Arsenal players are fully behind Mikel Arteta and his unique style of talk team, despite the Amazon documentary series opening the Gunners manager up to ridicule from the public.
The All or Nothing documentary, which covered the 2021/22 season, gave supporters an insight into Arteta’s way of working. The cameras were in the dressing room pre and post-match and captured some intense moments in which Arteta tried to motivate his players.
One standout scene came before the north London derby against Tottenham near the start of the season, following a run of three defeats from their opening five games. Arteta spoke to his players while drawing on a flip board to illustrate his thoughts.
"Guys, we have to play with our big hearts," he said while drawing a heart and a brain holding hands. "At the same time, we have to play with a big brain – and these have to work together.”
The team talk got a generally baffled response from those inside the changing room – and sparked bemusement, a lot of laughter and a series of memes – and even T-shirts – when it was shown to the public. However, Arsenal ’s back-up goalkeeper Matt Turner says the players are on board with Arteta’s left-field approach.
HAVE YOUR SAY! What do you make of Mikel Arteta's left-field team talks? Comment below.
“That’s who he is. He likes to make your mind work in different ways, to switch it on and try to get your blood pumping in different ways, to just open your mind,” Turner told The Guardian.
“And I think one of my favourite qualities about him is that he always has my back. No matter what I do on the pitch, you know, he’s gonna have my back because he knows I work really, really hard.
“I try my best every single day. And it’s easy to play for a guy like that, no matter how demanding he is. You know, you put yourself out there and you try to make his ideas come to life. And he’ll always back you up.”
There are other noteworthy speeches during the series. On one occasion Arteta handed over the floor to club photographer of 30 years and lifelong fan Stuart MacFarlane to try and instil some feeling. And on another he gave a passionate speech which referenced his own recovery from the open-heart surgery he underwent as a child.
Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale believes that these methods help keep the players switched on and focused because there is little chance of things going stale in team meetings. Back in August, Ramsdale said: “His team talks are definitely different. I think he keeps it fresh because sometimes he is writing, sometimes he talks, sometimes he lets some of the lads talk.
“It keeps you engaged and lets you into his life as well. There are new things we have found out about him over the past year that you would never find out unless he wrote a book or something.”
Arteta’s approach is certainly working this season, with Arsenal currently eight points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table and on-course for a first title win in 19 years.
