Mikel Arteta says Bruno Guimarães is “hitting levels now that are serious” after the Brazilian ran the midfield in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Hull City, but he insists there is still another level to come.
The former Newcastle midfielder’s name was chanted as he walked around the Emirates on Saturday. In his post-match press conference, Arteta was told that Bruno Guimarães had led the game for distance covered and total touches, as well as making some key recoveries, and asked whether this was what he had in mind when Arsenal signed him in the summer.
His answer was simple: “Still much better.”
What did Arteta say about Bruno Guimarães?
Arteta went on: “He’s hitting levels now that are serious, but we can still take that player to another level. That’s my conviction.”
He also revealed what he told the midfielder after the game. “I told him in the dressing room he’s very good. He had a massive impact. He owned a lot of moments throughout the game, but there is still a lot to come and still in those relationships inside between the three midfielders.”
That last line is the interesting one. Arteta is not just talking about Guimarães as an individual. He is talking about how he links up with Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, and with whoever else plays in that middle three.
A big week for Arsenal’s Brazilian midfielder
This has been a turnaround of sorts. Less than two weeks ago Guimarães missed in the shootout as Arsenal were knocked out of the League Cup by Fleetwood Town, and he admitted afterwards that he is changing his penalty technique. Five days later, he was excellent in the 1-0 win at Anfield.
Against Hull, he did the dirty work again. Hull City sat in a low block and pressed hard when they could, and Guimarães was the one who kept Arsenal ticking over while the chances took their time to come. He stayed on until the 89th minute, when Martin Zubimendi replaced him to see out the win.
Not everyone was quite as glowing. One set of post-match ratings suggested he still seems to be getting up to the pace of the season. But the trend is clearly upwards.
Is Declan Rice OK after his Hull substitution?
The other midfield talking point was Rice, who went off after 63 minutes for Mikel Merino as Arsenal chased a goal, and that left some fans worried with the international break coming up. Arteta cleared that up quickly when he was asked if Rice was okay: “Yeah, he’s fine.”
That is a relief, with Rice and Guimarães now the pairing Arteta keeps leaning on.
Why Arteta’s “another level” line matters
Arsenal have won nine of their ten league games, and Arteta was keen to stress how hard that has been. “It’s been very, very demanding,” he said. “We had a very short time to recover from games with all the travel. But despite that, the mentality and the quality of the team is shown, it’s incredible.”
But he also admitted his side are not finishing teams off. As one reporter pointed out, half of their league games since the opener have been won by a single goal, and Arteta wants more control and more goals. A midfielder who can take the ball under pressure and move it forward quickly is a huge part of that, and that is exactly what Guimarães was signed to do.
Verdict: Bruno Guimarães is becoming Arsenal’s engine
When Arsenal paid big money for a proven Premier League midfielder, the question was whether he would be a luxury or a starter. On this evidence, he is a starter, and in games like Hull, where the opponent sits deep and the patience runs out, he might be the most important player in the side.
If Arteta is right that there is still more to come, especially once the understanding between the three midfielders clicks, the rest of the league should be worried. The international break comes at a good time for everyone else.
