The Untold Strategies Revealed: Arteta's Masterplan Unveiled for Arsenal Midfield Ace Kieran Tierney

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta appeals for composure while aiming to find the perfect harmony within the Gunners' revamped midfield. The presence of summer acquisitions Declan Rice and Kai Havertz, alongside captain Martin Odegaard, in Arsenal's 2-0 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday evening ignited extensive discussion concerning the team's midfield.

Arteta found encouragement in the team's performance despite the loss. However, he acknowledged that Arsenal, who had sold Granit Xhaka to Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the summer, still needs significant improvement before the season begins. In anticipation of their upcoming game against Barcelona in LA on Thursday morning, Arteta reiterated the need for patience, emphasizing that it will take time for his team to establish the ideal midfield balance.

He said: "We have to find the right balance but a year ago Granit (Xhaka) could never play as an attacking midfielder.

"Let's try to do the work.

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Arteta emphasizes the need for time for Arsenal's revamped midfield, which includes the club's record-breaking signing, Declan Rice.

"We had a completely new midfield formation against Man Utd, with four players on the field, three of whom had never played together before."

"Day by day, keep doing the right things and give people the opportunity to settle in and we will be fine."

'We have the options to be physical'

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Kai Havertz netted his inaugural goal for Arsenal in a resounding 5-0 victory against the MLS All Stars. The encounter against Manchester United proved to be a fiercely contested match, with the Gunners often on the losing end in several challenging situations.

Many have raised concerns about Arsenal's midfield lacking physicality, particularly following Xhaka's departure. However, Arteta reaffirms his contentment with the available options at his disposal.

He queried, "When it comes to physicality, if I were to pair Granit and Kai, who would emerge as the more physically dominant?"

When asked about Xhaka's reply, Arteta added, "Oh really? Havertz is 1.91. The concept of physicality encompasses running, making forward runs, tackling, and defending. He will definitely complement the qualities we possess, and the positive aspect is that we have several midfield options."

"When we want a game to become more physical we have the options to be very, very physical so we have the right options."

Did nerves cost Arsenal the title?

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Martin Odegaard appeared disheartened during Arsenal's loss against Nottingham Forest in the previous season. This season, Arsenal will strive to improve their performance and surpass their achievement of leading the Premier League title race for 248 days. However, their pursuit was ultimately thwarted by Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, who ultimately clinched the treble.

Arsenal, who finished five points behind City at the end of the season, ended another year without a trophy. However, despite the disappointment of not winning their first title since 2004, Arsenal did secure a return to the Champions League for the first time since the 2016/17 season.

During a press conference in LA, striker Gabriel Jesus expressed that his team felt "nervous" as they reached the end of the title race against City, but he remains confident that they will learn from the experience and show improvement this season.

"Towards the end of the season, as a team, we sometimes felt a bit anxious," expressed the Brazilian forward. "Their lack of nervousness can be attributed to their usual triumphs, which made a noticeable impact. However, this season, we have learned from this experience, and things will unfold differently."

When questioned about whether nerves were the cause of Arsenal's downfall last season, Arteta concurred with Jesus' evaluation.

The Spaniard explained that the feelings of nervousness, insecurity, and uncertainty stemmed from significant moments, notably the three consecutive draws we experienced. Those results introduced a slight level of doubt, prompting us to strive for victory with greater urgency. Unfortunately, it also provided City with a significant foundation to build momentum.

"One thing really affected the other and that had a really important effect on the outcome of the championship."

'Tierney part of our plans'

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Arteta confirms that Kieran Tierney remains an integral part of his plans for the upcoming season. Arsenal has been active in the transfer market, investing £200m in signings such as Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Jurrien Timber, in their pursuit of regaining the Premier League title.

Nicolas Pepe, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nuno Tavares, and Cedric Soares are currently exploring options for departures, while Inter Milan is actively pursuing striker Folarin Balogun. There have also been rumors of full-back Kieran Tierney leaving Emirates Stadium this summer. Nonetheless, Arteta has confirmed that Tierney is still a part of his plans as he aims to enhance the competition within the squad.

When inquired about Tierney's future and his inclusion in Arsenal's plans for the upcoming season, the response was affirmative: "He definitely is. Undoubtedly, he is an integral part of our plans.

"He consistently performed admirably during pre-season, as he has done before, and that is precisely what we desire. Enhancing the level of competition within the team and elevating the performance of every individual."

"That is going to be a huge benefit for the team to get to another level."

Arteta on Smith Rowe: 'He can do something different'

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Emile Smith Rowe was a key part of England's success at the European U21 Championship

Another player firmly in Arteta's plans for the new season is Emile Smith Rowe.

The previous season was challenging for the 22-year-old due to injuries and limited playing opportunities. However, it concluded on a positive note as he played a significant role in England's triumph at the European U21 Championship. Arteta holds the expectation that Smith Rowe will continue to progress and make a significant contribution to Arsenal in the upcoming season.

"We were all really happy as we knew it had been a really tough season for him with difficulties to overcome.

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Smith Rowe scored in injury time to see England to a 2-0 win against Israel

"He had opportunities to play with England at the end and he put a lot of effort in to get into the best possible for that competition.

"We were all very happy to see him lift they trophy.

What's next?

Arsenal's pre-season fixtures and results

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