Almost inevitably in the wake of their Champions League semi-final defeat, speculation has arisen in some sections of the press and even among a small minority of fans that Mikel Arteta should be sacked as Arsenal manager.
According to this narrative, he has taken the club as far as he can, and that they have actually regressed under his leadership this season.
However, those hoping for a change at the helm are likely to be disappointed, as the Spaniard retains the full support of the club’s owners and senior executives, and they are set to back him heavily in the transfer window this summer.
In fact, Arteta has been credited internally with having stabilised the club, and raised their performances levels so that they can now compete on multiple fronts. Whilst some criticisms can be levelled at him, particularly the failure to recruit a top flight striker, these are seen as collective not individual failings.
