Former Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has revealed that all news coming out of the club about the manager ‘is positive’.
Cesc is currently plying his trade in France with Monaco at present, and despite enjoying a successful four-year stint with Chelsea, still holds Arsenal in high regard.
The Gunners of course gave him his big break, having signed him from Barcelona where he appeared to be some way off the first-team, Arsenal brought him into their first-team squad, and he wasted little time in earning himself plenty of minutes.
Fabregas has been following the progress of the club since, and admitted to 90Min that everything about the club at present is positive.
“They have a new project, I believe what Mikel [Arteta] is doing is nice. The players are fascinated by how he came in and changed the training ground, the methodology, how he prepares for games…
“He makes it easier for his teams to understand how to attack, how to defend – I like his ideas, all I’m hearing is positive.”
He was then asked his thoughts on why the club was now struggling for form.
“Listen, it’s a transition period,” Fabregas added. “Mikel has his ideas, but it takes time. The problem for a coach nowadays is that you have no time. You lose three games, everyone is asking for your head.
“I know it’s very, very difficult because you want to implement your ideas, and it’s a process.
“Sometimes, it’s difficult because football is moving very quickly, everyone wants to win, there’s pressure from the board, from the fans, from the players. You’re on the spot every single day.
“He’s trying to find his team. They have [Dani] Ceballos, they have [Granit] Xhaka, now they’ve added Thomas Partey from Atletico, who’s a very good player as well.
“They have Willian, they have [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang – top, top players, that’s 100% sure. Maybe they still need a little bit more time.”
Each of our front line appears to be lacking in form for one reason or another, and it could well be that a confidence boost is needed to get things back on track, and the international break may well have come at the perfect time to reassess things.
Is Arteta struggling to implement certain aspects of his philosophy?
Patrick