Mikel Arteta urges Arsenal to master the dark arts football news

Mikel Arteta has urged his Arsenal stars to use the secret arts of football to their advantage as he fears it is not in their “DNA”. Arteta wants his players to utilize their ability to be more streetwise on the pitch and is training them to manipulate confrontations in their favor. Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice admitted his team need to be more “sensible” after Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat at Porto in the Champions League last 16 first leg. Porto slowed the game down at the Estadio do Dragão, committing a combined 36 fouls by both teams, a Champions League record this season.

Newcastle could prove equally tough for title-chasing Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, but Arteta hopes his advice about provocation will work.

When Arteta was asked how a manager develops the dark arts in his team, he replied, “There are many ways to do it.”

“It’s the way you talk to them, show them clips, give training – putting them through scenarios, as well as pinching them a few times.

“Learning from other players who do it really well and from teams who are experts at it. There are a lot of ways to do it.”

“It’s very important. It’s a way for a team to compete, you know. And you can tell the best players in the world always have the ability to take advantage.”

Arteta admitted that this kind of approach is missing at Arsenal and it is something that is considered when recruiting new players.

“Overall when you build a team you definitely need it – but it comes,” he said.

“Sometimes it comes from the culture of the club. You see there are clubs that have that in their DNA.

“It’s not something you would directly link to Arsenal, that’s for sure but it is something that has to be developed.”

Asked if his players were very bad, the Spaniard said: “Bad? I don’t know. They’re incredible players, that’s for sure.

“I think this team has enough intelligence and enough experience to deal with many situations.”

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