Arteta embedding the winning mentality for 22 to 23 season ?

“I had read this interesting book” ‘One Goal – The Mindset of Winning Soccer Teams by Bill Beswick (2016)’. Steve Round commented: “The lessons I have learned from my mentor can now be yours. Read One Goal and become a better coach.” My salient points pertaining to Mikel Arteta 2022/23 team are based on that book.  A winning team mindset begins when all members of a team agree to be led in the same direction.  

The stronger and more compelling that shared vision of success is, the more committed the team becomes and the more willing they are to set aside personal agendas. Mikel Arteta must emphasise that 2022/23 is a new season; a clean sheet and an opportunity to go up another level from last season. Arteta must address two glaring weaknesses in his young team which so derailed the 2021/22 Top-4 challenge in the last 10 games, none better than articulated by Sir Alex Ferguson, who was clear on two key goals for his team: 

1. Never lose two games in a row. This standard breeds mental toughness and resilience. 
2. Always get the second goal. One goal gives you a chance; the second nearly always seals the win. 

Creating a Team Identity and Team Culture 

After 2 years and a few months as Arsenal manager Arteta has sold 14 senior players, and this summer, may sell another 8 or 9 players to create the team he wants. Clearly 2022/23 season is the last chapter of Project Rebuild with all players that Arteta wants, or needs, should be in place. The problem is the Team Identity is still in its embryonic stage, centred around a nucleus of young players, most brought in last summer, and the task remains in their hands to forge a Team Identity with new senior players hopefully signed in the summer. Success or failure depends very much on Arteta forging a Team Identity with a winning mindset on those two key goals spelled out by Alex Ferguson. 

Core Leadership and Micro-coaching 

But where is the Core Leadership when the chips are downed as in our 2021/22 season last 10 games? There was no winning team mindset, no mental toughness to drive on after a setback, it was all nervous nellies when faced with high expectations. The team imploded without purpose, without cohesion, lacking confidence, suffering from anxiety and no strong characters to pick the team up. 

When Germany beat Brazil 7-1 during WC2014, it was a clash between character and personality. Brazil had personality but no leadership, whereas Germany had character and personality all over the pitch. A system that focused on skill had been beaten by a system that stressed both skill and character. Leadership through personality can break down under pressure or adversity, whereas leadership through character is able to hold firm. 

It is damning that both games against Spurs and Newcastle showed up Arsenal as a team without character and without leadership, a team that broke down under pressure and adversity.  Not at all like the French Spine, full of characters and leaders.

Arteta faces a tough task to rebuild confidence, character and a strong mindset within the team. And that needs a core leadership that will dominate with their passion to succeed, and to exert massive peer pressure in the locker-room and on the practice pitch, raising the standard, a fierce “never say die” fighting mentality, and a deeply entrenched winning mindset to drive the team to success. 

Arsene Wenger is known as Le Prof, sitting calming and letting players have the freedom to dictate plays and change tactics on the pitch. He rarely interfered in his first decade, but turned into an animated figure in his later years. But he had experienced and highly skilled players on the pitch. Players to take the game by the scruff of the neck when all looked lost

No doubt, it is a very young team that needs coaching on the pitch. An example is a bewildered ESR trying to understand his position with Arteta continuous instructions from the bye-line. After two seasons, it is time for Arteta to become “Le Prof” and trusts his players and core leadership to exercise initiative and ingenuity to solve by themselves on those adversities facing them on the pitch. This will help his young players to grow into their role, to help each other out and a core leadership will eventually surface and identified by Arteta. 

A Defence with embryonic Leadership, and a Midfield without Character and Leadership? 

All the ingredients are in place. 

For the Defence, he has White, Gabriel, Tomiyasu and Tierney as the established Back-4 with Aaron Ramsdale behind them. Arteta has Holding, Saliba and youths like Rekik and Kirk as backup. Rotation is vital to prevent burnouts during crucial March/April period where titles and silverwares are won or lost. And Arteta needs better backup than Cedric and Tavares and should buy to strengthen this FB. Gabriel is growing into his role as a Defence leader and organizer. Much more pre-season training is needed to reinforce the Defence Leadership to rectify all those defensive errors due to lack of communication and leadership. 

Both Partey and Xhaka are not leaders in Midfield. The midfield is usually in disarray under pressure, and simply lacks cohesion. You cannot have both Xhaka and Partey playing together, akin to Brazil WC2014 with skills but lacks personality and character. Arteta should realise that that Xhaka needs to leave and be replaced by a senior player with character and personality to drive the team. 

Odegaard is a skilled player. But he simply lacks that “oomph” like Vieira or Del Bruyne to be a midfield general. I see Odegaard as lacking charisma, personality and character to be a strong leader to lead the team. Perhaps he may prove me wrong if he is seen to grow into his role game by game next season? 

Arteta will have a major leadership issue to resolve during pre-season training. 

A Forward-line with no focal point and does not communicate 

I guess we Arsenal fans are spoilt by the French Spine “One-touch, one-pass” football with telepathic understanding amongst them. Like Wiltord once said, “I can run with my eyes closed and knew that the ball will be delivered to when I wanted” or something like that. 

Nketiah “cameo” appearances proved this point that when the team has a focal point and Nketiah knew where the passes are coming, and he was there to score. There is already a telepathic understanding between Odegaard and Saka, and a joy to watch in February to March, freely scoring for fun. Similarly, Emile Smith-Rowe was scoring due to understanding between Saka from their Academy playing days. 

Brit Pack?

Now Nketiahappears to have signed on this will strengthen the communication amongst Nketiah, Saka, ESR; and Odegaard with pre-season training and the more games they play together. Perhaps, this Brit Pack Mark 4.0 is the real thing with more to come in Patino, Hutchison and Azeez? 

I reiterate that I see ESR as "Thomas Muller", a player who is neither winger nor no. 10, but whose primary attribute is the knack to get into goal-scoring position. It is an enigma that Arteta must solve to keep ESR happy in the team with more playing time.

Martinelli?

Can he develop into a centre-forward or a left winger who can cross and drive in like Roberto Pires? The jury is still out. Another major problem to solve next season.

And of course, it is crucial that Arteta should buy the correct forward to fit into his team. A forward that will create immediate synergy with this Brit Pack. 

Whither 2022/23 Season? 

A new start, a team fortified with winning team mindset, a fighting mentality and a battle-hardened toughness forged after 2021/22 Top-4 failure, will stand us in readiness to battle for Top-4 once again. 

Let’s hope Mikel Arteta is wiser, more tactically flexible, battle-hardened, upgrading his tactical nous and knew his opposition much better to secure more wins than losses against the Top-6 teams. Top-4 is still within grasp if Arteta is as wise as Sun Tzu, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”