After Arsenal's 2-3 defeat to Manchester United, Mikel Arteta realized that the players needed a specific message. The Basque coach and the coaching staff sat down together. The players were also encouraged to express their feelings. Finally, there was a relief.
Arteta understands the discussion about fear of failure taking place in the team, so he knows he has to help players see things differently.
Enjoy it" - Arteta said, when he mentioned that he could not keep being afraid week after week for 4 months. This message is a continuation of his speech in the dressing room right after the match against Man United.
This is a journey you have to go through if you want to win the championship. Things don't always go smoothly" - the Spanish captain said.
In other words, there will be obstacles, especially when a team is aiming for their first Premier League title after many years of waiting. Everything is rarely quiet, despite the decline that Manchester City has created.
Arteta understands that he must help the team regain confidence. Or at least the confidence they show in non-Premier League tournaments. That reflects the psychology behind everything.
It's always easier said than done, especially when Arteta's students are under great pressure, a pressure amplified by fans and too much noise on social media. This happens when Arsenal has to wait too long without titles, in the context of many times reaching the finish line.
People question whether Arsenal was trained too much to the point of no longer focusing on creating scoring opportunities for the striker. This is reflected in recent statistics on goals, as well as the impacts in the match.
For example, in the 0-0 draw with Nottingham Forest, Arsenal mostly followed the plan and on another day, they may have converted xG 2.37 into a victory. But again, that's just a probability.
But that revealed the difference between the process and the final product needed to win the championship. To minimize risks, Arteta promoted the recruitment of Eberechi Eze in the summer of last year. However, this midfielder was excluded from the main squad more often after the 1-2 defeat to Aston Villa.
It must be admitted that the dense schedule has affected Arsenal's performance, especially with Arteta's characteristic pressing style. In addition, a common reality of The Gunners in recent seasons is the decline in December and January.
Arsenal is probably the strongest team in England at the moment and is capable of winning many titles. The question is whether they can escape the fear mentality or not.
Finally, it shows that we can maintain stable form at this level and if this is the first time, how difficult it is to achieve that" - Arteta said after winning all 8 Champions League group stage matches with Arsenal this season.
