Is Mikel Arteta’s job now untenable?

Arsenal extended their winless run with a 2-1 loss to Everton on Saturday with their streak now standing at seven games without a win in the Premier League.

The Gunners have the same number of points as they have games played, amassing just 14 points to date in the Premier League, their worst start since the 1974-75 season. They have also failed to score in their last five matches away from the Emirates in the league.

As expected, a run like this is going to bring the heat severely on the North London club with many fans calling for Mikel Arteta to be relieved of his duty’s weeks ago. However technical director Edu has publicly stated that both he and the Arsenal board have full faith in Arteta and will give him the time necessary to turn the struggling side’s fortunes around.

This does not sit well with numerous fans and rightly so. Many were suggesting that Arsenal’s clash with Wolves was a make or break match which they lost. Then it was the visit of Burnley that was seen as the perfect way to kick-start their season, yet they lost again. 

Then the Southampton game which Arsenal was on top in the second half before Granit Xhaka’s red card forced the Gunners to settle for a point. On to Everton, a 2-1 loss in which players and in particular David Luiz, Mo Elneny, and Dani Ceballos were seen yelling and shouting at each other in what is a bad sign for the dressing room.

There are also all the rumors regarding player unrest with Arteta and numerous reports of players not talking to the Gunners manager all point to a club that is in serious turmoil.

However, after the defeat to Everton, Bernd Leno called for the squad to be united with Arteta and the club as they look to try and turn their fortunes around.

Speaking to Arsenal media Leno said the squad was hurting, however, with their fight in the second half, the German keeper said the team would continue to fight to turn their horrible season around.

“Of course, there’s big disappointment, it hurts a lot,” Leno said.

“It’s not the time to feel sorry for ourselves. We have to stick together, we have to stay positive and this is the only way because on Tuesday we have another big game. We have to win games to come out of this situation and have a positive mood again.

“I think the second goal was probably the key because, when you concede a goal right before half-time, it’s always very difficult, especially in our situation. I think in the second half we showed good body language, good attitude, so you can see this team is alive and we want to turn the situation around.

“Now the confidence is not on the top level but the only thing that can be said is we should stick together and come out of this situation.

“A lot of things are going wrong for us but we don’t have time to feel sorry for ourselves, we have to fight for every ball, for our team-mates.”

So while it seems from the outside that Arteta has the majority backing from his players with Leno and Kieran Tierney coming out in defence of the under-fire manager, there have still been rumors of unrest within the squad and that is never a good thing.

After only winning four games so far in the Premier League and losing eight, Arteta’s job is perilous, to say the least, and if the losses continue to pile up, then the board is going to have no choice but to pull the trigger.

After such a bright start under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal has imploded and shows no signs of turning their fortunes around. While Arteta has been at breaking strain to keep his job for weeks, one can only imagine what it is going to take before the decision is made. 

Slaven Bilic had his West Brom side put in an incredible performance against Manchester City to secure a 1-1 draw yet was relieved of this duties the next day, yet Mikel Arteta is still employed, although West Brom were firmly in the relegation zone.

It is clear that the board is backing Arteta when thousands have washed their hands of the young manager. We will get a clearer picture of just how much faith they have when January comes around and the cheque book is asked to be opened.

Will he be allowed to go and get the right players he wants for his squad and get rid of the players not deemed good enough or will he simply be another managerial casualty in which his players deserve at least half the blame for the position they are in?

The next five weeks are crucial not only for Mikel Arteta but also for Arsenal to retain their status as a Premier League club. 

Watch this space.