‘Arteta is the governor at Arsenal’ – Adams salutes Spaniard for doing a ‘remarkable job’

Mikel Arteta has quickly become “the governor” at Arsenal, says Tony Adams, with the Spaniard considered to be doing a “remarkable job” at Emirates Stadium.

A rookie coach was handed the reins in north London back in December 2019.

Fellow Spaniard Unai Emery had flopped as successor to the iconic Arsene Wenger, with the Gunners deciding to wipe the slate clean once more.

A calculated gamble was taken in appointing Arteta, with the former Arsenal captain boasting no prior experience of life in a top job.

He had been working alongside Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, with the former midfielder still only 38 years of age.

A sizeable rebuilding project was taken on at Arsenal, with a Premier League heavyweight rocking on the back of some heavy blows.

Arteta has set about restoring order, making a number of big calls along the way – such as that to omit Mesut Ozil from his plans – and is considered to be offering cause for optimism.

Adams is among those to have been encouraged by the first year of a promising reign at the Emirates, with the legendary ex-Gunners captain backing the current regime to recapture former glories.

He told Stadium Astro on the back of a 1-0 victory over Manchester United that saw Arsenal end their away-day hoodoo against fellow members of the so-called ‘Big Six’: “He [Arteta] has got fantastic ability to work with this team.

“He puts hours into the training pitch. He’s his own man, if Ozil’s not in his thinking, he’s out, it’s as simple as that. I can’t speak highly enough of the guy.

“The words coming out [of the club], when I talk to my mate Steve Bould, who’s still in the club taking the Under-23s at the moment, he said to me: ‘This guy has got it all, he’s the governor’.

“He’s the best he’s seen in a long time. He really does understand the game, he expresses himself; he’s very confident.

“It’s his first job, for God’s sake, he’s doing a remarkable, remarkable job.”

Arsenal will be back in Europa League action on Thursday at home to Molde and will enter the next international break after playing host to Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.