Arteta confesses one season choice he laments, acknowledging its detrimental impact on Arsenal.

Arteta Owns Up to Regret: Subbing Off Jesus

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's boss, has confessed to a lingering second-guess about a move he made earlier on this season that has cast a long shadow over the team. After trailing Manchester City by just a hair in the last two seasons, the season seemed ripe for Arsenal to snatch the Premier League crown. However, dreams of a championship have withered, with Liverpool clinching the title with a four-game cushion last week.

Arteta has previously lamented unfavorable refereeing decisions that plagued Arsenal at the start of the campaign, but he believes a pivotal decision of his own has been the team's undoing.

In the FA Cup tussle with Manchester United, Gabriel Jesus, the formidable striker who'd netted six goals in six games prior, suffered a debilitating season-ending knee injury. Arteta wishes he'd hesitated before unleashing Jesus on the football field that fateful day.

When quizzed on the Men in Blazers podcast about any errors he'd like to turn back if given a chance, Arteta candidly confessed, "Perhaps yes. It's tricky to fathom that, but if I could pause the game and tell Gabriel Jesus, 'You're doing exceptionally well, but you're going to get injured,' I would have halted play, swapped him, and carried on."

Unfortunately, reversing a decision on the field is no easy feat, even if it's the VAR that's calling the shots. Arteta admitted, "Unluckily, we cannot do this. It's not like VAR, where we can undo decisions like this. The decision is made, and there's no way back."

The injury kept Jesus off the field for four long months, and the Brazilian striker is eying a return in the latter part of 2025. One month following Jesus' injury, Kai Havertz went down with a hamstring tear during a training camp in Dubai, adding more misfortune to Arsenal's striker woes, as the club opted against snapping up a replacement in January's transfer window.

With Jesus and Havertz out for the count, Arteta has been compelled to twist Mikel Merino's gameplan and throw him into an attacking role. Notably, Merino has responded admirably, netting half a dozen goals in his newly-found role.

However, the attack has remained anemic without the presence of Jesus or Havertz up top, and it was noticeable throughout Arsenal's lackluster 1-0 defeat at PSG. Despite these challenges, Arsenal have shown immense resilience under Arteta's command, and now they prepare for a chance at redemption when they take Paris by storm in the Champions League.

They aim to take their first steps towards a final in 19 years, but they will once again rely on a makeshift striker, as the injury-riddled team navigates the uncommon terrain left by Jesus and Havertz's absences.

Additional Insights:

Striking Shortfall: Arsenal has been hard-pressed to compensate for the absence of their key strikers. The team's form has significantly fluctuated due to the lack of a consistent threat upfront[1][3].
Positional Flexibility: In light of the striker shortage, Arteta has opted to deploy players in unconventional roles, requiring exceptional adaptability and versatility from his squad[1].
Transfer Outlook: With Jesus' injury unlikely to warrant a sale, Arsenal might focus on fortifying other aspects of the squad, such as the midfield, where Jorginho and Thomas Partey's departures are rumored[3][4].

Mikel Arteta's regret of substituting off Gabriel Jesus has been a persistent concern for Arsenal in the Premier League this season.
The team's dreams of clinching the Premier League title have wilted, with Liverpool claiming the crown with a substantial lead.
Speaking on a podcast, Arteta admitted that he would have hesitated before bringing Jesus on in the FA Cup match against Manchester United, if he could turn back the decision.
Despite the setback, Arsenal's European journey continues, as they strive towards their first Champions League final in 19 years.
The team's attack has been anemic without Jesus and Kai Havertz, forcing Arteta to adapt and deploy players in unconventional roles.
As Arsenal navigates this uncommon terrain, the team is preparing to wrap up their European campaign with a resilient approach, hoping to compensate for the striking shortfall.