When he took charge of Arsenal on December 20, 2019, Mikel Arteta laid out his intentions in no uncertain terms.
“I want people to take responsibility for their work and I want people who bring passion and energy to the football club,” he said at his first Arsenal press conference.
“Anyone who doesn't believe in this, or who has a negative impact or whatever, is not good enough for this environment or this culture.”
Friday marks his five years in the role – and the words above still resonate. 'Super Mik Arteta', as described by the Gunners fanbase, has presided over a club's transformation from stuttering mediocrity in eighth place in the Premier League to battling Manchester City for the title. It was done over the course of a reign full of highs, some lows – and, most importantly, a thorough rebuilding.
He is already struggling with a huge six-point deficit to leaders Liverpool this season, who still have a game in hand, and is at a crossroads. The question remains: can the 42-year-old take that final step and bring major silverware back to North London?
Arteta, the league's third-longest serving boss – behind Manchester City's Pep Guardiola and Brentford's Thomas Frank – can today reflect on how far he and north London have come.
'It was my first big job and it was in the middle of the season. I knew how difficult the situation is,” Arteta told Sky Sports this week, reflecting on his appointment as Arsenal manager.
He had inherited a team in disarray. The Gunners were 10th in the league under Unai Emery, a manager who struggled to keep big egos in check and was not helped by a crumbling boardroom.
Fans' resentment was already seeping over from the Arsene Wenger era after he failed to finish higher than fifth in the league after finishing runners-up in the 2015-16 season.
So for the then 37-year-old Spaniard, who had a bloated and aging squad at his disposal, the task ahead was steep indeed – which makes his ascent all the more impressive.
His appointment was in some ways a gamble by the ownership of Kroenke Sports and Entertainement (KSE), led by Stan and Josh Kroenke, as evidenced by the title of 'head coach' initially given to him instead of 'manager' .
Arteta was assistant manager at Man City under mentor Guardiola from July 2016, but has yet to take up a frontline post.
It was now sink or swim – no swimming aids were available. Especially in the first two years, Arteta faced moments that would define his tenure.
His first half of the season led to an eighth place; Extensive surgeries are not performed overnight. But it was the 2020/21 season that saw Arsenal reach depths that some owners will not have tolerated.
At one point the Gunners were on a run of eight defeats in twelve league matches. That is now unthinkable and a credit to the patience of the Kroenkes.
However, context is important. Those first two years were marked by player unrest, the Covid pandemic and fan anger. But it was the multiple contract terminations of high-profile players that set the tone and set a milestone; it was Arteta's way or out the door.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Shkodran Mustafi, Sead Kolasinac and Sokratis Papastathopoulos had their deals torn up. These were high earners, almost 30 years of age or older, and were considered redundant.
The two biggest culls were of Mesut Ozil and then Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the 2021/22 season. Ozil was Arsenal's record signing and darling under Wenger. But there was friction under Arteta. He was left out of Arsenal's 25-man Premier League squad, leaving him only eligible to play for the Under-23s, which spelled the end for him.
With Aubameyang, Arteta once again laid down the law and left his captain out of the matchday squad for 'disciplinary reasons' against Southampton on December 11, 2021. The final straw was his late return to the club after a pre-arranged trip to see his mother.
Three days later, Arteta had stripped him of the captaincy and his contract was terminated over a month later on 1 February 2022.
That sense of ruthlessness goes beyond players Arteta doesn't like. Even William Saliba, who has become one of Europe's best defenders, was at risk of being thrown overboard at one point.
The centre-back, a £25million signing six months before Arteta arrived, spent part of the 2020/21 season with the Under-23s before being loaned out to French side Nice.
The squad overhaul under Arteta has been extensive. From the starting line-up for his first game in charge, against Bournemouth on Boxing Day 2019, Bukayo Saka – playing as a left back – is the only player still at the club today (although Reiss Nelson is on loan at Fulham).
The players he started his reign with were not of the quality needed to compete against England's best teams. The Spaniard knew he had to adapt and take a pragmatic approach on the pitch. As seen in their FA Cup-winning run in 2020, Arteta's side occasionally settled for ceding possession and relying on counter-attacks for scoring chances.
In their 2-0 win over Man City in the semi-finals, Arsenal had just 29 percent of the ball and four shots on target, compared to Man City's 16 shots.
Adapting playing styles from season to season has become a skill Arteta has mastered. The 2022-2023 season saw the Gunners unleash an attacking brand of football, scoring 88 goals in the league, which was a club record.
Last season, Arsenal conceded just 29 league goals – their best defensive record for two decades – in a title bid built on a solid defensive structure.
And so far this season, Arteta has relied more on goals, goals and assists from a concentrated number of players – such as Saka and Kai Havertz – than on a shared burden.
This adaptability has been made possible by a significant transfer budget. Since Arteta arrived, the Gunners have made a net spend of £500.14 million, according to Football Transfers data. By comparison, Man City's net spend in the same period was just £59.75 million, although that is also helped by the significant fees received for young talent.
The previous five years saw Arteta net spend of £235.4m, which is a significant difference.
Such funds have allowed him to form a younger, more harmonious side, peppered with big money such as the £105 million spent on Declan Rice.
Among the names are also some courageous calls. The £65 million that London rivals Chelsea received for Havertz was widely questioned after the player's slow start.
Amid calls for him to be dropped, Arteta refused and backed his man. He tinkered with the German's positioning before finding him a central striker and showering him with confidence.
Havertz has scored ten goals this season, adding to the nine in his last eighteen games of last season.
Then there was the signing of David Raya, who replaced Aaron Ramsdale after the England goalkeeper's reliable performances in the 2022/23 season.
Raya looked nervous at times last season, such as the mistake against Tottenham in April, but is now one of the most in-form goalkeepers in Europe. He was signed at Arteta's insistence.
It is this decision-making power that he has delivered over the years and has spread across so many facets of the club.
Whether it's bringing in supremo Nicolas Jover from Man City or having a say in who becomes the sporting director to replace Edu, Arteta's influence is deeply ingrained in the club.
All football-related decisions go through him, which is different to the structure at some other clubs.
It helped that he and Edu, who was sporting director until his departure last month, had a close bond. It was Edu, as technical director, who brought Arteta in in the first place. The executives, including executive vice president Tim Lewis (a key conduit between the staff and the Kroenkes) and general manager Richard Garlick, supported the couple's vision.
But it goes back to Arteta's intense personality. That tigerish look in his eyes rears its head when he stands with his back against the wall. A perfect summary was that after the controversial 1-0 defeat to Newcastle last November, Anthony Gordon's winning goal passed three separate VAR checks.
'You have to talk about how on earth did this goal stand? Unbelievable,” he shouted afterwards.
'I feel ashamed. I have to come in here now and try to defend the club and please ask for help because it is an absolute shame that this goal has been allowed. An absolute disgrace.'
The new season so far has been a challenge for Arteta. At a time when Man City are experiencing a slump, instead of Arsenal seizing the moment, Liverpool have taken up the mantle from Arne Slot and are currently leading the way.
After five years of steady improvement, the sense of stalled progress is being felt for the first time.
But there is hope. The Gunners are also still fighting on four fronts after claiming a place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals with their victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening.
Both Arteta and Arsenal supporters will hope that the five years will serve as a bookmark for a chapter in silverware success – rather than a bookend to what could have been.
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