Mikel Arteta took over as head coach of Arsenal in December 2019, inheriting a struggling team in desperate need of a spark.
Arteta has overseen a significant improvement in the team’s results since his first season in charge, laying the groundwork for a bright future.
This improvement, which started in the 2021-22 season, has taken a massive leap in the 2022-23 season.
He and his team now sit on top of the Premier League table, 5 points clear of defending champions Manchester City. Clearly, the stakes for this season are incredibly high.
High stakes imply high pressure. People do absurd things when under pressure. They become hyperactive, angry, animated, and so on. And the Spaniard is no exception.
He’s often been a very animated coach, giving directions from the sidelines and shouting from afar, but this year he has taken a step forward in that department as well.
In their last game, the Gunners played Newcastle United, one of the stronger sides this season. And Arteta’s blood was boiling as the team was failing to convert chances while also being refereed poorly.
After what were two controversial calls about penalties not being given in the red team’s favour, he had a rather angry reaction on the sidelines.
The internet being what it is, turned this into an incredibly hilarious scene. A comedian by the name of Olaf Falafel animated the already animated Arteta by adding a doodle fly on the screen.
He made the scene look like the manager was chasing and trying to slap the fly in a desperate form, which when you compare it to the original, is a very funny take. Watch it for yourself.
Another user took the same video and went a step ahead by adding music to it to complete the whole vibe. A true director’s vision is on show here.
Bring me sunshine 🎶 pic.twitter.com/q7aEbhbkoH
— Lee Hogan (@lee_hogan) January 4, 2023
Some others took inspiration from this and recreated the poster of Rowan Atkinson’s Man vs Bee movie by photoshopping Mikel Arteta on it instead.
Photoshopped memes of football coaches have grown in popularity in recent years, with many fans employing image editing software to create amusing and, at times, absurd images of their favourite coaches.
The portrayal of coaches in unusual or comical situations, such as dressing them up in outrageous costumes or placing them in surreal or absurd scenarios, is a common theme in these memes.
For example, a popular meme depicts ex-Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson chasing after a balloon while dressed as a clown.
😂 reminded me of this classic pic.twitter.com/wqrn0a0imk
— Suz (@teenytinysuz) January 4, 2023
As long as these memes are made in good faith, they are fun and acceptable. It’s a great way to respond to coaches showing so much passion on the sidelines, as opposed to the other way critics are responding – by calling Arteta a spoilt coach who needs discipline training.
All coaches have times when they are passionate and angry on the sidelines. Klopp and Pep have fought refs, while Conte and Tuchel have fought each other. Instead of spoiling the fun, it is better to laugh at it instead.
