Joe Willock reveals what Mikel Arteta told him before he started against Bournemouth.
Joe Willock has revealed how Mikel Arteta’s words encouraged him to star for Arsenal in their FA Cup win over Bournemouth on Monday.
The Gunners started the game brightly and took a two-goal lead before Sam Surridge scored a late consolation goal for the hosts.
Bukayo Saka was named the man of the match after he scored and assisted a goal, however, several other players including Willock could have been named man of the match for their impressive showing.
After the game, Willock was asked about his performance and he revealed that Mikel Arteta had motivated him with a demand for him to create the goals that the team needed.
Willock said per the Metro: ‘He wants me to stay in the pockets and create stuff. ‘He said to me today, “Joe, today you need to have a hand in creating goals” and I tried to do that. ‘So hopefully I made him happy. It’s good. ‘I’ve got people like Mesut to learn from and he’s teaching me a lot so I’m just really buzzing to get more opportunities.’
Willock also praised Arteta’s managerial skills and hailed his impact.
He added: ‘Arteta was a very good player, he’s a brilliant professional and a brilliant manager. ‘To learn from him now, growing up watching him, this is a dream come true. ‘I’m still trying to put more things into my game that I’ve learned from him and I’m trying to improve as a player under him.’
The evidence just keeps pouring in the effect that Arteta is having on the players, old and young. The more we hear about what Arteta is doing and saying behind the scenes the more confidence grows that the dark days are behind us.
The Arteta effect…. and I’m bloody loving it!
Sue, thought you might have noticed the Ozil effect that Willock mentioned as well?!?!
Mustn’t let that slip away unnoticed must we?
These are the things that we, as fans, never take into consideration, the influence ALL of our experienced players can have on this incredible bunch of youngsters coming through.
Mikel Arteta’s introduction to our club as coach/manager takes me back twenty four years – one just knows something special is about to happen.
Haha I saw that, Ken 😉
You’re so right, they can learn a lot from them all.
Oooh I like the sound of that, very excited! So much so, I just got tickets for the Everton game!
The Ozil story again, chapter 1001,straight from KENS BOOK OF OBSESSIONS!
Is this a troll or am I being stalked by an elderly gent with his head tucked underneath his arm or even up another part of his anatomy.
Silly me for pointing out what one of our great young players perception of someone is, I just wish he wouldn’t take so much time reading my views and upsetting himself over 1001 times and counting.
Can’t argue that Arteta has brought a strong character and football savvi to Arsenal. I think Sanllehi and Venkakesham should stay quietly in the background and let Arteta and Edu get on and choose the players. IF the Kroenkes allow both Edu and Arteta take charge of that side and put the money up, I trust they will move us upwards. They must get the financial backing though. No penny pinching.
Arteta apparently told Edu he didn’t want Kurzawa, who Edu was pushing for, and that’s why he’s not coming.
Arteta rules! He’s the boss.
Glad Villa won! Grealish had a great game, and his cheeky little assist! 👍
I like Willock in that role and in him, ozil and Smith-Rowe I think we have enough talent to allow Ceballos to leave this window and Ozil the summer window, though I expect ozil to run his contract down.
I see no reason to sign a left back now, I would say a left sided Centre back is the no.1 priority may be even two.
I think we can all clearly see where the real problem lies and that is the owners lack of understanding. We have millions just sitting in the bank, just release some funds already.
If he won’t then let real Madrid recall ceballos, get back half the loan fee, then get Mari and the Ukrainian guy. We could then sell Mkhitaryan now bring in Soares who can cover right and left back until kola/Tierney return.
That for me would be a good window, not a worldie, but should be enough to achieve one of our goals – top 4 or Europa League winners.
After the winter break mustafi nelson and kola will be fit. Auba and Luiz back from suspension. Those changes I mentioned would leave our squad looking healthy enough to fight on 3 fronts.
GK – Leno,Martinez,Macey
RB – Bellerin,Soares [AMN]
LB – Tierney,Kolasinac [Saka]
CB – Mari,Luiz,Sokratis,Mustafi
Holding,Matviyenko
Mid – Torreira,Xhaka,Guendozi,
Willock,Ozil,AMN
RW – Pepe,Nelson [AMN]
LW – Aubameyang,Martinelli,Saka
CF – Lacazette,Nketiah [Auba]
Good points Ken1945. I couldn’t help but notice Ozil coming up in the young man’s story of the last match. The way some of us fans view these players have nothing to do with the way they see each other. Willock clearly sees Ozil as a worthy mentor and rightly so.
No matter how many barbs people want to fire at the man, Mesut Ozil has the love and respect of his fellow professionals. This was clearly shown here. Love him or loathe him, his mates thing very highly of him, especially the younger ones.
The fans have to be careful how they talk about our players especially someone like Ozil. He divides opinions a bit. But as long as he has the confidence of the coach and his team mates, he should be tolerated. Otherwise, we might be running the risk of destabilizing our own team in the name of having ‘a honest opinion’ or being ‘a realist’.
There is a larger picture than what we see on the field of play and fans have to admit that. There is so much more going on behind the scene that we have no clue of. Let’s allow those whose job it is to make calls that they have to make.
Thats not new,ozil’s teammates praising him but they are not getting posted on this site.
Agree with what you’re saying,quite a lot dont see that larger picture but they think they know everything(I am not talking just about anti-ozil fans but about the club in general)
Hey Atid, I couldn’t but chuckle a bit reading your post. Aside from the fact that I learnt that ESR is away on loan somewhere, I think your permutations(?) are quite interesting.
We could end this season giving a lot of teams a lot of grief with the way we are playing now. Arteta has tweaked his way into something of a smooth running engine. There is still much work to do, no doubt, more improvement to make, but we are far from the house of horror that we were under Unai Emery. I hardly have any more nails to bite before MA came in!
Yes, we will have squad of highly motivated, hungry and competitive boys towards the end of this season. There is a lot to look forward to yet.