Mikel Arteta is almost two years into his job as Arsenal manager, and he is by no means the first "next big thing" to discover that life on the touchline is not quite as straightforward as it seems when you're an ambitious assistant coach waiting for the chance to become the one who calls the shots.
Arteta goes into Sunday's North London derby against Tottenham at the Emirates with the Gunners having emerged from their worst start to a season in 128 years of league competition, but the storm clouds are still lingering.
Successive 1-0 wins against Norwich and Burnley have eased the sense of alarm after three straight defeats against Brentford, Manchester City and Chelsea, but for Arteta, his billing as one of the brightest young talents following three years as Pep Guardiola's assistant at City has certainly taken a battering during his 92 games as manager at the Emirates.