Arteta is not interested in tactics yet – He just wants to see a strong mentality in the Arsenal team

So we are entering a new chapter in Arsenal’s history as Mikel Arteta in is charge for his first game as coach of Arsenal, and I guess you couldn’t pick a worse time to start, with games arriving thick and fast over the festive season.

So with that in mind, it is understandable that Arteta hasn’t got much time to train the players in any new tactic, and just wants to see the players improve their attitudes on the pitch for now.

As Bernd Leno explained on Arsenal.com after our clean sheet against Everton: “It was completely different to other games, but you can see only with intensity, with mentality, we didn’t concede a goal,”

“We didn’t let them have chances, like Freddie said and the new manager. I think the lineup was very good because everybody was fighting for the team and we showed great mentality. Unfortunately we didn’t score, but I think at the end of the day we can be happy with our performance and especially with our mentality.

“We didn’t let them have any transitions like in the other games. The distances [between our defenders and their attackers] were much closer and I think this is the only way you can play, because the Premier League is too strong to have one, two or three players that don’t defend. This is the only way we can play and we can be successful.”

Although Arteta was not yet officially the Arsenal coach, he did give his speeches before the game and at half-time, and Leno gave us the gist of his advice to the players. “He didn’t speak too much about quality or about tactics, he just said he wants to see players who run, who support their team-mates, who defend the goal or in general play as a team,” Leno explained. “We understood the message against Everton.”

“We have to show mentality, we have to play good football and I think then we will have opportunities. When we just speak about tactics or quality or what was in the past, it doesn’t matter. I think the only way is that we work hard, that we get back our strong mentality and then I think I am confident we can reach our target.”

This is great to hear. Us poor Arsenal fans have seen too many games this season when we have witnessed players unable (or unwilling) to fight for the badge, so we defuinitely need a strong dose of improved mentality in the side. Let’s not clutter the players heads with changing tactics and confusing diagrams during games. Let’s just see them doing what they do best, which is playing great football and fighting for their team.

COYG!

12 Comments

  1. Cannot wait to see what Arteta’s style is. I pray it’s defensive, counter-attacking football. If he tries to recreate the Arsenal DNA that he played under Wenger, then we’re doomed, because it was a disaster for Wenger!

    No more ultra attacking, possession football!

    1. Under Wenger, Arteta was played as a DM.
      He was slower than Granite Xhaka and he passed the ball
      sideways and backwards a million times every game.
      Do as I say not as I did 🙂

    2. In the top 5 leagues the only team in their respective top 4 that plays defensive, counter-attacking football is Atletico. That should tell you how (un)suitable that tactic is for teams aspiring for CL qualification.

      Except for last season we did okay under Wenger. If we get 75 points next year as we did during 2016/2017 when we were 5th, we’ll almost certainly be in the top 4 as that was the only year 75 p. was not enough for top 4.

      Surely with the better team we have now, that is doable.

      BTW, Arteta has already said more than once that his style is attacking, so I don’t know if you’re joking or just pretending you don’t know.

      1. And that’s depressing, because we’ve been shocking defensively for over a decade! I’m not sure how Arteta expects to be successful at Arsenal, if he’s going to continue with attacking football?

        1. The best form of Defence is Attack..
          What Arsenal needs is players defending from the front and Attacking on the front foot.
          You just need the right balance of players to achieve that.

  2. Im not going to argue with Arteta, as long as we get wins on the board, he can do as he likes. If he doesn’t then he did it the wrong way round. Lol
    I think they need coaching within an inch of their lives and a good slap.

    1. Well said. I usually see a lot fans try to micromanage the team for the manager. They suggest team selections, tactics, formations, blabla bla.

      FFS, just let the manager do his job however he wants to do it and let’s judge him by the performance of the team. If you think you know better, just go get a coaching license.

  3. So the draw at Everton was a great result?
    Great fighting spirit?
    So draws with Spurs Utd Wolves Watford Palace Southampton + Norwich were great results.
    Right?

  4. Let’s give arteta a chance like we did with Graham and Billy Wright…he might come good..all support man arteta..arsenal has historically employed novice coaches n some did quite wel..jah bless all a dem…

  5. A tough mentality, combative and compact defence.Quick movement on/off d ball.Be sharp and connect as a team.Be unpredictable,and bold to attack. Keep ur solid in defending…give ur best for d club,for d fans who cheer and see u as their pride and heroes;for ur market value…see every match moment as opportunity to prove urself worth and moment of glory !

  6. As undoubtedly true, as this article is and as it correctly states about what we MOST need to do just now, what a massive comedown it is to a club of our status that we should be reduced to stopping far lesser teams just walking through our non existent “defence” and our midfield that refuses to, or simply cannot, compete. That it has come to THIS , is firmly down to those no longer at the club; Wenger, Emery, most of all GAZIDIS, plus the appalling Kroneke. I pity the legendary task that brave Arteta has so wilingly taken on and will fully support him, as must we all. But let us be realists my friends. A team without a “defence” and with no one capable of tackling in midfield, apart from the willing but dwarflike Torreira, has a PACIFIC OCEAN TO CROSS BEFORE IT REACHES SHORE!

  7. “the Premier League is too strong to have one, two or three players that don’t defend. This is the only way we can play and we can be successful.”

    Now we know how leno feels about certain players that do not need to be named.

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