John Obi Mikel didn’t mince his words when asked about Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes.
When asked who he believed would win this year’s top-flight championship during an appearance on talkSPORT Drive, Mikel needed just three words.
“Definitely not Arsenal,” Mikel said.
The Nigerian’s response sparked laughter from Drive co-hosts Andy Goldstein and Darren Bent, who is a diehard Gooner.
Mikel will hope he doesn’t end the season with egg on his face given Arsenal sit top of the Premier League after seven games with 16 points.
How Arsenal have performed in the Premier League over the years
Should the Gunners maintain their form for the remainder of the campaign, it would bring about the club’s first league title since their iconic ‘Invincibles’ campaign in the 2003/04 season.
In the following years, Arsenal have finished anywhere between second and eighth under managers Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta.
The theme of perennial bridesmaids has become a frighteningly common one during Arteta’s reign, given Arsenal have endured three-straight second-place finishes in the Premier League.
Arteta has also failed to bring any major silverware to the Emirates since his first season at the helm, when he steered the Gunners to an FA Cup in August 2020.
It’s been a barren five years where Arsenal have not progressed beyond the fourth round of the FA Cup and are yet to reach the final of the Carabao Cup.
Arsenal have also struggled to convert deep runs in European competition into anything meaningful, with their best finishes being a semi-final berth in the Europa League and Champions League.
How much has Arsenal spent under Mikel Arteta?
What makes Arsenal’s lack of silverware harder to stomach is the fact Arteta has overseen a transfer spend exceeding €1billion (£940million).
talkSPORTArteta has been handsomely backed in the transfer market throughout his six-year tenure[/caption]In fact, only three of Arsenal’s ten most expensive signings ever were made before Arteta’s arrival.
Declan Rice sits head and shoulders as the costliest of the bunch as the Gunners splashed out £105million to sign him from West Ham United in July 2023.
Given the lavish spending Arteta has enjoyed since he took over at Arsenal coupled with the fact the Spaniard’s crop are of his moulding, Mikel was adamant the FA Cup triumph in 2020 was not enough for the Gunners boss to hang his hat on.
What Arteta must to do be a success at Arsenal
“Arsenal Football Club, you shouldn’t be singing and dancing because you won the FA Cup,” Mikel said.
“I think there was a point in time we stopped winning the FA Cup at Chelsea. I think the players were like, ‘We’ve won it five, six times, we don’t want to win it anymore, we want to win the Premier League and the Champions League.’
“Yes, it’s a massive trophy. But to judge Mikel Arteta, he’s spent over £1bn right now. He’s been there at the club for five, six years. He has to win the Premier League or the Champions League.
GettyArteta boasts a 59 per cent win rate as Arsenal boss, but has only one major trophy to show for it…[/caption] talkSPORTAnd Chelsea hero Mikel believes the Gunners manager needs to add more silverware to his collection[/caption]“I like him, I think he’s a fantastic manager. He’s built a great squad, a great team. It’s not just the team as well, the football club is run properly right now.
“Credit to Arteta, he’s come in to the football club and not just changed the way you see the team playing on the pitch.
“Outside the pitch, the way the club is run, the way you look at the football club right now, he has changed that mentality. It’s a massive football club and that’s down to Mikel Arteta.
“But is he that guy to take them to the next level? I think he has a great squad, but when I look at this team, I think it’s the mental side.
“Those players, do they have the mental side to go the next level?”
Arteta’s side will look to prove Mikel they do indeed have the mettle required for a drought-breaking Premier League title when they return to action following the October international break with a trip to Fulham on October 18.
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