Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta spoke in his pre-match press conference about the challenges Sunderland will bring to his side, while curiously admitting to have purposely disrupted his team’s matchdays before, after his side experienced flight issues in Naples.
Arteta claims to have introduced these “challenges” to his side so that his players aren’t surprised by anything amidst potential disorder on matchdays, like the ones his side experienced prior to their clash against Napoli in the Champions League on Wednesday.
He also went on to praise new signing Ezri Konsa’s impact on Arsenal’s defence, while highlighting the continued versatility and strengths of centre-forward Kai Havertz.
Away at the Stadium of Light
On the contest that lies ahead for his side, Arteta said: “We have to focus on the next match. We experienced last season how tough the game is going to be tomorrow night. It’s going to be an unbelievable atmosphere.
“We have prepared the game, we are going to finalise it today. We know the importance of it and we want to compete as we always do. Be better than the opponent and win the game.
“Last year we dropped points there – and in the last minute. We experienced and learned a lot from that game. Tomorrow we will discuss many things we want to be aware of.”
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Matchday disruptions
On what he has done to purposely unsettle his team’s comfortability on matchdays, Arteta said: “Just delaying the meals, delaying the transport, take a different route. We’ve done many things.
“Make the dressing room hotter, more difficult, more challenging, less beds. Those kind of things because we’re going to have to adapt to different contexts. And we will try to anticipate this and adapt to difficult conditions.
“When there’s no element of surprise or stress on a matchday, I think it’s important.”
Konsa’s influence
On Konsa influence and impact, Arteta said: “It’s certainly something to admire because it’s not easy at all, you shouldn’t take it for granted.
“After speaking to a lot of people who worked with him, staff members or players, I already had a sense with the way people were talking about him, that he has a way of gathering people together, he has a real personality and a lot of leadership skills.
Star man Havertz
“His best position depends on what the game demands and what the team demands on the day. To be as efficient as possible, as unpredictable as possible,” Arteta said regarding Havertz.
“Kai is extremely intelligent. That’s his biggest strength – he’s five to ten seconds ahead of the game.
“He knows what’s happening, he doesn’t need to talk about it. He just acts. And he makes the people around him better.
“On top of that, he’s scoring goals, producing chances. What he’s producing is outstanding and he’s in a great emotional state at the moment.”
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