Arteta Demands Arsenal Fans Create Hostile Atmosphere at Emirates
Mikel Arteta urges Arsenal fans to increase hostility at home games following a run of poor form.
Arteta's Appeal to Arsenal Fans
Mikel Arteta has called on Arsenal fans to make the atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium more hostile towards visiting teams for the remainder of the season. This request comes as the team has been struggling with their form in recent matches.
In the 2022-23 season, the atmosphere at Arsenal's home stadium was considered a key element in their success, with intense and relentless displays. However, in recent months, the energy at the stadium has noticeably declined, as seen in last week's 2-0 defeat to West Ham.
With three defeats in their last five matches, Arteta hopes that by creating a more hostile environment, opponents will feel ground down by the stadium's energy and Arsenal can regain their winning form.
Creating Arsenal's Own 'Anfield Effect'
When asked about the possibility of Arsenal creating their own version of the formidable atmosphere at Liverpool's Anfield stadium, Arteta expressed his belief that it is achievable. He stated, "Can we tweak it and make it even more hostile? I think we can. That's the next step in my opinion. We have to be so grateful for what we're achieving in our home ground. Sunday's game against Liverpool is going to be another big one."
Arteta emphasizes that the responsibility for creating a lion's den in north London falls not only on the fans but also on the players. He believes that the team needs to demonstrate more bite, aggression, intimidation, and dominance towards their opponents. They will have an opportunity to showcase this in upcoming matches, including the Champions League fixtures.
In the FA Cup third round tie against Liverpool, Arteta is expected to field a strong side, as this match will be an important test against one of their title rivals. In case of avoiding a replay, Arsenal plans to spend a longer period training in Dubai during the mini winter break. Despite the clash of giants not being the ideal prelude, Arteta sees it as a chance for the team to regain momentum.
Injury Concerns and Maintaining Perspective
There are doubts regarding the availability of Oleksandr Zinchenko for the FA Cup tie, as he continues to recover from a calf injury that kept him out of the recent loss to Fulham. Arteta acknowledges that the team performed below par in that game but believes it should not overshadow the bigger picture.
"It affects momentum because we were top at Christmas and now we are fourth," Arteta admitted. "However, we need to have a broader perspective and not get too affected by one performance or result. As the manager, my job is to analyze things with a wider view and maintain perspective."
The upcoming clash against Liverpool presents a challenging situation for Arsenal, but Arteta insists that the team has no choice but to tackle it head-on and give their all.
