Mikel Arteta believes that solidarity across the club will be a key factor in the coming months as Arsenal battle for silverware on three fronts.
Admitting he’s unsurprised by the criticism directed at the Emirates since last week’s defeat at Liverpool, the Spaniard called on supporters to keep backing the side recognizing that a positive atmosphere at home games really bolsters the players.
Speaking to Arsenal Player, the 31-year-old promised that in return Arsene Wenger’s squad will do everything they can to win a trophy.
“Some people have been waiting for us to crash and when you crash obviously you’re going to get headlines on that, but we know where we are.
“I think we’ve worked really hard up until now to stay in the position we are in and to be all in all competitions. We want to maintain that and again on Sunday we’ve got a great opportunity to go through in the cup and into the next round.
“I think we can’t afford to have any breaks between the squad, manager, directors and the supporters. I think the fans have been terrific through the year, I think they’ve been really helpful and players really appreciate that.
“[If] we can keep that atmosphere at the Emirates it’s going to be crucial, in my opinion, because we are really strong at home.
“We have a great chance to win something this year so we need to stick together, accept that sometimes things are not going to go well over a period of 45 or 50 games and just value that the team is trying very hard and doing the best we can.”
Meanwhile Olivier Giroud thinks Arsenal have lacked confidence in games against the bigger sides this season. Beaten heavily by Manchester City and Liverpool and only drawing with Chelsea and Manchester United the striker told L’Equipe:
“It’s not a faux pas, it may just be a matter of confidence. We’ll keep the faith and if we continue to play as we have since the beginning of the season we’ll continue to push on.”
Facing games in the FA Cup and Champions League before a resumption of league duties, the Frenchman also made clear that no priorities have been set, only that each game will be tackled individually.
“Every competition is important. We want to play well in both [the upcoming games]. We know the FA Cup has a special importance to the fans in England. It’s a competition we want to win. We won’t let go of it, even if we play Bayern Munich three days later.
“We’ll give everything in these two games and then we have a little breather before Sunderland [22 February]. We’ll know a little more about our future after these two games.”
Destroy everyone from now on boys.
Especially those plastic, toy clubs. Speaking of which…
…Following their rise to the top of the table this month, Chelsea fans have signed a one year extension to remain at the club. The fans, who signed from Blackburn in 2003, had been strongly linked to Manchester City.
“Managers who play down their team’s chances have a “fear to fail”-WENGER
“He’s a specialist in failure. I’m not.
“The reality is he’s a specialist because eight years without a piece of silverware, that is failure.” -MOURINHO
TBH Both comments are accurately spot on so I agree with both managers
Moanrinho has 1 FA Cup to Wenger’s 4, and 2 PM leagues to Wenger’s 3. And Wenger is supposed to be a specialist in failure – BullSh!t !! Also the real truth about Chelsea is forever going to be lost on Chelsea fans. The truth is that they are nothing more than the equivalent of Abrahomic’s A.n.a.l beads, made up of over priced beads, which Abrahamovic uses to pass time pleasuring himself. The day Abrahamovic finds new past times, Chelsea can go back to being the sh!t mid table team they have always been throughout their history. The biggest thing… Read more »
It depends what you define as failure. Personally, I see building a £400 million state of the art stadium and keeping the club financially stable while remaining at the top end of European football as a success. Mourinho should stick to what he’s good at – spending ridiculous amounts of money and being “successful”, and should stop focusing on other managers.
I hate Mourinho as much as anyone, but the obvious flaw in your argument is that Mourinho has managed in the PL for 3.5 years compared to Wenger’s 19 and has won the aforementioned trophies.
@TexasGooner – Oh and whose fault is that. Is it Wenger’s fault that Moanrinho was fired by Chelsea.
Lastly 2 League Titles in 3 years doesn’t equal 3 Titles. 3 years or 300 years, Moanrinho has 2 League titles and 1 FA Cup, and Wenger has 3 League Titles, and Moanrinho has 2.
This might be the greatest comment on the internet that I have ever seen
It’s not solidarity Mikel that wins matches. It’s not passing backwards or sideways!
That’s the spirit of togetherness he’s talking about!
Probably the wrong time and place, but I just want to thank you for your podcasts. The Tuesday Club is great but not often enough. We can rely on Mr Arsecast. Anyway. Not arse kissing, just a thank you. Keep up the good work for my own selfish reasons.
Actually he will play little or no part in our next two games, the flamstar is back and raring to get in some faces
As funny as that was, I don’t know if ‘solidarity’ is going to be as big a deal as the players make it out to be. The players need to step it up ON the pitch. What happens off the pitch is there business. I’m not interested if they don’t speak at all, obviously it helps if they do, but I only care that they communicate well on the pitch and most importantly start scoring some goals. We haven’t done enough of that recently.
Will always stand by the team 100%, through thick and thin. No matter what “crisis” the media may invent to put us off course.
