Mikel Arteta has urged his Arsenal stars not to panic after crashing out of two cups — and rediscover their identity to end a six-year trophy drought.
The north London club have just two trophies left to chase this season after crashing out of the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, with their season in the balance.
Arteta now has the Premier League and Champions League to focus on – yet he is keen to address a club identity which has taken a hit in recent weeks, particularly after Saturday’s shock 2-1 defeat to Southampton.
Ahead of the Gunners’ Champions League quarter-final first leg against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday, Arteta said: ‘I think what you have to do is clear: instead of panic, understand if that happens (losing recent matches), why it happened, and bring clarity.
‘And when you analyse that and you accept that, you’ll be better. That’s it, and that’s the thing that we have to do.
‘Have some perspective on how difficult it is. Feel that pain, feel that emotion, and use it to be better and to improve. There are a few things that we have discussed internally, and I’m very convinced that tomorrow we’re going to see that.
Arsenal raised eyebrows before flying to Lisbon with this unusual training routine involving players holding pens
Arteta added: ‘I think when you have the opportunity that we have, that has to be taken through excitement, through preparing yourself in the best possible way, focusing on the present and on the things that we have to do.
‘And especially in our identity — it’s very clear what is taking us on the way to where we are, and that’s where we have to focus.
‘There are a few things that we have discussed internally (about identity), and I’m very convinced that tomorrow we’re going to see that.’
The squad were filmed completing a host of bizarre drills at their London Colney base on Monday morning, including one in which the players held pens between each other’s fingertips, as they tried to pass the ball between them and move across the grass.
‘I think a training session has to have different elements, and it has to be related to the messages that we sent and the compromises and commitments that we’ve done between us,’ he said.
‘I try to have all those messages and commitments as much as possible, in as many situations as possible, and training was one of them.’
On the rationale of using pens, he added: ‘That stays in the dressing room!’
Arteta confirmed that Gabriel, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard are all available for Tuesday’s match. Though Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber are ruled out, with a target to have them available for Bournemouth on Saturday.
