Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
‘PHENOMENAL JORGI WILL HELP MY YOUNG GUNS GO FOR IT’
MIKEL ARTETA has warned his Arsenal stars their achievements last season count for nothing – but they must embrace the added weight of expectation that will be on them this time out.
The Gunners are widely fancied to be Manchester City’s main rivals again this time out, after pushing them so hard during the last campaign.
And the fact that Arsenal have recruited so well has only added to the presumption that they will be right in the mix.
But rather than let that expectation drown them, Arteta wants his men to wallow in it.
He said: “For sure we have to enjoy it, because this is the way we want to move the club.
“We have to be able to enjoy, then grab the opportunity we have in front of us with a lot of motivation and desire to try to accomplish everything we want to do. There’s more expectation this time because, when you do better, expectation will be higher – and also because of the way we have recruited.
“And it’s not only our finishing position but the way the team was playing, and the environment which was created around the club that promotes the belief.
“But we need to be very clear that what happened last season
means nothing, we know that we have to start another season in the best possible way and then try to build that momentum.”
The Gunners’ new recruits — Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber — all have plenty of experience behind them and all have won big honours.
But they are all still young in years, as are most of Arteta’s squad, and that’s why his January signing from Chelsea, the 31-year-old Italy midfielder Jorginho (right), will be a key figure to guide them.
Arteta added: “Jorgi is a phenomenal character, he has so much experience, everybody respects and loves him, and he is a very particular character.
“He has been really, really, really good for us. He needs to maintain what he is doing but we also have to promote experience from other areas. There are some very young players. Now they have been with us for a while, so they have to start to move forwards and take the initiative and go another step further – because that is going to be needed, for sure.
“It’s something that has to be shared. Jorgi’s experience is very important, but then we have to use that and allow others to lead and self-police in certain moments.
“When it comes from the dressing room, that’s the most powerful thing.
“From the end of May to the beginning of August we have not gone from being young to now being mature.
“But they are gaining experience and I will never use their youth as an excuse, because it’s something that really describes who we are and the way we behave and play. It’s something very powerful.”