Mikel Arteta addresses Arsenal situation he spotted months ago that may cost him if it remains unaddressed
Mikel Arteta is adamant that his Arsenal team now possesses the “necessary” physicality to win the Premier League.
The Gunners surprised many with their impressive performance last season, but Manchester City ultimately surpassed them in the battle for the title. Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Jurrien Timber have joined Arteta’s squad, bolstering his ranks.
This talent worth £200 million will undoubtedly raise the bar at the Emirates. In the previous season, Arsenal started out strong and barely dropped a point through the first half of the season, but eventually ran out of steam as their best players began to decline.
Arteta is well aware of what it takes to capture the title, having been Pep Guardiola’s No. 2 when Manchester City won the Premier League. Last season, despite Arsenal’s dominance, the Spaniard admitted, “It is essential to have the mentality and emotional control required to play on major stages. The physical aspect is essential; without it, you cannot compete for 11 months under our working conditions. We have attempted to construct a complete team.”
Granit Xhaka was one of the team’s mainstays last season, but he has decided to return to Germany. In his place, Rice has been acquired for a club-record fee, while Havertz adds another dimension, as Arteta was quick to point out, citing the German’s increased physicality.
Recently, he stated, “We must find the right balance, but Granit could never have played as an attacking midfielder a year ago.” Let’s attempt to complete the task. It was the first time three of the four participants had ever played together. So ‘tranquillo’.
As long as we continue to do the proper things and give people the chance to settle in, we will be fine. You use the term “physical,” but when I compare Granit and Kai, who is more physical? He’s (Havertz) 1.91m (tall). Depends on what corporeal means.
“Physical is running, running behind, running forward, tackling, and defending. Certainly, he will complement our qualities, and the good news is that we have options in the midfield. When we desire a game to become more physical, we have the option of being extremely physical.”
Last season, Arsenal’s midfield featured a familiar appearance, with Xhaka and Thomas Partey partnering at the base of midfield and Martin Odegaard, the team’s captain, playing in front of them. Now that Xhaka has departed and Rice and Havertz have arrived, Arsenal have a new dimension as they seek to advance domestically and make an impact upon their return to the Champions League.
Mikel Arteta addresses Arsenal situation he spotted months ago that may cost him if it remains unaddressed