I must say I’ve been surprised about the reaction too. Hell, in Van Judas’ final season with us, I felt it was a treat going a home match only conceding one, let alone bloody 12! We asked, no, “fucking demanded or else it’s WENGER OUT!”, to be competitive. We’ve knocked Sp*ds out of the FA, came out of the “Group of Death and mutilation” in the Champ’s League and now we are heading toward March one single point behind the leaders of the League. All of a sudden now we have horse shit for a striker, a failure of a… Read more »
If there’s one thing I hate it’s this idea that everybody is waiting for Arsenal to crash. Not saying that it isn’t but why must we keep broadcasting it? Why must we keep making people aware of the fact that we recognise it’s a possibility? Why not shut up, go to the pitch and prove it there? Instead of acknowledging the ‘haters’ why not just go one the pitch and get the job done? When we win that trophy you can acknowledge that people doubted you
just stop talking please
vs Liverpool: 1-2
“The heaviness of the previous defeat played on our minds a little bit – but, its counterproductive to overanalyze with such an important game coming up. On missing out once again on a winnable competition? Look, why are you looking at me?”
vs Bayern: 0-5
“Are you telling me if I give up on this competition? Absolutely not. Afterall, we’re left with no more fear of failure.”
On why Pep maintains that the tie is not over yet? Fear of failure, simple as…
The build up to this week has been quite depressing, injuries, losses, poor form of our key players.
I was geniunely excited for this month because we could finally show off how much of an improved team we have become, but because of the factors above it now feels like the coming week will be a repition of last season. Lose embarassingly at home in the FA cup then lose at home against Bayern in the UCL.
Come Arsenal, life your fucking game! its do or die
You could copy and paste this comment to 3 or more separate periods in the last 4 years… Except Bayern of course
couple of spelling errors from me…repetition* and lift*
and yeh I agree, but this feels more like Deja Vu
“John Terry has a rapist’s face. Not saying he’s raped anyone, but if he does I get £200 off paddy power. From a £190 bet.”
– Frankie Boyle.
Just finished watching Last Days of Sodom. Fucking brilliant.
You don’t have to be Mystic fuckin Meg to know that we are about to fail…..that’s what the fans are frustrated about. It’s not lack of effort, lack of spirit, passion, skill OR solidarity. It’s simply because we had a chance and when Wenger didn’t buy a top striker, he blew that chance.
THAT IS WHY PEOPLE BOOED.
no, it’s because Bould and Wenger decided that instead of going for the killer goal whilst we had united on the rack (but risking a counter-attack leading to an away goal and defeat for the Arsenal) they would channel the spirit of Don “a draw is never a defeat” Howe
imagine the fun you would have had if we’d lost. you’d be able to post far more spiteful, yet ignorant, nonsense.
almost makes me glad we decided to go for the draw, if it upsets the plastics
I’m over last week and in the cold light of day a point v UTD wasn’t the end of the world. We do need to improve but we can win the league. Ramsey’s absence has left us without ‘a runner’ from midfield and a little one dimensional and Walcott’s pace is a big loss with this in mind and without these 2, getting in behind defences has been our biggest problem. But if we can start games quicker and stick together, grind out a few results with the aim of our form of a few months ago returning we can… Read more »
Santi’s was in training today apparently.
“Santi” rather.
“I’m going to do the thing that God put Mikel Arteta on this Earth do to: have salon quality hair and play for The Arsenal.”
The mighty Gooners were amazing away at the mugsmashers.
Again, at home against manure, we raised the roof in true solidarity to support the team.
Where was this reaction we were promised?
Why are some players talking about sticking behind the team, we always do!
Just get on with it and make The Arsenal proud.
Me dear sensible Goons, me bet you wont last long in this kind of site, the level of bitterness in there is just, meh, let me just say, beyond imagination. Off you go, http://www.teamtalk.com/arsenal/yoursay#6035352.
Yeah Santi is in the training pics with the team, fingers crossed!
I allways find the home support to be rather crap whenever i go to a game. 1-0 down and we get out sung by 5000 visiting fans. It is rather embarrasing to be honest. You show your discontent inbetween games, and never during a match. When you are at the Emirates you should support our players and keep on singing Even if we are 4-0 down. If you cant do that, then please stay at home. Being a supporter on gameday means being the famous 12th man, and if you are not doing your part in the stands, then you… Read more »
Solidarity brothers!!
Solidarity Reg!
This may sound strange, but I hope there isn’t too much negativity if we lose tomorrow. I personally don’t care too much about the FA Cup anyway, so If Wenger plays a weaken side and the Scousers beat us then I won’t be too bothered.
The Premier League is the real prize, so getting knocked out of the FA Cup might even be a blessing in disguise. I can’t see us getting past Bayern either so very soon we’ll only have to worry about those dozen remaining PL matches.
Too much negativity on here. It’s been a bad couple of games hopefully we can have a string of good results to brighten everyone up.
On another note nice to see Mr I’m not a failure get stuffed tonight.
Just seen old Maureen’s latest.The Arseblogger hit the nail about classless and infantile..most hate losing but he really has no sportsmanship at all,it’s a very thin veil all that best team won blah.He does know football but he ain’t no gentleman.
I wish he’d fuck off of my telly.
Everyone says “we miss Walcott’s pace”. We don’t just miss his pace, we miss his movement and his ability to pluck a goal out of his arse.
Plus he is one of our only players happy to have a shot that is usually on target. With Podolski benched in my eyes that just leaves Santi as our biggest goal threat.
Really need some of the other boys to stand up.
Mourinho always has a bop at other managers obviously he is nervous, man. City beat chavs yday, mourinho has now to anawer to chavs defeat, wenger is still in cup coyg