Arsenal fans concede the title and call out Mikel Arteta for making the ‘biggest mistake of his career’ during Aston Villa game

After beating Spurs 2-1 in the North London derby on Wednesday, Arsenal were 2-0 up after goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz.

The performance and result looked set to be an impressive one given the absence of main defender William Saliba but Villa pulled back level courtesy of goals from Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins.

With Liverpool’s late 2-0 win over Brentford earlier on thanks to a brace from Darwin Nunez, plenty of Arsenal fans now claim the title is out of reach following their dropped points.

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ARSENALArsenal fans concede the title and call out Mikel Arteta for making the ‘biggest mistake of his career’ during Aston Villa gamePublished 37 minutes ago on January 18, 2025By Destiny Omodion

After beating Spurs 2-1 in the North London derby on Wednesday, Arsenal were 2-0 up after goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz.

The performance and result looked set to be an impressive one given the absence of main defender William Saliba but Villa pulled back level courtesy of goals from Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins.

With Liverpool’s late 2-0 win over Brentford earlier on thanks to a brace from Darwin Nunez, plenty of Arsenal fans now claim the title is out of reach following their dropped points.

And a number of supporters went in on midfielder Mikel Merino, wondering what prompted Arteta and Arsenal to sign him from Real Sociedad in £31.6 million deal in the summer.

One fan on X fumed: “Title will be over if we don’t win here at home what can you expect when the manager plays a midfielder at right back and buys Merino instead of a forward

Another said: “Anyone seen merino have a good game yet?

A third asked: “What convinced Arteta to sign Merino?

A fourth user commented: “I’m yet to understand what exactly Mikel Merino is good at. Arteta needs to explain to us why they signed him.”

A fifth person agreed: “Merino has been a freeloader all season. Whatever did Mikel Arteta see in him??”

A final user wrote: “What exactly did Arteta see in Merino? What exactly?”.

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ARSENALArsenal fans concede the title and call out Mikel Arteta for making the ‘biggest mistake of his career’ during Aston Villa gamePublished 37 minutes ago on January 18, 2025By Destiny Omodion

After beating Spurs 2-1 in the North London derby on Wednesday, Arsenal were 2-0 up after goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz.

The performance and result looked set to be an impressive one given the absence of main defender William Saliba but Villa pulled back level courtesy of goals from Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins.

With Liverpool’s late 2-0 win over Brentford earlier on thanks to a brace from Darwin Nunez, plenty of Arsenal fans now claim the title is out of reach following their dropped points.

And a number of supporters went in on midfielder Mikel Merino, wondering what prompted Arteta and Arsenal to sign him from Real Sociedad in £31.6 million deal in the summer.

One fan on X fumed: “Title will be over if we don’t win here at home what can you expect when the manager plays a midfielder at right back and buys Merino instead of a forward

Another said: “Anyone seen merino have a good game yet?

A third asked: “What convinced Arteta to sign Merino?

A fourth user commented: “I’m yet to understand what exactly Mikel Merino is good at. Arteta needs to explain to us why they signed him.”

A fifth person agreed: “Merino has been a freeloader all season. Whatever did Mikel Arteta see in him??”

A final user wrote: “What exactly did Arteta see in Merino? What exactly?”.

Late in the game at the Emirates, Arsenal thought they won it when Merino’s effort from distance deflected in off Havertz.

However, a VAR review ruled that the ball had hit Havertz’s on its way into the net and so it was chalked off – much to the frustration of the home supporters.

Arsenal are now six points behind Liverpool in the title race, though Arne Slot’s men have played a game less after the Merseyside derby with Everton was postponed at the start of December due to adverse weather conditions.

Arsenal are back in action in Wednesday when they host Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League, before travelling to Wolves next Saturday.
Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium has sparked significant frustration among fans, with many criticizing manager Mikel Arteta’s decisions and the contribution of summer signing Mikel Merino. The dropped points leave Arsenal six points behind Liverpool in the title race, with fans questioning whether the Gunners can recover from this setback.

### Key Highlights of the Match
– **First-Half Dominance**: Arsenal led 2-0 thanks to goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz. Despite missing key defender William Saliba, the Gunners seemed in control.
– **Villa’s Comeback**: Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins brought Aston Villa level, highlighting Arsenal’s defensive fragility.
– **VAR Controversy**: A late potential winner by Havertz, deflecting off his arm, was disallowed after a VAR review, infuriating Arsenal fans.

### Fan Criticism of Mikel Merino
– **Underwhelming Performances**: Signed for £31.6 million from Real Sociedad, Merino has faced scrutiny for failing to make a significant impact.
– **Fan Reactions**: Supporters have taken to social media to express their dissatisfaction:
– *“What exactly did Arteta see in Merino?”*
– *“He’s been a freeloader all season.”*
– *“Why buy Merino instead of a forward?”*
– **Arteta’s Tactical Decisions**: Fans also criticized Arteta for deploying a midfielder at right-back and questioned his summer transfer priorities.

### The Title Race
– Arsenal’s failure to secure all three points, coupled with Liverpool’s win over Brentford, has put the Gunners at a disadvantage.
– Liverpool leads the table with a game in hand due to a postponed Merseyside derby.

### What’s Next for Arsenal
– **Champions League**: Arsenal faces Dinamo Zagreb at home on Wednesday in a must-win group-stage clash.
– **Premier League**: They travel to Wolves next Saturday, needing a win to keep their title hopes alive.

### Managerial and Tactical Questions
Arteta faces increasing pressure to justify his transfer and tactical decisions, with fans calling the signing of Merino a potential misstep. The manager must rally his squad and address defensive vulnerabilities to avoid further setbacks in the Premier League and Champions League campaigns.