Mikel Arteta compares Champions League tactics to the EPL – “little rules that change the context”

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta looks on during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium in London on April 1, 2023. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)

Mikel Arteta appears to be looking for us to do something extraordinary in the Champions League, as he wants us to be surprising. The manager wants us to play strategically differently in the league and the Champions League to avoid being predictable and to compete on all fronts.

Apparently, the boss expects the boys to approach our Champions League campaign differently than we do in the league.

Although many of us believe we can get out of our group, which includes PSV, Lens, and Sevilla, Arteta doesn’t simply want us to get to the knockout stages. Reading from his statements before the game, he is no doubt keen on us competing for European glory.

“Europe is different,” Arteta said during his pre-match press conference for the game against PSV on Wednesday. “The pace of the game is different, the quality of the opposition, culturally you find a game that requires different things.

“The way the law applies from referees is different. In this league, you find you need a certain number of points in the group stage makes the game different, as sometimes it is enough to hold for a draw, whereas in the Premier League, we would never do it.

“The away goals counted so much then, which domestically is not important. So there are a lot of little rules that change the context of the game in a big way.

“We’ve been fighting for it,” he added. “I’ve played in a few for the club, and I have beautiful memories about them.”

With goals from Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, and Martin Odegaard, we defeated PSV 4-0 to kick off our Champions League campaign in style. As the saying goes, everything that begins well ends well. Why can’t we win the Champions League in 2023–24?

Our next Champions League match will be against Sevilla on October 3.

Daniel O

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7 Comments

  1. A draw away at Sevilla basically wins us the group if we take care of business since they drew with visiting Lens.

  2. OT : Real Sociedad fans calling our loan left back Roberto Carlos, base on his sheer performance last night.
    Now Roberto Carlos is a Brazilian legendary left back game changer, if you ask me.

    Yes I can see what the gaffer is trying to do in the champions league, just think we are a player or two short, hopefully we can address that in the winter window, especially if we remain in striking distance.

  3. Zinchenko is likely to be tested defensively on Sunday for the first time this season and let’s hope he up to the job.He really is a highly skilled left sided midfielder who excels in keeping possession in tight situations and he sees a pass which is beyond the vision of less intelligent players.Whether we can get away with his defensive deficiencies against top sides remains to be seen but let’s hope we can.

    1. “Whether we can get away with his defensive deficiencies against top sides remains to be seen…”
      Didn’t we win against top sides last season with him starting in the same position? If I remember correctly,Arsenal beat Tottenham twice last season and Zinchenko started on both occasions.

      1. From what I have seen Onyango, Spurs have improved substantially on last season and they represent our biggest test of the season so far.You can forget about performances last season and focus on the here and now.Against PSV there were a number of occasions when we failed to pick up their midfielders and working defensively off the ball is an area where we have to improve.Against top quality sides we are unlikely to get away with this failing which becomes more evident in the absence of Partey, hence the need for us to find a suitable box to box exponent to replace him if indeed he is moved on.

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