Narrative that Arteta ‘chose’ these players has to stop, it’s fugaze. Gabriel & Partey are his only signings, both world-class acquisitions. Willian he pushed for & is good as a secondary creator, not the main piece.

As for Marí (Edu) & Cedric (Raul) signings, clearly. Mikel wanted Emi to stay, both reiterated that numerous times before he left so he didn’t choose Leno either.

Ceballos, similar to Willian, is another body on a low budget that everyone KNOWS wouldn’t have been targeted if Mikel was properly backed. Holding was forced to stay, since we didn’t sign a RCB & Saliba’s situation (mother passed).

Likewise, Lacazette stayed because the offer came in so late that there was no time for a replacement to be bought.

So the only player Mikel ‘chose’ & continues to chose, who is out of his depth, is Bellerin when AMN is right there. Other than that he’s been forced to accept whatever he’s been given, because he hasn’t been backed.

Mikel’s been scapegoated, Edu has hung him out to dry. Main issue is personnel, everyone knows that & yet at the first sign of adversity people are flinching. Keep sacking the manager before they can get their players in & we’ll never see T4 again, nvm a PL. I can promise that.