Arsenal star reveals Mikel Arteta’s latest bizarre tactic to inspire Gunners stars

Mikel Arteta has become famous for using unusual methods to keep his Arsenal squad engaged and focused – and Oleksandr Zinchenko was the fall guy in his latest stunt

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta roped in a football freestyler to embarrass Oleksandr Zinchenko as part of one of his unusual team-building exercises.

Arteta’s wacky approach to keeping his players engaged and focused have become well known since the team allowed Amazon behind-the-scenes access for a documentary in the 2021/22 season. All or Nothing: Arsenal showed Arteta drawing on a flipboard before the North London Derby, letting the long-serving club photographer take a team talk and referencing his own childhood struggles to try and inspire his squad.

He also played Liverpool chants over a speaker ahead of a trip to Anfield in 2021, later admitting it was one of his “crazy ideas”. More recently, the Spaniard’s decision to hire a pickpocket to steal from his players during a team meal attracted a lot of attention.

Arsenal defender Zinchenko says that is just one example of Arteta’s zany ideas over the past few years. Recalling another incident, Zinchenko told The Guardian : “We stayed at the same hotel before a match and we knew all the waiters. But there was a new guy that day.

“So before we go to the stadium [Arteta] said: ‘OK guys, let me wake you up, because we need energy. Last time, Alex, we played staff against players and you beat [the set-piece coach] Nicolas [Jover]. Let’s do it the same, but freestyling’.

“Everyone was like: ‘What? For sure, Alex will beat him, blah blah blah’. Nico started to do something with the ball and then suddenly it looks like he got an injury. It was so obvious but weird. Then they called the new waiter. We didn’t know he was a professional freestyler. He destroyed me with his tricks and all of us were in deep shock. But then we were all laughing and we went to the game with good energy.”

His methods may divide opinion, but it is undeniable that Arteta has had a positive impact on Arsenal since taking charge in December 2019. He has transformed the club, turning them into regular competitors for the Premier League title against Manchester City.

HAVE YOUR SAY! What do you make of Mikel Arteta’s antics? Inventive or unnecessary? Comment below.

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Turner gave an insight into Arteta’s thinking back in April 2023. “That’s who he is. He likes to make your mind work in different ways, to switch it on and try to get your blood pumping in different ways, to just open your mind,” he told The Guardian.

Arteta has admitted he has lots of work to do in terms of discipline after William Saliba’s red card at Bournemouth continued a worrying trend. The Gunners have received 18 red cards since Arteta took over – five more than any other Premier League side.

“When you play with 10 men for 65 minutes, the task becomes almost impossible,” Arteta said. “So, we need to eradicate that. It’s clear why, the reason and how, it doesn’t matter. We have to focus and it has to happen. The most effective way, I have to be very honest, is not talking about it. Because we tried and we showed and we talked and we repeated the message that we had to play with 11 and it happened again after a week or after.”

Join our new WhatsApp communityand receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.