No excuses, no surprises: Arteta's Arsenal prepare for anything

London: Manager Mikel Arteta of Arsenal has no tolerance for excuses and surprises. To prepare his team for any eventuality, Arteta has taken extreme measures such as employing pickpockets to keep players alert and painting meeting rooms in vibrant colors. He even pipes opposition stadium anthems through speakers at the club's training ground.

Last season, these tactics paid off as Arsenal secured their first Premier League title in 22 years. Despite a flight delay on their way to a Champions League win against Napoli, Arteta remained unfazed and expressed his enjoyment of creating challenges to help players adapt. He believes that facing unexpected scenarios like missed flights or delayed trains during pre-season prepares the team to handle similar issues on match day without panic.

Arteta's innovative methods include unconventional drills, such as players passing balls while balancing a pen on their finger, and disrupting routines by altering meal times, transport schedules, and even the temperature of the dressing room. He even brings a miniature olive tree, over 150 years old, to emphasize the club's roots and motivate the team.

With four wins from four Premier League games on the horizon, Arsenal aims for a fourth consecutive victory on Sunday. However, they will face a resilient Sunderland side, who previously beat Arsenal in the same fixture last season with a last-minute goal. Arteta acknowledged that learning from this experience will be crucial for Arsenal's upcoming match.