So I see a lot of people on this sub jerking off to what a ‘good work’ Arteta has done so far in Arsenal, and how Xavi isn’t half the coach Arteta is. I responded to a comment but I thought this post was worth making a thread so we can argue further. Data:

Since 2019 (Arteta’s appointment as a manager) both teams have spent (prices in M euros):

​

|Season|Arsenal|Barça|
|:-|:-|:-|
|23/24|\-167.04|\+62|
|22/23|\-168.1|\-118|
|21/22|\-136|\+1.26|
|20/21|\-66.85|\+42.46|
|19/20|\-107.15|\-148.6|
|**Total**|**-645.14**|**-160.88**|

[source-arsenal](https://www.transfermarkt.us/fc-arsenal/alletransfers/verein/11) [source-barça](https://www.transfermarkt.us/fc-barcelona/alletransfers/verein/131)

Basically we spent in 5 season what Arsenal spent in one (the numbers above are net spending by the way, discounting incoming money from transfers to outgoing money).

Arsenal has spent 650 M euros in the last 5 seasons just to make it back into CL and fight for a league. Xavi has inherited a broken team (9th when he took charge) and took it to win a league with some impressive numbers and a Supercup. Xavi isn’t Arteta, Xavi is much better, and with the same budget in the same time period he would have a team fighting for every single title every single season.

But this is not all. The numbers are even worse if we look at the period both have been coaches. In the last three seasons, Arsenal’s spending has been – **468M**, while ours has been **-55M**. Yes my friends, Arsenal spent almost **9 times MORE MONEY in transfers that we spent**. Yet we have a League title to back Xavi up, what does Arteta have? An FA cup and being runner up? Qualifying for CL?

The team isn’t playing good, that is obvious, and we have regressed since last year. I am not saying Xavi is the best manager in the world, but let’s be real and have some patience with the guy. Our team needs to win. Forget about romanticising the sport, forget about playing like prime 2009. The team needs to be in contention of titles every single season, whether we play like dogs or like angels.

by XuloMalacatones

3 comments

  2. Net spending is only a fraction of the truth. Which players already had been in the squad and what youngsters emerged from the youth teams also influences your spending and what the current team should be capable of.

    I’m not even against your point in general, but you’re only presenting the information useful to your argument.

  3. The big difference is that, while the results were lacking, you could see the team evolving. It was clear what he wanted to achieve, how he wanted his team to play. And step by step they did

    Now compare this to Xavi, two years later, nobody knows (especially the players) what he wants to play apart from ‘Barca way’. Every single player had regressed under his command and lately, even fourth tier teams are scoring against us.

    XG and other indicator are rarely telling the whole story.

Leave a Reply