I disrupted pre-season travel plans to prepare players – Arteta

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed that he intentionally disrupted his team's pre-season training and travel plans in order to prepare them for unexpected challenges they might face on matchdays. The Gunners were recently impacted by a midweek Champions League flight delay which caused them to arrive three hours behind schedule after travelling to Italy to face Napoli.

Arteta believes that creating these situations during pre-season helps the players and staff to become accustomed to adapting to such disruptions, rather than panicking or complaining when they occur on the day of the match. He elaborated on his approach, stating that he enjoys introducing challenges in pre-season, such as delaying meals or transport, taking different routes to the ground, and making the dressing room more uncomfortable.

Arteta also referenced other unconventional methods he has employed in the past, including bringing a light bulb into the dressing room, hiring professional pickpockets to attend a team dinner, and introducing a dog named Win to boost morale. These tactics serve to strengthen the team's unity and readiness for any unforeseen circumstances that may arise during a match.