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The new Spanish influence at Arsenal For the first few years of Arteta’s management, the Spanish influence was minimal. No Spanish players and little in the backroom staff. This is unusual and I wrote about it here. But if I suspected that he was unique amongst managers in not preferring to be surrounded by his countrymen, then I have been proven wrong. Now Arsenal is a Spanish side. Or is it? Turning to Spain means turning to greatness? Let’s take a look. Let’s start with Arteta. Only his early days were in Spanish football. All his top flight football career and management coaching has been outside of Spain. He is a Basque native so even he might argue that he is not really Spanish although the separationist movement has gone quiet in recent years. Still, I think we can say he is Spanish. Inaka Cava Paron leads the most Spanish section, goalkeeping The main goalkeeping coach is Spanish, Inaki Cana Pavon, and our main and back up goalkeepers are Spanish, David Raya and Kepa Arrizabalaga so I think we can safely say that minding the net is a Spanish affair. In defence it is a bit different as there are none at the moment, although Cristhian Mosquera may change that if he comes. Will one presumably back up defender make for a Spanish defence? I don’t think so but if he nails down a place we can say that there is a Spanish spine at the back. But not yet. Not even in midfield? Midfield? Well, it gets a bit more like it as Zubimendi and Merino are both Spanish. It is hard to say whether one or both will become regulars. Could we say that if they both do, it is evidence of Spanish bias as Rice and Odegaard and indeed Havertz have been critical in recent times? Ethan Nwaneri will push hard for his place as will the Dane Christian Norgaard, our new arrival obviously desperate to play, the competition is fierce for limited spots and if both Spanish players become first choice then we could argue for a Spanish bias unless they play so well that they are undroppable. Zubimendi- about to become great? And in the forward lines there are no Spanish players and with Gyokeres and Manueke seemingly likely there seems little possibility of a Spanish attack appearing any time soon. So, when it comes to players only Raya is assured of his place and his replacement is also Spanish so only goalkeeping is definitely Spanish. For the rest, it remains to be seen if they can become Arsenal legends. The Academy is mostly English I looked in the Academy and there are no Spanish players there either. So no revolution there although it is complicated by Brexit and the difficulty with signing EU or other players. Only 4 Academy players are not UK although Alexai Rojas, the Columbian goalie who speaks Spanish is the only one that could indicate a Spanish element. David Raya is our best ever Spanish goalkeeper We cannot argue that Arteta has tried to make Arsenal team based on the players at the moment but what about the coaching staff? Gabriel Heinze who has just joined speaks Spanish but is Argentinian. Well versed in Spanish ways, though. Miguel Molina the assistant coach has been with Arteta since 2020 and Andrea Berta the football director has spent a huge amount of time in Spanish football. And that is it. 3 Spanish and 2 Spanish speakers among the coaching staff (including Arteta) so a strong influence but not so much that it could be described as very Spanish. A bit Spanish, is that all? There we have it. Yes, there is an increasing Spanish flavour to Arsenal but a long way from Arsenal being a Spanish club. Under Wenger, the French influence was unmistakable. Anelka, Vieira, Henry, Pires, Petit, Wiltord, Giroud, Sagna, Clichy and Koscielny will always be remembered. Will Raya, Merino and Zubimendi also join them as Spanish greats? Arteta does need them to perform at their best, stay in the team and produce top class displays. Raya is well on the way but Saliba is surely at least on a par with him for the French contingent under Arteta? Santi Cazorla the wonderful magician Cazorla and Fabregas join with Arteta and others for our Spanish greats, all under Wenger. It seems our Arsene had a love for Spanish players too. Those three names would be above any of our current Spanish players at the moment. 5 Champions League in a row? Of course, one factor that must be mentioned is that Spanish clubs have been the most successful in football history. Emulating the Spanish is a fine aspiration. Spanish players are also among the most successful and they generally provide the backbone of the top Spanish sides, notably Real Madrid and Barcelona. In that sense it is perhaps surprising that Arteta has not increased the Spanish representation sooner. I suspect he works on the basis of who he trusts, who he respects, and crucially, who he can work with. Nationality doesn’t really come into it. Cesc Fabregas was probably our greatest Spanish player Maybe it should, though? What do you think? Is increasing the Spanish influence going to be good for Arsenal? One would like to think so. Raya has done well, Merino has sparkled sporadically, so can Zubimendi and Mosquera be the Arteta spark which brings the top trophies? And Arsenal be regarded as the best that Spain can get? It is, as is everything with Arteta, open to debate and no clear answers at the moment. But a run like Real Madrid of the fifties (look it up, youngsters)would have us all purring and proclaiming Arteta as the greatest manager of all time and not just the greatest Arsenal manager of all time. We can all dream.