Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta said the club’s soul had been lost before his arrival in 2019.
Mikel Arteta was Pep Guardiola’s assistant coach at Manchester City for three years before he joined Arsenal and turned them into title contenders last season.
The 41-year-old said he felt a lack of connection between Arsenal’s players and supporters when City played at the Emirates and was determined to turn things around.
“It started [over] three years ago. I was Pep’s assistant at City, we played Arsenal and I saw that the soul of the club was gone,” Arteta told MARCA as quoted by ESPN.
“It wasn’t enjoyed, it wasn’t felt. I knew that there was an option, shortly after, to be on the bench and I knew that this club is so big you have to link the team to the fans.”
“It was difficult to do, and now I feel happy. We have a clear identity, there is unity and we are full of energy. That’s the biggest thing. From top to bottom, they are all moving in the same direction.”
Last season, Arsenal came close to winning the league for the first time since 2004 but finished second behind Manchester City.
Arteta says injuries as well as costly draws against Liverpool, West Ham United and Southampton were the keys to Arsenal’s poor end to the season.
“To this day, I still hurt a lot not to win the Premier League after spending 10 months fighting City,” he added.
“But that’s the sport. That said, what has been achieved with such a young team is invaluable. That is clear to me too.”
“Three draws in a row punished us, and all the misfortune that followed. There were three or four important players injured and from there, things got complicated.”
“When we have a full team, we are consistent. As soon as trouble comes, we cannot be consistent. And then our rivals are the best team in the world; the best squad in the world; the best coach in the world. … We have no choice but to accept it and shake hands hands with the champion.”
