Everyone still likes to call Mikel Arteta a rookie manager as he approaches his first anniversary as Arsenal coach, and the Spaniard has admitted that he likes to listen and learn from the best most experienced managers.
Jose Mourinho is of course one of the most successful, as he has proven in many different Leagues, and Arteta has been describing the qualities he has picked up from his studies of the ‘Special One’, who he is preparing to face this afternoon in the North London Derby.
Arteta told SkySports: “Normally I like two things. First of all, the head coach, the manager, whoever it is, what he needs to create is a level of engagement with the players and the club and fans, and a level of belief that what his ideas are they get a big buy in to him. If you don’t get that, you won’t last long.
“Mourinho has something really special, that whatever he wants to get into the football club, he manages to do it, and he believes that in a way that players at the end they execute what he wants to do. And whoever doesn’t do it is not part of that. When I talk about being ruthless it is not only on the pitch but as well with some decisions that you have to make.
“And the second one I would say is how you navigate some difficult moments. All these managers have had difficult moments. I have been part of a coaching staff with difficult moments. The important point is how you react in difficult moments and how the club fans react in difficult moments.”
I imagine most Arsenal fans will agree that Mourinho is arrogant and ruthless, and it would appear that Arteta has taken the ruthlessness on board looking at his treatment of Ozil and Guendouzi, but I’m not sure Arteta can do the arrogance bit yet, and I hope he doesn’t ever get it.
As for ‘dealing with the difficult moments’, I would say that today is definitely one of those, with Arsenal currently 13 places and 8 points behind our local rivals. It will be very interesting to see how Arteta copes with this, especially against our nemesis Jose Mourinho!
Well! well! well! To all gunners all over the world, nervy derby day wondering which Arsenal turns up today ? I’m confident we gonna beat the spuds so cheer up and enjoy the game 🔥🔥🔥 it’s guns blazing
Major difference between the two is that Arteta is likeable,but I would imagine that would not worry Jose in the slightest as he seems to enjoy that side of the game he plays .
Being likeable will only get you so far as our results prove , if he’s talking about being ruthless he need to start dropping the underperforming players ,the problem is that seems to be the big majority of our squad ATM .
We really need a big result later let’s hope the players know this .
The palpitations have kicked in already….☹
Please, please, please show up!! I can’t handle watching another drab performance, especially against them. This is our most important fixture and we have to win at all costs…
Boy, could we do with a Rosicky thunderbolt today!! COYG
Oh why must you mention the little Mozart. Now I got tears in my eyes. Miss the lad.
Because I just watched 5 of the best goals and that goal, unsurprisingly, was in it!! I miss him too…
Yes Sue. Glory be to him. His goals have got a special feel to it. Imagine if injuries didn’t plagued him.. Oh the possibilities
👍
I wished we had Dennis Bergkamp now We can’t let the spuds beat today or it will be squeakey bum time
Oh! Perhaps we can make do with a Laca thunder bolt.. He just found half of his shooting pair.
Here’s hoping, Gily 🤞
I am getting really nervous. A defeat will crumble my emotions.
Right now I am begging for a draw.
Regardless of Arsenal’s form, every morning I wake up on a game day is a good day. COYGs!
p.s. getting to sleep after the PL matches has been a problem recently though….
If (very big if, I know!), we were to somehow come away with all 3 points, you’d be without shut-eye tonight, Trudeau – too busy celebrating!! 😁
You just know that we never learn and we just roll over for the opponent, whoever they are!
Jose will thrash us. Even 6-0 won’t make him happy because he already did that to us. He’ll want seven. No, eight. No, nine.