signing a new contract. 

Wenger was commended for his decision to bring in Cech, despite Ospina’s impressive showing between the sticks in the second half of the season. However, his ruthlessness could only stretch so far. If Arsenal as a team hope to move forward, the choice to hand the Spaniard a one year deal hints at stagnation, as unsympathetic as that may sound. Arteta, perhaps, still has a role to play, that’s for Wenger to decide, but it’s expected to be minimal at best.

Furthermore, his new deal suggests Arsenal are no longer in the market for a midfielder, despite being linked with Carvalho and Vidal in recent weeks. Should that be the case, then Arteta’s deal, in the long run, could well be considered an poor piece of business by the north London side.

Do you think Arsenal are right to retain Mikel Arteta's services? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below