How Mikel Arteta's Arsenal record compares to Unai Emery and Arsene Wenger as Gunners' struggles continue December 14, 2020 –	Posted in: Soccer
Mikel Arteta's short time at Arsenal has alread been marked by plenty of highs and lows.
The expectations were lofty when Arteta arrived as he was mentored by one of the brightest coaches in the game, Pep Guardiola, while working as an assistant at Man City.
Arteta is under pressure at Arsenal 12 months into his reign
The Spaniard, who was popular player at the club, replaced Unai Emery in December last year with the club down in eighth place in the Premier League.
Their overall position did not improve at the end of the 2019/20 season, which was interrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic, but their season was salvaged when they won the FA Cup.
Winning the trophy provided a huge boost for the club and booked them a place in the Europa League.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang signed a new long-term contract and money was spent shoring up the defence in the summer with Gabriel signing from Lille and defensive midfielder Thomas Partey signing from Atletico Madrid.
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Aubameyang has only scored one goal from open play in the Premier League this season
The 2020/21 season has been a complete disaster so far, though, with the club scrapping at the wrong end of the table.
We are 12 games into the season and and Arsenal are down in 15th place having picked up just 13 points.
Worryingly, they have struggled to score all season and have found the net just ten times. Star forward Aubameyang has forgotten how to score since signing his new deal, netting just twice and his barren run stretches back to October.
A defeat to Burnley on Sunday highlighted the current crisis at the Emirates and piled on the pressure on Arteta.
There is real concern about recent results and performances from the Arsenal side but not all the problems stem from the manager.
Poor transfer decisions and handing huge contracts to players like Mesut Ozil has not helped.
Arteta has been in charge of Arsenal for nearly a year now and here at talkSPORT.com we've taken a look at how his record compares to his two predecessors.
Arteta has been in charge of 32 Premier League games now and his record is worse than predecessors Unai Emery and Arsene Wenger… but not as bad as you would automatically think.
He has picked up just four points fewer than Emery did (50) over that same period at the end of his tenure while Wenger picked up 53 points.
Under Wenger, Arsenal finished outside the top four only twice in 22 years
Unai Emery has thrived since leaving Arsenal – his Villarreal side are fourth in LaLiga
Arsenal's struggles in front of goal under Arteta are clearly evident and have found the net just 42 times, significantly less than his two predecessors (50 and 65 respectively.)
Conceding goals was a real issue for the Gunners when the Spaniard joined and he has appeared to solve that problem but it has come at the expense of scoring.
His team are making fewer errors leading to goals (three) than Emery (eight) or Wenger's (13) teams did.
Discipline has been a real issue, though, with six red cards since Arteta joined. Granit Xhaka was number six on Sunday in a moment of madness against Burnley.
Arteta was brought in to improve things at the north London club but if anything it looks as though they've gone backwards over the last 12 months.
Mikel Arteta's record compared to Unai Emery and Arsene Wenger
Arteta's first 32 games in the Premier League against Emery and Wenger's last 32
Won – 13
Drawn – 7
Lost – 12
Points – 46
Goals scored – 42
Goals conceded – 36
Clean sheets – 10
Red cards – 6
Errors leading to goals – 3
Clean sheets – 7
Errors leading to goals – 13