Mikel Arteta says Liverpool’s journey to becoming Premier League winners is a great example for Arsenal to follow but he maintains it’s not a simple case of copy and pasting their ideas.
Liverpool finished eighth in the table at the end of Jurgen Klopp’s first season in charge in 2015/16 but have closed the gap on the sides above them year-on-year finishing, fourth, fourth and second before securing their first top-flight title in 30 years this week.
Currently ninth in the table and with half the tally of points accumulated by Liverpool, there’s no doubt that Arteta, who took over in December, has a mammoth job on his hands. Having only started his project in December, he knows he has much work to do to get the fans onboard and that includes on the recruitment front.
“At the moment, we are very far [from the top] and the league table shows how far,” said Arteta.
“To compare with them [Liverpool] is not the right thing to do or to try to emulate them by copy and pasting. It doesn’t work. We have to believe what we believe is the right thing to do.
“The context is completely different to what they had at that time, we have to adapt our concepts, our situation, the players and the environment that we have, and let’s start making some decisions.”
While the Spaniard is wary of direct comparisons with the Reds, he buys into the idea that a team can be hugely improved when it’s run with clear principles and the personalities in the camp match the club’s philosophy.
“It’s a great example to take to see that it is possible to do it [win the league], but it takes a lot of work and a lot of great decisions from everyone,” he said.
“First of all, [there must be a] belief that what you are doing is the right thing to do and they [the people in charge] are all aligned and have a strong belief that it is the right thing to do.
“And from there, you need to start to make the right decisions in terms of recruitment to get a coach that is identified for the philosophy of that football club, that the fans believe in that and feel attached to that and then players that are 100 per cent committed to that manager and that football club and to give their best all the time, no matter what.
“After that, slowly, you start to catch up. You start to get better and better and better. And then you start to make improvements, you generate belief and when you generate belief and you have the crowds and the history and the fans that we have, you can do anything. I have strong beliefs about that.”
After a hectic six months as Arsenal’s head coach, has Arteta generated more belief in his players? He thinks so, but says it’s not really for him to say. Ultimately, change won’t be affected immediately, patience will be required.
“The way I see them play and train, for sure,” he said. “They are very, very willing about what we want to do. They believe, they want to learn. I think they are enjoying the process, but you have to ask them not me. It’s a question for them.
“We have to be able to transmit that around the football club and obviously to our fans. Is it going to take a bit of time? Yes. It’s the hardest thing in football. I think, if we’re a little bit patient, we will see some big changes.”
https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/soccer/news/luiz-lucky-new-deal-pressure-arteta-arsenal-keown/1i6mtaudrdi4l1buduscsmkk50 As mentioned by Keown, Arteta is on thin ice as is. Goodwill particularly at arsenal will only last so long. Team in place to over see transfers IMO not doing the right thing. Luiz extension farcical considering. But worth noting while Keown notes in article above Luiz only able to function in back 3 effectively, this is similar for Mustafi AND Holding. Meanwhile too much potential flux in midfield. Pepe hit and miss cost 79m which we are beholden to pay over next 4 summers along with relatively as yet unproven Saliba equating to… Read more »
Why always me
Boring. I fell asleep when re…zzzz
You know, I don’t disagree with your opinion that Emre Can could have been a shrewd acquisition. He would have brought some qualities to our midfield for sure. But you reiterate that one, very specific personal opinion in Every. Single. Post. Give it a rest. It didn’t happen, nor was there even a whiff of a rumor. Repeating it isn’t going to turn it into some near-miss opportunity that got away. It was 100% your brainchild. Raul is worrisome but we are resource constrained with this ownership and a declining revenue stream, and the next two or three transfers/deals with… Read more »
Well for one thing, Liverpool don’t have that great footballing luxury himself – Mustafi. What are the odds on Mustafi Mustafiing us out of the cup? 6/4 on?
