Mikel Arteta returned from a visit to see Arsenal’s owners over the international break with a renewed determination to intensify his side’s faltering title challenge. The head coach was visibly animated as he prepared for a critical series of fixtures, emphasizing the need for a fiery determination in Saturday’s home match against Nottingham Forest. Arteta discussed the heightened intensity in training this week and emerged from his trip to the USA, where he met with the club’s hierarchy, confident that Arsenal, now recovering from a four-game winless streak in the league, can close the nine-point gap to Liverpool at the top.
“It’s a joy to have the owners that we have,” Arteta said. “I’m very open and critical with myself and try to put things on the table straight away. I think it’s very important that we all feel comfortable and uncomfortable. This sport and the demands we face sometimes raise the stakes, sometimes lower them, and everyone needs that. I’m the first to need it. And not just from the owners – from the coaches, the players, the media, it’s great to have that. So you are always striving to be the best and evaluate yourself correctly.”
Arteta is no stranger to pressure and smiled when asked about the current atmosphere at the club. “Very good,” he said. “Like Mallorca in June.” Expectations have risen, and Arteta acknowledged that he would be in trouble if he failed to meet them. “It’s about delivering with that expectation time and time again. The only way to fulfill that expectation is by winning big trophies. Anything else is…” Arteta trailed off, making a choking sound.
Arsenal hopes to have Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, and Leandro Trossard available, with Riccardo Calafiori returning to training after a knee injury. However, Ben White faces an extended spell on the sidelines following surgery, and Takehiro Tomiyasu has a knee problem. This challenging period has been further complicated by the departure of Edu, Arsenal’s sporting director, who is expected to join the network of clubs led by Evangelos Marinakis, Forest’s owner.
“I can talk about what we are doing right now,” Arteta said, “and I’m going to be very much involved in that process because we want to find the right person first of all. The right person must be someone who can cooperate and make each other better, taking us to a different level.” Arteta had previously urged his players to show their grit after the 1-1 draw with Chelsea two weeks ago. He observed a shift in mentality during that game. “Last year we were losing 2-0 [at Chelsea] and we scored to make it 2-2,” he said. “Just watch the footage of how we celebrated the goal. This season, you go out there, score 1-0, and look at how we celebrate the goal. It’s about raising expectations higher. You are never satisfied. This team wants more and more, even if we win and win and win, they will still be willing to do more.”
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