Arteta stuck? With the season well and truly underway, Arsenal face the biggest test of the season: an away trip to Premier League giants, Liverpool. Arteta aims to galvanize the team ahead of the important away fixture. Arteta’s plan is to play “You Never Walk Alone” during training ahead of the match versus Liverpool at Anfield.
Arteta talks about when he played at Anfield and said it was the only time he ever felt stuck. Meaning that he lost his way during the game and couldn’t really get his feet under him and figure out what was going on. Everything was moving too fast. Areta used the Spanish term ‘pájara’, and referenced it for a biker going up a hill who just can’t go any more. Maybe in English it’s bonked. To me though Arteta seems to be saying it’s both something physical and mental, a sort of anxiety or panic almost.
It’s interesting to hear a manager and player like Arteta talk about something like this that’s so personal in a way. He’s admitting that he once felt stuck or lost during a professional soccer game. One goal goes in and then two and before you know it they’re down five to zero playing at Anfield with the Liverpool crowd all over them any time they touch the ball.
Surely that humbleness helps his players feel less isolated when they have a problem. In the video from All or Nothing on Amazon Prime Arteta talks about feeling stuck while playing in a game at Anfield. And he attempts to help his players prepare for the upcoming game against Liverpool by playing You Never Walk Alone at training.
What’s interesting though is Arteta lost his cool you might say in the actual game versus Liverpool on the sidelines. Some say that it only riled up the Liverpool fans. Others might say it should his passion and fight for his team. Gary Neville and Thierry Henry, as pundits, both said that they thought it wasn’t wise for Arteta to stir up the Liverpool crowd and get in an argument with Klopp on the sidelines at Anfield.
Jürgen Klopp spoke after his Liverpool side beat Arsenal 4-0. Discusses the win and the touchline incident involving Mikel Arteta.
