Mikel Arteta returned from a visit to see Arsenal’s owners over the international break determined to turn up the temperature and ignite his side’s stuttering title challenge.
The head coach was in an animated mood as he warmed up for a crucial run of fixtures, with the emphasis on playing with fire in the belly in Saturday afternoon’s home game against Nottingham Forest.
Arteta talked of the intensity going up in training this week and he has emerged from a trip to the USA for talks with the club’s hierarchy confident that Arsenal, whose injury problems have eased after four games without a win in the league, can cut a 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.
“And this sport and the demands that we have sometimes put the temperature up a little bit, sometimes bring it down and everybody needs it. I’m the first that needs that. And not only from the owners – from the coaches, from the players, media, it’s great to have that. So you are always seeking to be the best and evaluate and judge yourself in the right way.”
Arteta does not mind the pressure going up. He grinned when he was asked about the temperature at the club now. “Very good,” Arteta said. “Like Mallorca in June.”
Expectations have gone up and Arteta suggested he would be in trouble if he did not live up to them. “It’s about delivering with that expectation time and time and time again. Which is only one way to fulfil that expectation: winning big trophies, that’s it. Anything else is going to be …” Arteta trailed off and made a choking sound.
Arsenal hope to have Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard available, and Riccardo Calafiori is back training after a knee injury. But Ben White faces an extended spell on the sidelines after surgery and Takehiro Tomiyasu has a knee problem.
It has been a challenging period and Arsenal have been rocked by the departure of Edu, their sporting director. Edu is expected to join the network of clubs spearheaded 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 has to be someone who is able to cooperate and make each other better and take us to a different level.”
Arteta had urged his players to show their teeth after the 1-1 draw with Chelsea two weeks ago. He saw a mentality shift in that game. “Last year we were losing 2-0 [at Chelsea] and we score for 2-2,” he said. “Just watch the footage of how we celebrate the goal. This season you go out there and score 1-0 and look how we celebrate the goal. It is about raising expectations higher. You are not satisfied. This team wants more and more, that even if we win and win and win they are going to be willing to do more.”
