Mikel Arteta deliberately disrupted Arsenal’s preparations during pre-season, using delayed travel, altered meals and uncomfortable dressing-room conditions to prepare his squad for unexpected challenges during the season.
The Arsenal manager has long used unconventional methods to test his players, and this summer he focused on making the team more capable of adapting when normal routines are disrupted.
That approach became relevant this week when Arsenal experienced major flight delays before travelling to Italy for their Champions League meeting with Napoli.
Arteta said he welcomed such situations because his players had already experienced similar problems during pre-season.
“We try to create those situations in pre-season,” Arteta said, explaining that the squad had faced delayed transport, different routes and disrupted routines. The aim, he added, was to ensure players and staff could respond calmly rather than panic or look for excuses.
Among the measures used by the coaching staff were delaying meals and transport, taking unexpected routes and making the dressing room hotter. The number of massage tables was also reduced to make conditions more challenging.
Arteta believes experiencing such disruptions in advance helps players remain composed when genuine problems occur on match day.
Arteta surprised by Jesus comments
Arteta also addressed comments made by Gabriel Jesus following the Brazilian forward’s move from Arsenal to Barcelona.
Jesus recently said that he had not been properly informed about his situation at the club and claimed he had been training separately from the first-team squad during his final weeks in London.
Arteta said he was surprised by the remarks, particularly because he had spoken privately with Jesus before his departure.
The manager acknowledged that difficult conversations can sometimes leave players frustrated, especially when they receive news they did not expect. He said, however, that his own final conversation with Jesus had focused on mutual gratitude.
Arteta pointed to Leandro Trossard as an example of how relationships with former players can remain positive after a departure. Trossard, who joined Besiktas earlier this summer, returned to Arsenal recently to watch the team play Chelsea and spent time with his former teammates.
For Arteta, the lasting relationship between a manager and a player is ultimately measured not by the immediate reaction to a difficult decision, but by what remains months later.
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