04 January 2023 , 09:34
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It seems strange to criticise Mikel Arteta this season when he has managed to guide a young Arsenal side many expected to still be reeling from last term's heartache to the top of the table.
However, there are perhaps some minor tweaks Arteta may wish to make to things that are firmly in his control that could bring even better out of this Gunners team. A fiery character, the Arsenal manager has started to develop a habit of potentially taking things a tad too far.
The Spaniard seems to let the emotion of the situation get the better of him at times, but it is certainly not helping his players. Take Tuesday night's draw at home to Newcastle as a prime example, the Arsenal boss was in the ear of fourth official Jarred Gillet all evening.
Whether it be berating some of Andy Madley's admittedly questionable calls or demanding an end to Newcastle's time-wasting, Arteta barely managed to catch his breath between outbursts against the Magpies.
Towards the end, with the score-line still level at 0-0, Arteta's stress levels only seemed to increase and boy did poor Gillet know about it, with the fourth official receiving an earful each time a decision went against the hosts.
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This is by no means the first time Arteta's touchline temper has got the better of him, who could forget his furious clash with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp at Anfield last season?
Mikel Arteta spent much of Arsenal's game against Newcastle berating the fourth official (Marc Atkins/Getty Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! Should Arteta try and remain calm in the technical area during games? Comment below
Some Arsenal fans may love the passion on show from their boss and while that's understandable, it can often prove counter-productive - as shown by that exchange at Anfield last term.
After Arsenal started the game brightly, Arteta woke up the sleeping Liverpool faithful who then roared their team on to a 4-0 victory. The longer their sleepy, silent haze went on the better it would have suited the Gunners, but their manager wanted to give his counterpart a piece of his mind.
It was a similar story against Newcastle in their most recent outing. Arsenal started well as they so often have this season, but the more agitated their manager became - the more chaotic and rushed the Gunners' build-up play seemed to be.
Arteta's behaviour was clearly not to everyone's liking against the Magpies, with Premier League legend Alan Shearer liking a tweet that labelled the Spaniard's conduct as "borderline embarrassing" after the Gunners boss lost his cool over a penalty that wasn't given.
Pundit Richard Keys went one further and described the Arsenal manager as "out of control" and labelled him a "total embarrassment".
It is unclear whether it is the pressure of the title race that is getting to Arteta, but with so much football left to be played this term, it is vital he can remain calm and composed if he is to end Arsenal's 19-year wait for a Premier League title.