Aaron Ramsdale says manager Mikel Arteta has his young Arsenal squad on a “tight leash” and believes the discipline instilled in the group by the Spaniard will help them stay focused heading into the final 11 games of the season.
The Gunners could head into the Interlull with an eight-point gap over Manchester City if they beat Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium on Sunday. It would represent a remarkable feat for a side that hasn’t finished in the top four since 2016 and a perfect platform to end a 19-year wait for a league title.
Asked about how he and his teammates are dealing with the pressure of an unexpected title challenge, Ramsdale told Sky Sports:
“I think that’s where the manager and the coaching staff come in. He has us on a tight leash. He allows us to express ourselves and be ourselves, be our own characters and then all he has to do is give it a quick pull and we’re back in order and back in line.
“It’s very easy get ahead of yourself when you’re doing so well and have a team of such young players. When you have the boss as our manager instilling the fear factor in the team, it’s very hard to step out of line.
“When you do, he gives you a quiet word, it’s not the end of the world, making mistakes is part of footballing life but he does it in a way with all different individuals, different ways of doing it and you’ll be back in line sharpish.”
He added: “Everyone finds it [the title race] surreal – the players in the dressing room. I think that’s why the pressure isn’t building too much. Especially last year, the pain of missing out on the top four allowed us to take everything slowly and with a pinch of salt almost.
“People are coming in early with a smile on their, they are looking forward to going out to training, looking forward to spending time with your mates and teammates.”
Very proud of the team this year, exceeded all expectations and with injuries to key players!
To have a manager that has great people management skills, is a master tactician and has a good eye for talent acquisition is nothing short of a miracle.
Arteta is that unicorn we’ve needed since 2008. And they don’t come around often so we are so lucky to have him. It’s kind of amazing that one person can turn a multi-billion pound company from shite to sunshine in three years.
He is the special one.
And turn a toxic emirates into a fortress, with a rocking atmosphere. That is an achievement in it’s self 😀
We’ve needed this for some time. The last few Wenger years, Emery’s, and even the first part of Arteta’s reign were characterised by ill-discipline. We don’t need to go over all the individuals and instances again.
Arteta and his crew have done a great job instilling this in the club, and some players unfortunately had to be forced out. The central part of this for Arteta is based on respect, respect for yourself, the club, the manager, the fans, the teammates, the game. It’s working spectacularly.
100%. Wenger was never one for discipline, even in his early years. The difference was in those years up until the Invincibles he had players who were already highly disciplined and experienced, some of whom were such competitive maniacs they would essentially be the ones keeping the others on a tight leash. That all went out the window when he decided to build on young talent, but his hubris and naivete was such that he didn’t acknowledge that had been such a major part of his earlier success, even when it was clear to us that some of those lads… Read more »
It’s just Wenger had a much tighter budget. Wenger stuck to his poor signings. He played Mustafi, Walcott, Bendtner, Almunia, and a few other bottom barrel players. If Wenger brought in N.Pepe, he would’ve been starting game in game out.
Arteta has a significantly larger budget. He can cut his losses and move on. Don’t forget, Wenger built this club. It’s in the name.
We lacked real leaders on the pitch aswell
Having lacazette, the grinning idiot and co as the senior players was never good enough.
Guendouzis first season, the lads were out getting off chops on happy gas. Do that while Arteta is in charge and you’ll never play again
Assuming the smiles were on their faces?
Kneecaps!?!
Earlobes of course
Top 4 looming on the horizon with every passing week. That alone is a massive reward for the efforts of all – owners, management, other staff and players – this season. It shows the lessons of last season’s collapse have been learned, and properly so. After that comes the improbable yet now a-distinct-possibility EPL title charge.
The season is already a huge success by my reckoning.
I agree completely
I’m still only thinking about top 4.
Everything more is a treat.
But my god. It brings back memories of fighting for the league.
Been a long time.
We not going to get a chance like this. 5 point lead 10 to play. Let’s not be too coy. This is the year else could be another 19 with all that foreign money in the league.
So let’s take it one game at a time but it’s only for the title anything else will be awful in the grand scheme of things.
[i]“People are coming in early with a smile on their, they are looking forward to going out to training, looking forward to spending time with your mates and teammates.”[/i]
Insert happy body part before the first comma.
Mustafi = No Top Four
No Mustafi = Top Four.
QED.