After an impressive 5-0 victory over the MLS All-Stars, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed his desire for a more varied and unpredictable playing style in the upcoming season.
With a slew of new signings, including Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, and Jurrien Timber, Arteta aims to leverage their strengths to keep opponents guessing and make his team less predictable on the field.
In the preseason match against the MLS All-Stars, Arsenal showcased their attacking prowess with goals from Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, Jorginho, Gabriel Martinelli, and Kai Havertz. However, Arteta believes that being less predictable will be crucial in the competitive battles that lie ahead.
“The idea is to be more unpredictable every year and be more difficult for the opponents to stop and nullify what we want to do,” he said.
“That’s what we have now, especially at the back and in the midfield the options we have, to open up the spaces, we have many more options than we had last year.
“We have to start doing the right things in preseason to get the best possible preparation and get that chemistry and cohesion in the team.”
“The idea is to be more unpredictable every year and be more difficult for the opponents to stop and nullify what we want to do,” Arteta stated. He emphasized the importance of having multiple options, especially in defense and midfield, which can open up spaces and create more dynamic plays.
Arteta highlighted the versatility and dynamism of new signing Jurrien Timber, who demonstrated his ability to operate in various positions on the pitch during the MLS All-Star match. The manager praised Timber’s aggression in duels and comfort on the ball, making him a valuable addition to the team.
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“I think you’ve seen tonight that he’s a really versatile player, you can see him defend in those positions. He gives you the capacity to invert, to occupy different spaces.
Jorginho and Kai Havertz celebrating a goal in Arsenal’s 5-0 thrashing of the MLS-All-Stars (Image credit: Getty Images)
“He’s so comfortable on the ball in that phase and he’s also got this aggression in the duels and that dynamism that I really like about him. You saw from the first action; he went and won the ball straight away on that duel and he was ready to go.”
Kai Havertz, another new signing, brings a different dimension to the squad with his quality and size. Arteta mentioned that Havertz’s abilities as a target man and his skills to beat the press will provide the team with more tactical options throughout the season.
“He gives us something very different with his quality and size as well, when you have to beat the press for example and use him as a target man.
“So, we will see – for now, he’s playing in the attacking midfield position, but I’m sure throughout the season and throughout games as well, we’re going to have the options to play him in different positions.”
Arsenal’s pursuit of additional wide forward options in the transfer market, along with the return of Emile Smith Rowe, who has rejoined the squad in the US, offers Arteta plenty of choices in the attacking department. The increased depth in midfield and defense also gives the manager greater flexibility in his team selection.
While the upcoming season presents the challenge of trimming a large squad, Arteta is excited about the prospects of how the team might operate when important games kick off. The Gunners’ fans can look forward to an Arsenal side that aims to surprise and outwit opponents with its new-found unpredictability.
As the pre-season progresses, Arteta and his coaching staff are focused on building chemistry and cohesion within the team to ensure they hit the ground running when the new campaign commences.
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