His strike came in the dying moments of a hotly contested game in which Arsenal dominated and deserved the win, and according to Thomas Vermaelen, the acclaim for Arteta's goal was very much deserved, having been a crucial figure in the Arsenal team all season. Vermaelen said:
"He has been really important for us. He is not only important on the pitch but off the pitch as well. He talks a lot, he's an experienced player."
"He is really important in midfield because often you win and lose games in midfield."The Spanish midfielder joined Arsenal in the summer from Everton where he spent seven seasons, gathering experience and developing his game from a more defensive midfielder to a more attack minded, creative player with the valuable ability of being able to pick out the killer pass and execute it accurately.
Arsenal have thus benefited from his incisiveness this season, especially as the campaign has progressed and the 30 year-old has settled in at the Emirates. He has clearly been very well received by his fellow team mates whom, thanks to Vermaelen's insight, regard him as a crucial component of the Arsenal team, and indeed the majority of fans too share this view.
Arteta replaces Arsenal's former number "8", Samir Nasri, who left the club to join Manchester City last summer, and who has since become incredibly unpopular among Arsenal supporters, betrayed by his lack of loyalty. However, having received over £20 million for Nasri and spent far less on Arteta, who has formed a pivotal role at the club, it seems the success story is all Arsenal's.
