Billy Dunmore

There are some people saying that if we are to really challenge for the title next season, Arteta may have to move aside and that we should go out and buy a replacement. To an extent, I understand where they are coming from as he is only getting older and he is not the midfield ‘hard man’ it is widely thought we need. However, I simply don’t believe we would be in the position to go out and spend on a replacement or anyone else of top quality for that matter, if it weren’t for Mikel Arteta’s pivotal role, both on and off

Bourussia Dortmund, a club who have now taken German football by storm, went 12 years with nothing to provide (silverware) for their supporters. They spent time adopting a new approach, a radical, but admirable one at that. This sustainable approach is similar to that of Arsenal’s and from the brink of collapse, they returned to the pinnacle of the Bundesliga. Through all of this prolonged period of hardship and fruitlessness, their fans stood by the club, and now boast one of the most vocal and passionate fan-bases in world football. Visiting their stadium is a daunting challenge for any team from around Europe, as they have proven in the Champions League over the past couple of years. Their approach and their fan base has