Arsenal’s dressing room was particularly gloomy after losing to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final in March.
But Mikel Arteta had no time for negative energy, even if his players had to wait 13 days to rectify the situation in the FA Cup at Southampton. The international break comes at an awkward time, but Arteta is determined to keep his team focused.
After several years of disappointment, he didn’t want to waste another long, tough season. They simply went too far and made so much progress that they froze at the business end of the campaign.
The seismic shift in the story was undeniable. Many predicted, and some even hoped, that this might actually be the beginning of the end for the Gunners.
Two separate sources with close ties to Arsenal’s squad suggested the Spaniard’s battle cry that day was simple.
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The players were told that Arteta absolutely respects what it means to represent your country, but that they needed to be kept locked in.
They were also given a solid reminder that they have worked tirelessly throughout the season to put themselves in a seriously strong position, and that the coming months will shape their destiny as a group.
Other than the usual basics, such as telling the team to recover, sleep well, and eat well, they were left in place. Arteta left the room to carry out his media duties, but then worked with backroom staff and analysts to pick the bones of Arsenal’s dominant Wembley display.
News soon broke that Julian Timber would not be joining the Dutch squad, while Newcastle’s Harvey Barnes replaced attacking midfielder Ebelesi Eze in the England squad. Neither development was entirely surprising given that he missed the game against City with ankle and calf problems respectively.
Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-0 in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley (Image: Andrew Fosker/Shutterstock)
Mirror Football has since confirmed with club officials whether other Arsenal players will be withdrawn from international duty.
There were expectations that Gabriel Magalhães would withdraw from the Brazil squad as he was battling pain in his right knee, but nothing concrete has yet been confirmed.
What happened next was a bit unusual. Gabriel withdrew after tests, while William Saliba also missed the France squad due to an ankle problem. Before Leandro Trossard was withdrawn from the Belgium squad due to a hip injury.
Less than a week later, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice returned from the England camp after resting against Uruguay, while Noni Madueke, Martin Zvimendi and Piero Hincapie were also released by their respective countries after trouble.
Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice have both withdrawn from the England squad in March (Image: (Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images))
Critics, including pundits and rival supporters, were highly skeptical as to whether all of Arsenal’s players on the list were actually injured. The counterargument was that many stars had been battling hardship for weeks.
Traveling around the world for international friendlies is also less than ideal preparation for a run-in, as Brazil, France and Belgium were playing in the United States.
Sources close to the two Arsenal players who withdrew from international duty have said there was no conversation between Arteta and the star players about their withdrawals.
Each decision was taken in accordance with club and national medical staff. Arteta may have been notified, but it is said he will now receive a thorough explanation of his condition.
In his post-season press conference with Sky Sports, Arteta claimed that it was one of two moments when he feared Arsenal had actually surrendered the title due to the number of “injuries”.
Whether you believe him or not, what became clear in the immediate aftermath of Arsenal’s defeat in the Carabao Cup final was that Arteta had the aura of an elite manager.
In recent years, he has been able to take charge of a major football club with a rich history, and the club’s infrastructure has been effectively built around him.
If he continues to produce results, there’s no reason he won’t go down as one of the best managers in the history of the division.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta celebrates with the Premier League trophy (Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images For Premier League)
Nicky Butt has previously claimed he was pressured by Manchester United icon Sir Alex Ferguson to leave him out of England duty. Arteta never had to go down that path.
Rather, in this instance, it was simply a self-imposed decision by some people who not only needed a break, but were also thoroughly obsessed with achieving Arsenal’s overall goals.
Very few managers have this level of authority unconsciously. Similarly, the unwavering level of respect in Arteta’s command wasn’t built overnight either.
This was a step-by-step process that required great endurance, with various setbacks and shortcomings. But now that the first big prize has been confirmed, there is an underlying confidence that more silverware will follow, all the way down to executive level.
In Amazon’s All or Nothing series, which chronicled the rollercoaster 2021-22 season, Arsenal players were always seated when Arteta gave his post-match debrief.
Mikel Arteta has changed his approach when speaking to players in the dressing room (Image: Amazon Prime)
At times, the body language within the team was noticeably poor and negative. Arteta physically towered over them and symbolized the hierarchy that existed. It was a huge chasm that most of those players were never able to close.
The Spaniard remains a key figure for the Gunners for now, but his players stood up during his post-match speech.
His reports are short and concise, rarely exceeding 4-5 minutes per source, but still require full concentration and involvement.
Further details, analysis and videos will follow at Sober Real Estate Training Center afterwards, but only after the dust has settled and the raw emotions have subsided.
Arteta’s approach has not only inspired his players, but also his staff.
With renewed energy and huge momentum, it’s clear why a manager with such power feels Champions League glory is well within the club’s grasp.
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