Mikel Arteta’s chaos theory: How Arsenal’s pre-season mind games paid off
Mikel Arteta has never been a manager who likes to keep things simple, but what he did during Arsenal’s pre-season this summer was pretty wild even for him.
The Spaniard revealed recently that he deliberately made things difficult for his players. Arteta delayed meals, changed their travel routes, made the dressing room hotter and even reduced the number of massage beds.
To someone on the outside, that sounds like self-sabotage and maybe even a bit cruel, but there was a very clever reason behind his actions.
The Arsenal manager wanted his players to get used to things going wrong. Not every pre-match routine will go flawlessly – there will be times during the season when issues will arise just before a game. The aim behind his plan was to make sure the players wouldn’t panic when something unexpected happened, and he didn’t want them to use it as an excuse later either.
That theory was tested a few weeks ago, and the Arsenal players passed it with flying colours.
Mikel Arteta’s pre-season mind games paid off when Arsenal played Napoli
Arsenal faced Napoli in their first Champions League game of the season in September, and things didn’t go to plan the day before the fixture at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
The Gunners were scheduled to fly to Italy, but an air traffic control problem in the United Kingdom caused a major delay. Arsenal arrived in Naples around three hours later than expected, and Arteta’s press conference was even cancelled as a result.
Those issues could’ve easily had an impact on the players, but Arsenal went out and beat Napoli 1-0, with Martin Odegaard scoring a fantastic goal in the second half.
Even though the scoreline makes it seem like a tight game, the North Londoners were dominant from start to finish. Arsenal had 26 shots at goal to Napoli’s five and generated an xG of 4.31, which is incredible in a Champions League away game.
That is exactly how Arteta wanted his players to respond when things don’t go to plan.
We’re sure he will feel vindicated about his chaotic experiment in pre-season and will now be more convinced than ever that no external factors can derail his side.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have mastered controlled chaos on the pitch too
Dealing with problems when travelling is not the only positive impact Arteta has had on this Arsenal side; it also applies to how the Gunners play as well.
Just look at the defence. Arsenal’s full-backs don’t just stay out wide.
Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie can move into midfield, go forward or move inside depending on what the game demands. The same applies on the right. Ben White and Jurrien Timber can move forward with Bukayo Saka, move inside or stay back to give Arsenal more protection.
It can look a bit messy at times, but there is a plan behind it. The players know where they need to be when someone else takes up a different position during build-up.
Kai Havertz is another great example. The German doesn’t just stay in the box and wait for crosses to come in. He drops into midfield, moves out wide, wins headers and then gets into the box when Arsenal need him.
Every player in the side knows what to do based on his movement. If Havertz drops deep, someone else can attack the space he leaves. If a full-back moves into midfield, the former Chelsea man can move further forward.
Everyone has to understand what their teammates are doing in every phase of play. That makes Arsenal extremely unpredictable and very difficult to stop.
Yes, there is a risk with playing this way. If one player gets it wrong or doesn’t cover for a teammate, Arsenal’s shape can quickly fall apart, but Arteta clearly wants his players to be able to deal with these situations. He doesn’t want the Gunners to have just one way of playing; he wants them to adapt however required – on and off the pitch.
That is exactly what happened in Naples. Their flight was delayed, their plans changed, and they arrived later than expected. But when the game started, Arsenal got on with it, played brilliantly for the most part, and most importantly, won.
That is one of the biggest things Arteta has built at Arsenal. The gaffer doesn’t just have a team with a good tactical system; he has built a side that can deal with things going wrong at any moment.
That is exactly why he made life so difficult for his players during pre-season. He wanted them to learn one simple thing: When things don’t go according to plan, don’t panic. Just adapt and carry on.