Coach Mikel Arteta affirmed that Arsenal has plenty of motivation and determination before a special match like the London derby against Tottenham in round 6 of the Premier League.
"Winning is always good and keeps the right spirit," he said at his pre-match press conference at the Emirates on September 22. "But this game doesn't need any motivation. It's the most special game of the season, it's a London derby, it's a special moment for everyone and we have to be focused."
Arsenal are off to an impressive start to the season, remaining unbeaten and picking up 13 points through the first five rounds of the Premier League. The Gunners also marked their return to the Champions League after six years with a 4-0 win over PSV in the opening match of Group B on the evening of September 20. On the other side, Tottenham have also shown their freshness under new coach Ange Postecoglou. They have picked up 13 points like Arsenal, achieving their best start in the English top flight in 57 years.
Arteta celebrates with captain Martin Odegaard after the win over Everton in round 5 of the Premier League. Photo: Reuters
Therefore, Arteta sees the upcoming big match as a new opportunity and challenge and praises his colleague Postecoglou for creating a positive atmosphere and building a different playing style that suits Tottenham. The Spanish coach also affirmed that he knows many players who have worked with Postecoglou and they all highly appreciate the Australian coach.
"It's not a coincidence, and you can see Postecoglou is the right choice for Tottenham. That's the beauty of the Premier League, with top managers, top leagues and every game is very difficult," Arteta commented.
In this match, Tottenham will no longer have captain Harry Kane - who has moved to Bayern for $110 million plus $22 million in add-ons. During his time in England, Kane played against Arsenal 19 times in all competitions, scoring 14 goals and assisting three, winning seven, drawing five and losing seven.
According to Arteta, Kane's departure was a big change but Tottenham adapted well. The 41-year-old coach was also cautious when he said that the opponent still had many quality players and could make a difference. "Kane is a special player, he is the one who connects everything and does it in different ways from different areas of the pitch," Arteta added. "Tottenham play differently now. I think they have a different style to the last two managers. Tottenham have some specific things in the movements they make with certain players. So I think it is a very different club."
In the last six meetings, Arsenal (red and white) have won five - as many as they did in their previous 16 matches against Tottenham. Photo: Reuters
Yesterday, Arsenal signed a new contract with midfielder and captain Martin Odegaard, until 2028. Arteta sees this as good news for the development of the club. Before the Norwegian midfielder, the Emirates Stadium owner signed new contracts with Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba in the past nine months. These are considered four of Arteta's most important players.
"Arsenal have done a great job in the last two or three years to try to bring consistency and try to keep the talent," Arteta said. "We are trying to grow to get to the consistency that we want. That is the target, and we have to continue to maintain that and improve."
The Spanish coach revealed that Thomas Partey has not returned, while Martinelli is doubtful due to an injury sustained in the win over Everton.
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