In the view of the England national team's coaching staff, led by Thomas Tuchel, Arsenal is currently the ideal model for a Premier League team. They even want to replicate part of this playing style at the World Cup 2026. "They can do everything – penetrate, go around, or bypass lines. Arsenal is excellently organized, disciplined, and every player understands their role. They have reached a level the rest haven't", a source close to the England team told Daily Mail.

Admiration for Mikel Arteta is widespread among coaches. In contrast, some fans and pundits criticize Arsenal for contributing to a more pragmatic football season. A Premier League manager commented: "Everyone talks a lot about Pep Guardiola, and he deserves it. But Arteta is the same now, especially in how he solves tactical problems in new ways. I'd rather face Manchester City than Arsenal. Their resilience can drive you crazy."

Arteta (left) as Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City from 7/2016 to 12/2019. Photo: Rex

Arteta and Guardiola knew each other from their time as players at Barcelona. When Arteta made his first-team debut at age 17 in a friendly match, it was Guardiola who left the field to make way for him.

After retiring, Arteta worked as an assistant to Guardiola at Manchester City for three seasons, then returned to Arsenal in 2019 in a controversial move. At the time, Manchester City claimed Arsenal approached him "illegally", and Arteta was said to have packed his belongings and left his home in Didsbury, Manchester overnight.

Returning to Emirates Stadium in his new role, Arteta immediately declared the need to change the culture and attitude of the struggling team. This process was not quick.

After winning the FA Cup 2020 with a squad inherited from Unai Emery, Arsenal continued to improve and has just completed three consecutive seasons finishing second in the Premier League – two times behind Manchester City, one time behind Liverpool. To improve, Arteta brought in familiar players from Manchester City like Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus, not only for their skill but also for their character and winning mentality.

However, a major turning point lay in an area where he and Guardiola once did not fully agree: set pieces.

Jesus (left) and Zinchenko both moved to Arsenal in summer 2022 from Manchester City. Photo: Reuters

Arteta stated he recognized the potential of set pieces ten years ago, when he was still a player. He persistently pursued this idea.

At Manchester City, Arteta was the one who proposed bringing set-piece coach Nicolas Jover from Brentford in 2019. "Mikel clearly saw what Jover did at Brentford and how players believed in it. For him, turning set pieces into a weapon was obvious", a source revealed.

Currently, Jover continues to work with Arteta at Arsenal, where he even receives bonuses each time the team scores from a set piece. Statistics show Arsenal scored nearly 40% of their goals from set pieces this season – the highest under Arteta – while Manchester City scored only about 17%.

A source from the Football Association (FA) commented: "Modern football makes the midfield very difficult to break through. Arsenal was the first team to find a solution: instead of running into a dead end, they chose to go over it. Simple but smart and brave."

Jover (right) with coach Mikel Arteta instructing Arsenal players. Photo: Reuters

Those who previously worked at Manchester City describe Arteta as "obsessed" with improvement. He frequently works with every department – from analysis, scouting to data – to understand how a club operates.

Compared to before, Arteta has changed significantly. The current Arsenal is more pragmatic, more flexible, and willing to adjust their playing style.

They are no longer overly reliant on possession, but instead increase pressing, challenges, and even slow down the tempo of the game when necessary. In a match against Brighton, Arsenal once "took away" over 30 minutes simply by extending the time to put the ball back into play.

Arteta has also made decisive changes to personnel. Players who were once key figures like Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsdale, and Zinchenko were moved on when they no longer fit – similar to how Guardiola did at Manchester City.

Besides tactics, he pays special attention to psychology. Arsenal players are asked to move slowly before set pieces to put pressure on opponents – a small but calculated detail.

Coach Mikel Arteta celebrates the 2020 FA Cup title – his only major trophy after more than six years managing Arsenal. Photo: Arsenal FC

Three consecutive seasons finishing second put Arsenal at risk of becoming "great runners-up". However, this season they still have a chance to compete for four titles.

Former defender Lee Dixon believes the team is using criticism as motivation, similar to the Arsenal generation of the 1990s. "We used to be ridiculed with the '1-0 to Arsenal' chant, but nobody cared. The important thing was winning. Arteta is shrewd enough to instill that in the players", Dixon said.

He also emphasized that the psychological factor is key, given that the overall quality of the Premier League this season is not enough to keep up with Arsenal.

From now until the end of the season, Arsenal will face Manchester City two times – one in the League Cup final at Wembley today, and a major Premier League clash at Etihad Stadium. This could be an opportunity for Guardiola to turn the tide.

However, this time the opponent is a familiar yet strange version: Arteta – his former assistant – has absorbed, adapted, and even surpassed him in some aspects. The confrontation is not just a match between England's two strongest teams, but also a tactical battle – where Arteta is proving he is no longer just a "copy" of Guardiola.

Hong Duy (according to Daily Mail)