Mikel Arteta has opened up on trying to get his players to learn the dark arts of football because it is not in Arsenal’s DNA.
The Gunners pride themselves on playing clean attacking football, and hurting opponents by being overly offensive.
However, sometimes, that tactic does not work, and it failed them in their last game against FC Porto, as the Portuguese side used the dark arts to eventually overcomer Arteta’s side.
The next opponent will be Newcastle, and the Magpies would have learnt some lessons from Arsenal’s previous opponent and try to frustrate the Gunners again.
Arteta knows his team has to learn some negative tactics and become tougher when they face opponents who employ the dark arts whenever they play.
He has now started adding some of that spice to their training sessions and explained, as quoted by the Daily Mail:
‘There are ways to do it (dark arts). It is the way you talk to them, showing them clips, training — putting them through scenarios, pinching (provoking) them a few times as well, learning from other players who do it really well and from teams who are masters at it. There are ways to do it.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
We love to play clean football, but not every opponent will be broken down with that, and sometimes we have to change our tactics in a game against negative opponents.
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No better Premier League team to learn ‘dark arts’ from than Newcastle. Send a video of the game to all squad members Mikel.
Arrhh, I thought you meant Witchcraft, so disappointed.
@daveg
😂
@daveg, OMG 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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It’s a Matchday, yes it is! COYG!!!
I have a good feeling , this season is Arsenal season in the Epl and Champions league … Mikel and the boys just need to clam down and take each fixtures one game at a time … Arsenal will make it to the month of May unscathed , Winning both Competitions.
City are masters of the dark arts. I like what I saw against Newscastle too. Had some clever fouls. Those clever fouls that City do all the time to stop momentum but not pick up a yellow.