Some might say that it's too early to write an account of the impact on Arsenal of Mikel Arteta's managerial reign. Not me.
As an avid reader and collector of Arsenal fanzines, I am fascinated by contemporary accounts of the clubs fortunes. From a letter to a fanzine from a disgruntled supporter to a match-by-match season-long diary-style book, these are records of how it felt to be in the thick of it. In contrast, histories written many years - or decades - down the line can be skewed by the need to fit with simple, broad-brush narratives - of good and bad, progress and decline - that emerge only later. As we experience it, the Club's story is complicated, with nuance, conflicting signals and many two-steps-forward-and-one-step-back. Accounts written at the time tend to capture that complexity and preserve it for those that, in years to come, want to recover how it was experienced and understood by those that lived it.
As an Arsenal correspondent who has followed Arteta's every move in forensic detail, Charles Watts is well-placed to deliver a thoughtful and authoritative reflection on Mikel's relatively brief but apparently transformational imprint on the Club. This, Charles's first book, promises much.
'Revolution: The Rise of Arteta’s Arsenal' will be published by HarperCollins on August 31, 2023.
Various pre-order options can be viewed via the HarperCollins website.
RELEASE DATE: August 31, 2023
PUBLISHER'S DESCRIPTION
The inside story of Mikel Arteta’s astonishing transformation of Arsenal
November 2019. Unai Emery’s final game as Arsenal manager sees the Gunners languishing eighth in the league. Appointed in the dying embers of the Wenger years, Emery’s 18 months as Arsenal boss has seen the team and the club go backwards – playing unimaginative, pragmatic football, and recently losing to London rivals Chelsea in the final of the Europa League. Something had to change; a fresh head with fresh ideas. A new leader.
This is the story of how Mikel Arteta turned Arsenal into one of the most exciting, innovative and feared teams in the league. From cutting his teeth as an assistant under Pep Guardiola before joining Arsenal in the winter of 2019, through to title contenders years later – including bust-ups, Covid, disappointments, FA Cup wins, fan revolt, and eventually the rise of an extraordinary young team standing on the edge of greatness – this book will be the first of its kind to explore the workings of Arteta’s philosophy and how he transformed the club from outsiders to title challengers.
With chapters on his tactical innovations, in-game strategies, transfer insight and, of course, an account of the memorable 2022-23 season – Revolution is the story of an extraordinary football ascent and the first draft of Arsenal’s new history.
PUBLISHER'S AUTHOR PROFILE
Charles Watts is the Arsenal correspondent for GOAL. He’s hugely respected and trusted by the Arsenal fan base for breaking news stories, as well as his insightful coverage of the team he grew up supporting. He has appeared on the BBC and TalkSport, as well as podcasts, fan shows and his own YouTube channel to keep Gunners fans up-to-date. This is his first book.
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