PACKED WITH ARSENAL TEAM BUILDING, TRANSFERS AND YOUNG EMERGING TALENT!
This brief compiles recent comments by Mikel Arteta over several topics, including Arsenal’s recruitment plan, how new players will be accommodated, what the implications are for existing members of the squad, and the rise of the youth.
- We are very happy with Viktor Gyokeres’ signing..
The signing of Viktor Gyokeres is very encouraging for the club. Arteta is delighted, adding, “We are delighted to have Victor here, of course. It’s been a long process to get the deal done to get him here. This indicates a prolonged and persevering work to keep the player. Gyokeres’s eagerness to sign for Arsenal is also evident: “He was fantastic,c, uh, because very clear from the outset what he wanted to play and how emotional he felt from the first day when we first spoke. Such alignment of player and club ambition is seen as a major plus.
- Max Dowman: An “unusual” Talent in our Midst
Arteta is, to say the least, impressed by the talent of 15-year-old Max Dowman, who is “special” according to the Arsenal manager. The feat of playing at a young age in front of a senior team is “not common to 15 years 15-year-old, of course, not at all”. The club is “very happy to have him.”
Arteta credits Dowman’s early cutthrough not just to his ability but to the support structure around him: “the environment that is around uh his family the people at the club me academy as well super helpful because they put him into this position so early in his journey having a real chance and and real presence when he when he plays for the first team.” This demonstrates the value of the club’s academy and the systems in place for up-and-coming players. - Managing Player Fitness and Integration
Arteta says he is doing all he can to protect new and returning players’ fitness. This is most obvious with a player (not Gyokeres, but must be possibly) to “needs to start to pick up the fitness again with him, ie He played down at 21 then really train with Valencia.” The manager is aware of the “tough” circumstances and there being a “lot of information for h,,im a lot of physical demands that we put in,” adding, “So we’re going to have to manage him slowly.” This speaks to a big picture when it comes to players’ development and injury prevention. - Focus on Intra-Partition Competition and Joint Responsibility
Arteta wants to create “that feeling internally that competition and those resources internally and externally.” That seems to indicate a craving for competition in the squad and players pushing each other to improve.
One message to the squad is “Every player in our squad has to be ready to play.” “While we’re not the biggest squad in the Premier League, everybody has to contribute, and I could easily pick anyone.” This suggests a faith that anyone in the squad can play, and there is no hesitation to switch or call upon other players when required. - Challenges And Ambitions In The Transfer Window So Far
Despite the promising early deals, though, Arteta concedes that the transfer window isn’t easy: “No, we are not deluded.. We know um that we need to bring players in.. We knew that for a long time.. Uh the end of last season we we did a lot of work. We know what we need. But the process continues to be a hard one: “It’s been a difficult uh transfer window, the players know the situation..n Let’s see what we can do at the end of it.” This indicates that while decisions are being made, there might still be work to do in order to satisfy the squad’s requirements. - Fan Engagement and Atmosphere
Arteta knows how important fans are and says, “We want our fans as excited as possi,ble, u,,h believe what the team can do and create again at the Emirates that sense of it, that special atmosphere and all that is gonna be super important, uh, to achieve what we want to achieve yeah. It just goes to show how crucial the home crowd and a good atmosphere are for the team.
In short, Arsenal is following a blueprint for constructing a squad, by signing the likes of Gyokeres, developing the stars of tomorrow in the form of Dowman, ensuring that everyone in the squad is pulling in the same direction, and coping in the meantime with a difficult by ultimately fruitful transfer window. The idea is to have a winning team and a refining home.
