Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has suggested that not all of Mikel Arteta's unconventional motivational tactics resonate with the Gunners squad after admitting the Spaniard's antics before a trip to Liverpool last term confused the players.
The public was recently granted behind-the-scenes access to Arteta's methods after Amazon released their 'All or Nothing' docu-series focusing on Arsenal's 2021/22 season. The cameras picked up everything from the manager's angry dressing room meltdowns to the exile of former club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Though the scenes inside the away dressing room at St. James' Park after the Gunners had just surrendered their chances prompted plenty of taunts from rival fans, it was Arteta's conduct in the build-up to an away game against Liverpool that had many people talking.
Ahead of the game at Anfield, the Gunners boss decided to make his players train in front of huge speakers that were blaring out You'll Never Walk Alone before the game in November of last year.
The aim was for the players to become familiar with playing in the cauldron of noise that is Liverpool's home stadium so that they were not overawed by the occasion come the big night. Arteta himself conceded the plan was "one of my crazy ideas."
It was not one that succeeded, with the Gunners on the end of a 4-0 drubbing, though it must be said Arsenal started brightly and managed to quieten the Anfield crowd early on. Ironically, it was Arteta who could be accused of waking them up after he had a heated clash with Reds boss Jurgen Klopp on the touchline.
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Odegaard has since discussed the training ground tactic, shedding light on what it was like to emerge onto the training pitches in north London and hear Liverpool's traditional pre-match anthem.
The Gunners skipper told FourFourTwo : "We were all a little bit confused when we could hear the music on… then we saw the speakers, Anfield can be the loudest stadium in this country. It was a nice way to prepare the team.
"But Mikel is very creative. He will always do what it takes to prepare the team as well as possible.
"It’s always interesting to be in a meeting with him: you can learn things, pick up new things, and there’s so many details in the game he will teach you. It’s nice to learn so much about football."
Arteta may wish there were cameras documenting this season, with the Gunners currently sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League after 14 games played.
Arsenal boast a five-point advantage over nearest challengers Manchester City, but will need the likes of Odegaard to step up on the goalscoring front in the wake of Gabriel Jesus' knee injury that required surgery and will keep him out until late Februrary.
