Collymore’s column: Mikel Arteta’s critique, Isak and Wissa Antis, my signature in the summer, and more

In his exclusive column on catch-offside, former Liverpool striker Stan Colliemore discusses some of the biggest topics in football, including the status of Mikel Arteta, including Arsenal, Alexander Isaac and Joane Wissa Transfer Saga.

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When will Mikel Arteta start to receive criticism?

It’s very surprising that Mikel Arteta is not under pressure at Arsenal. Every season I wrote this column, I always say at some point in the season: When will the criticism of Mikel Arteta occur? And the only reason I can think of why he doesn’t criticize is because he has this mysterious ability to go to his next press conference with a big, glorious smile that just put out a team beaten Real Madrid 6-0.

That’s amazing. All the press conferences, he appears confident. And for myself, it’s very bold for a manager who won one major trophy. The reality is that if he was a golfer, we kept talking about him as an elite golfer, but for the past five years he hasn’t won a major so he says he’s not an elite golfer. And I think you can say the same thing about him as an elite manager.

It feels like there’s a myth that was nurtured by the power that had to turn Arsenal around, which had always ended in the top 10. They were solid on the 6th, 7th and 8th, not the bottom half of the table. And all they needed was someone to come in and buy two or three players. It wasn’t a major surgery that was needed where the man united or finished 16th or 17th place, like the Spurs.

From my point of view, I was really surprised that I didn’t see him being advertised to take his position at this early stage of the season, as he was warm at best and lacking in any conviction, taking into account his performance against Liverpool. And as if it was now given, he could become Arsenal manager for the next 10 years, finishing 2, 3, 4, 2, 3, 4, 4, as if he hadn’t been fired in the first few years.

Looking at Pep Guardiola last season, did it reach a point where people were legally asking if this was the end of Pep? Ange Postecoglou won the Europa League and was later fired. Why does Mikel Arteta’s work at Arsenal make the ship more exceptional than stabilizing it? So for me, it’s really easy. He should be under pressure this season, especially after Liverpool’s game. And if he doesn’t deliver at the end of this season, it’s time to go.

Changes must be made to avoid repeated cases in Isak/Wissa

For most of the professional soccer presence, the club had an advantage over the players. They were free to buy and sell, keep players on contracts and exclude them. So this is not about slugting the player. Because I know well that clubs are given half the chance and treat players as idiots. It’s a ruthless business.

Forget it’s Isaac and Wissa for a minute. And if you’re reading this, forget that it’s a player of your club. Because when people start to reach individuals, they lose the point of discussion. The point is that if you want to leave a football club, there is a long-standing mechanism. It is called a forwarding request. The player will not trigger it. Because if they trigger it, they won’t be paid a signature with bonuses, royalty bonuses, or additional payroll payments.

If the player doesn’t appear at random times in June, July, then it’s obvious that he wants, so I’ll have it so that the club can breach the contract. Players are free to go, but players will tell you which payments are made. And if PFA, FIFA, UEFA do that, then players will stop ruining the clubs around them and everyone will get what they want.

However, if there are no players currently using the transfer request. Something needs to be done very quickly. Otherwise, players will reach a situation where they will not appear for six weeks. The clubs are unable to carry out them due to breach of contract because the area is very grey. You need to sort it out.

Gianluigi donnarumma’s signature makes sense for Man City

I think their last few windows have been pretty much intrigued since Haaland signed them. I thought they would continue to crush them in the Premier League with these elite-level world-class signatures, and they brought in some good players, like Omar Marmash and Rayan Eight Nouli.

It’s worth noting that Man City is confusing things more than they’ve ever done in the Pep era, in that they’ve been looking for Haaland before, from a longer ball perspective. Perhaps that’s the idea behind signing Donnaruma. He can kick him out of his hands and he can kick him out of the floor.

The most important thing that Pep Guardiola wants to see is the clean sheeting and the Marshall in the back 4. So I think Donnaruma has checked some boxes. He also brings leadership. That’s necessary considering that gundo cancer is no longer available.

So it’s fascinating to watch. The headline is that he is not a soccer goalkeeper. But he demands a level type, plays at the kind level he did in PSG, making the most of the back four and keeps a clean sheet. I think people will forgive him.

Man United hasn’t solved the issue this summer

We are surprised that Man United didn’t throw a hat in the ring for Donnaramma. Winners, excellent shot stoppers, good defense marshaller. Who knows about Rammen? With goalkeepers not tested at the elite level, the Belgian league is not at the elite level. That means it’s a coin toss.

As for the Emi Martinez scenario… do you think he was a good goalkeeper for them? Yes, I also think he was a very good goalkeeper for Man United, considering this type of goalkeeper they brought in.

However, there is nothing in this column a few weeks ago that suggests I was wrong. There is a defensive problem there. There are creative problems there. Three offensive players… You buy at the end of a project where you buy a defender, goalkeeper, midfield, rather than putting a cart in front of the horse.

I think Manchester United is interesting. But I think the notion that defense and rookie goalkeepers are better than last season is far from guaranteed.

Aston Villa was not aggressive and not aggressive during the summer

I’m watching Aston Villa, and I’ve seen the performance, and I think something is wrong in the dressing room. Comments from Tyrone Mings, comments from John McGinn, players leaving like Jacob Ramsey, who understands we really don’t want to go.

The rumoured suggestion that Emi Martinez and one or two other senior players were told they might have to sell them someday last season is how you end up in this situation. Martinez had a goodbye at the end of last season, but he is still here in September.

Let’s take a look at some facts about signatures. Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott are reading this saying they are long-term progressive recruits for top six clubs.

Sancho: I think his stats at Chelsea involve 15 goals in 41 games. Not bad. It’s not great. Not bad. But when the recruiting department is looking at Jadon Sancho alone and says he is exactly the type of player and character you need in a progressive Aston Villa, I’m saying they’re lying. There’s no reason why the other top six or seven clubs didn’t want him.

Harvey Elliott, yes. If he is available in this window, the club has nibbles. He was young and creative and got everything there was. You know, he still only won 22 or 23. But neither Elliot nor Sancho, in my opinion, would have been involved in the recruitment prospectus package conversation for the top six clubs.

My signature for the summer 2025 transfer period

I like ekitike. I think he’s doing so many things. He holds the ball well. He can run behind. He has really good legs. He is a physical being. And I know that all the lights shine on ISAK and Wirtz. But I think it might be Ekitique, which is 8/10 than his Liverpool career.

I’m watching Man United’s Cunha, and I think he tends to explode, so I sometimes look through one finger. And he’s an unstable character depending on how Man United’s season goes. But I think he already shows that he can do it in terms of carrying the ball from the half line towards the opponent’s 18-yard box.

Dan N Doy from Forest is probably third. He has real offensive intentions. Next, players will just develop. The rapid pace can be filled by creating and filling the blanks Elanga has left behind. He has a lot of pace to get out of players, get in and create opportunities for things like Chris Wood.