Arsenal may be flying high at the top of the table, but Mikel Arteta knows the supporters have a crucial role to play in keeping his players sharp.
As ever, the Emirates atmosphere has been a talking point. The venue was near-toxic towards the end of Arsene Wenger’s tenure and little better by the time Unai Emery was dismissed.
Since taking over, Arteta has worked hard to change that — from introducing the pre-game anthem The Angel by Louis Dunford, to experimenting with how player names are read out. The club have even stopped showing games on concourse screens to encourage fans to return to their seats rather than linger over half-time pies and pints.
During the 2022/23 campaign, with the team surging towards the top, the stadium was electric. But with silverware still elusive, expectations rising, and ticket turnover low, the atmosphere has cooled. The noise levels still soar for the big occasions, yet when so-called ‘lesser’ sides visit, the energy has been more subdued.
Perhaps mindful of the fine margins in a title race, Arteta used his pre-Palace press conference to remind fans just how important they are.
“Key, capital,” he said when asked about the crowd’s role. “One of the most important things, and I love that. We don’t expect supporters just to turn up to the stadium, we want them to play the game with us, which is very different.
“In order to do that, you have to be in your seat with a certain behaviour, with a certain body language and it’s a good test, Sunday at 2pm, how we’re going to turn up after a big Champions League game.
“If we’re going to go to another step and do something that we didn’t do last year [win the title], everybody has to turn up to the stadium with that mindset, so that’s what I want to see.”
Given how much Arteta values atmosphere, you’d imagine he’ll have a strong opinion on the club’s proposed Emirates expansion. Reports suggest plans are being discussed to add around 10,000 extra seats, though a sizeable portion would likely be reserved for corporate hospitality.
With all due respect to those paying top-tier prices for premium experiences — they’re not exactly the ones bringing the noise.
That’s a debate for another day. For now, the focus is on making noise for another London derby.
A three-point lead at the summit is promising, but momentum can shift in an instant. As Arteta reminded everyone, there’s still work to do.
“They are far from perfect and there are a lot of things we must do better. Obviously, there are a lot of things that we’re doing very, very well and we need to maintain that. So it’s just about understanding that the margins to win football games at this level are very small.
“In certain moments, we have lost, in certain moments, we have fully deserved to win them. But that’s not going to be the same trajectory all the way in the season and we need to be prepared for that.
“So the more alert we are, the more urgency we have, the more desire we have for the next game, we’re going to be in a better place to win the game.”
The post “Play the game with us” – Arteta rallies fans to deliver more noise appeared first on Arseblog News – the Arsenal news site.
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