It’s not clear how much trouble Mikel Arteta is really in when it comes to his role as Arsenal manager, but a convincing loss to Spurs on Sunday would inevitably pile the pressure on.
The club have struggled to find any kind of identity since Arsene Wenger left so there will be calls from some sections for someone like Vieira to come in and look to replicate what he did.
We’ve seen plenty of teams do this in the hope that a former player will somehow bring back the culture and identity that was seen at the club in years gone by, but that was also a key reason for Arteta’s appointment in the first place.
Patrick Vieira is often named as a candidate if there’s the slightest inkling that the job could be available, but he’s just been sacked by Nice:
Patrick Vieira has been sacked as Nice head coach after two-and-a-half years in charge following a run of five straight defeats in all competitions.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 4, 2020
His record in MLS with New York City was solid if unspectacular when you consider the resources and players that he had, while his spell at Nice has been edging closer to disaster for a while.
He’s been criticised for imposing an ugly and boring style on Nice where they were never truly convincing, so he’s just not what Arsenal need just now.
If the Gunners do decide to move on from Arteta then they need to have someone better and more proven ready to step into the role, but that won’t be Vieira based on his recent record.