It is less than three weeks since Mikel Arteta took over at Arsenal but he has already transformed the mood around the club
Wednesday 8 January 2020 09:39, UK
Many of the questions hanging over Mikel Arteta when he took over as Arsenal's head coach last month centred on his inexperience.
Would a managerial novice be able to command a dressing room containing players and former team-mates not much younger than him? Would he be able to stamp his authority on the side in a way Unai Emery could not?
Arteta has been in the job for under three weeks. He is still only four games in. But he has already gone a long way to answering those questions.
The 37-year-old has preached discipline and dedication right from the start of his tenure, using the term "non-negotiables" in his media appearances, and he did not hesitate to dish out his first half-time rollicking during Arsenal's FA Cup clash with Leeds United on Monday night.
"He shouted a lot," revealed Alexandre Lacazette. "He was really angry, but that's what we need," said goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez. "When I see what I don't want to see, and I'm not talking about technically or even tactically, I cannot be happy and I have to let them know," added Arteta.
What's most encouraging, though, is not that he was willing to give his players a dressing down but that the response was so positive. Arsenal, overwhelmed by Marcelo Bielsa's men in the first half, were a different side after the break. Arteta demanded greater effort and intensity and he got it.
It was proof that his messages are landing and while he described it as a "really good lesson for the team", it was just as instructive for him. "I am learning every day about them," he said. "What they need when they lose, what they need when they win, and how they can react when they want to."
The first-half display against Leeds was a reminder of the work ahead, but the second half was more akin to their previous performances under Arteta. There have been hiccups, of course. Arsenal could only take a point from Bournemouth and suffered a late collapse against Chelsea. But their improvement under the new head coach has been clear.
In the space of a few weeks, Arteta has implemented a far clearer playing style than Emery managed in 18 months. It consists of a more concerted collective effort without the ball - the kind of coordinated pressing tactics already in place at Arteta's former club Manchester City - and a greater emphasis on dominating games with it.
Where previously there was a feeling of improvisation to Arsenal's attacks, now there are clearly-defined patterns of play. The result is that they finally look like a team again rather than a collection of individuals.
Arteta is still working on their fitness - a lack of stamina forced them to retreat against Chelsea and Manchester United - but their numbers for distance covered and sprints are significantly up and ball recoveries and interceptions are trending the same way. Arteta will feel Arsenal are still giving up too many shots, but they have dropped by a quarter.
The numbers reflect how this group of players has bought into Arteta's approach, both in possession and out of it. They also vindicate his refusal to compromise on what he demands from them. There will be no passengers in his Arsenal team and he has made that clear.
"I want people to take responsibility for their jobs and I want people who deliver passion and energy for this football club," he said at his unveiling. "Anyone who doesn't buy into this, or that has a negative effect or whatever, is not good enough for this environment or this culture."
It is exactly the wake-up call these players needed and there has been improvement across the squad. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has thrown himself into his left-sided role, even committing his future to the club ahead of Monday's game. Mesut Ozil is in his best form in months. Lucas Torreira, meanwhile, is shining again at the base of the midfield.
On the occasions that levels have dropped below the required standard, Arteta has acted swiftly. Record signing Nicolas Pepe was outstanding in the first half against Manchester United on New Year's Day, scoring the opening goal and having a hand in the second, but Arteta did not hesitate to hook him when his work-rate dipped early in the second half.
"Everybody has to give 100 per cent," said Sokratis Papastathopoulos after that game. David Luiz, his centre-back partner, and another player whose form has improved markedly in recent weeks, is already convinced that Arteta has what it takes to become one of the best coaches in the world.
The clarity of Arteta's vision and the efforts of the players on the pitch have transformed the atmosphere among the supporters. Even after Arsenal were comprehensively outplayed in the first half against Leeds, there were no sounds of discontent from the stands. They fans stayed with the players and, by the end, they were applauding them off the pitch.
It was a satisfying outcome for Arteta, but even with Arsenal's progress assured there was no let-up in his press conference. Instead, he offered his players a stark warning against complacency. "We are not in a position to relax because we are not good enough to relax," he said. "If we don't play at that level, we are not good enough."
Not good enough yet. But getting better. Mikel Arteta is getting his message across and Arsenal are already feeling the benefits.