To everybody please give him time! First couple of years of any jobs are scrappy(even in corporate world). He would need at least 4-5 years to get Arsenal back to winning titles again. And he will make mistakes. You can see it with klopp, pochettino(though they never won anything but became regular top 4 contender, for them it isn’t bad). Be patient with him. If you think 2003-04 is the benchmark, we are probably at 40-50% of that today. We need to grow little by little. With our limited funds, i think he will focus on improving and… Read more »
I think a big step for them was to
Sell coutinho and re invest in VVD and Allison
Also buying Mo salah , firminho and mane for 30-40 mill
Imagine buying all 3 for mustafi, xhaka and pepe and still having 30-40 mil in the bank
As blogs pointed out .. we need more in the lines of proper scouting than getting into bed with likes of kia
In case we should likely lose Aubameyang, what price Andre Kramaric as a back up for young Martinelli/Nketiah and maybe (IF) Laca also for next season.
Senior striker 32yrs plenty of experience (and in PL with Leicester before), height at 6’2.
he isn’t represented by Kia Joorbachian or Mino Raiolla is he?
4 goals today against Dortmund final day.
I have to say that is some scouting. Highlighting a player as a potential signing on the day he scored 4 goals v Dortmund. Amazing stuff.
…sorry Kramaric even better still 29yrs. earlier stat 6’2 I quoted was thinking of Nikola Kalinic. we will be prey to many clubs this summer with super agents likely manipulating….rather then this revamp many prefer to imagine, more than likely we will lose our better players. Which means we have to be very careful to pick our fights and use money wisely. Luiz commitment already not the best move. Soares to some extent depending if AMN was trusted as a Rback surrogate (Certainly would not trust his care free attitude in midfield) BUT that means where… Read more »
BUT I am bored.
Wake me up when this (Santori) is over. Please.
Those three top-four finishes after Klopp’s first season were crucial. They kept the fans and owners onside with what he was trying to do. They generated cash through the Champions League. But they also meant they were able to attract (and keep) the quality of players necessary to push further.
Obvious to say of course, but next season is going to be vital for Arteta.
Well Klopp didn’t have incompetent folks like Raul and vinai working above him.
They have solid analysts like Michael Edwards, etc.
Raul will sink this team so far down that our only hope is if Kroenke decides to sell.
Why are people so down on Raul? Is it the blogs narrative. Luiz was a gamble and still is. But Saliba looks the real deal. Pepe could still be brilliant. I see ambition in those signings. Some risk taking. I.m prepared to give it all some time before writing them all off
The Arsenal way means playing quick pass and move attacking football. We only pass somewhat nowadays and dont do enough moving.
We also unearthed gems but with today’s connectivity that’s becoming more and more challenging.
We will need to improve players internally. I see artera as being able to do that. Willock, saka and eddie are the hope of great development.
Oh please.. Willock will not cut it. Overrated player if i ever saw one. I got more faith in Smith-Rowe.
I wonder where we’d be now if we’d replaced Arsene with Klopp, or Guardiola, back when they were available 5 years ago…
We’ve spent plenty of money (and wasted plenty on free player departures) in that period, but ended up with a mediocre and disjointed squad with no clear vision.
Still, would’ve been harsh on Arsene to replace him just as the purse strings were being loosened.
It may have been harsh but so is life. Arsene.s time was up even then.
All we read about is Klopp and if I recall after his first season a lot of Liverpool fans wanted him out.
But we never hear about whose behind the scenes, their Director of Football, their CEO, their head of scouting, I don’t even know who his assistant is, it’s all just Klopp.
I guess the press don’t think it’s worth writing about or that it won’t get enough clicks on that BS site NewsNow?
But everyone and their dog knows about Raul and Edu because the media don’t stop going on about them ad nauseum.
I’m amazed by this comment. I have read loads about Klopp’s backroom team & how the structures work, not to mention interviews with Pep Lijnders.
We were at one point thinking of getting klopp’s asst before settling for unai right?