I don't want them hiding' - Arteta delivers warning to below-par Arsenal stars

Mikel Arteta has warned his Arsenal players that they will 

be swiftly moved on if they don’t buy into his ideas.

The Spaniard was confirmed as the new head coach at 

Emirates Stadium on Friday and delivered an impressive 

first press conference as he was unveiled to the world’s 

media.

Arteta spoke at length about how he views things at his 

former club - admitting he was left saddened by what he 

witnessed last weekend when Manchester City cruised 

to a 3-0 success in north London.

“It wasn’t only the performance, it was the atmosphere 

and energy. That worried me a little bit,” said the 37-year-

old, who left the Premier League champions to sign a 

three-and-a-half year contract with the Gunners.

“I understand that they [the fans] are used to success 

and fighting for things and at the moment it’s difficult 

for them to swallow the situation.”

Arteta is well aware that wholesale changes are needed 

at Arsenal to bring the good times back to London’s 

most successful club.

He met his new squad briefly on Friday morning and will 

watch Saturday’s game at Everton from the stands 

before taking the reins from Freddie Ljungberg on 

Sunday.

The former midfielder - who made 150 appearances for 

the Gunners between 2011 and 2016 - says his first 

priority will then be trying to change the mentality that 

has seen the side consistently struggle to live up to 

expectations.

And he is adamant that anyone who does not buy into 

his ideas, will not stay around for long.

“I have my ideas that I would like to keep to myself 

because I have to corroborate them when I see them 

act, when I see them behave, when I see them live 

together,” 

Arteta explained.

“I want to do things my way but by convincing them 

that's it's the right way for everybody to live better. 

Everybody has to respect each other first of all, and I 

want people who are accountable for what I'm asking 

for them to do.

“I don't want them hiding, I want people to take 

responsibility for their jobs and I want people who 

deliver passion and energy in the football club.

“Anyone who doesn't buy into this, or that has a negative 

effect or whatever, is not good enough for this 

environment or this culture.”

Arsenal’s new head coach added: “There are things to 

change, absolutely, because they're not performing at 

the level that we expect them to.

“I will have to help them and to help them I need to know 

what's happening, I need to understand how they're 

feeling, what they're lacking.

“If I get to reach that point, then I can help them. Then 

they will trust me and then they will follow me.”

Arsenal currently find themselves 10th in the Premier 

League having won just one of their last 12 games in all 

competitions.

Another season outside of the Champions League looks 

highly like, unless they can go on and win the Europa 

League, and Arteta accepts that star players such as 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette 

could look to leave unless things improve.

“Probably, but that’s a consequence of what we have 

been talking about,” he said. “If we can create and build 

a culture where everybody is accountable we can bring 

some leadership in to the team and some expectations 

and put some passion and clear direction in to what we 

do and then we create an identity.

“If they feel part of that identity they will want to stay as 

they will enjoy it. At the moment, I feel as though they 

suffer a little bit. When you are suffering, sometimes 

you want to go away. When you enjoy you want to be 

part of something.”