EXCLUSIVE: Meulensteen believes Arsenal need mentality shift to win title
Arteta has been compared to several managers over the years and after a huge amount of success with transforming his Arsenal side into title contenders, Meulensteen was asked if he is more similar to Wenger, Guardiola or Jose Mourinho.
“I can see elements of Wenger, Guardiola and Jose Mourinho in Mikel Arteta.
“He picked things up from managers he worked with and played against. Wenger in how he brought young players through, Mourinho in how he gets results and Pep with elements of how he wants his team to play and get the best out of players
“He has come so close to winning the title in the last two seasons and been unlucky, he has also been unlucky this season with injuries especially losing his captain Martin Odegaard for so long.”
The Gunners are yet to lift the title since the departure of Wenger in 2018. Many pundits have questioned the Spaniard’s mentality heading into major finals and title races but Meulensteen believes they are due a trophy if the side remain calm and focused this season.
“In the last two seasons Arsenal have had to experience massive disappointment. But they showed great resilience coming back last season and going so close until the last few games of the season.
“This season they have fallen away a little bit and suffered so many injuries, but they can still turn this around because they do have a lot of character. The experience of the last two seasons will help them.
“They need to stay calm, not to panic and hope that Liverpool and Manchester City slip up which will allow them to make ground at the top of the table. It’s still before Christmas and there are so many games left to play.
“Having said that, you’d think that if they lost another two games that might be too much to make up. They need to hope that Manchester City continue their blip and that Liverpool’s form doesn’t continue. I don’t think there will be one team running away with it this season”
Arteta’s set-piece coach Nicolas Jover has been in the spotlight at the club for some time after being seen celebrating wildly after corners of freekicks. Meulensteen stated that was not strange behaviour but was instead a sign that football is ever-changing.
“Everything evolves in football, just look at the changes that have taken place in the last 10 years. A recent thing has been set-pieces and set-piece coaches.
“Everything gets scrutinised these days in football and if you look at Arsenal’s set-piece stats they are very, very good so the fans and media will be more aware when they wouldn’t have in the past.”