Reason Mikel Arteta Hired Pickpockets to ‘Teach’ Arsenal Players a Lesson

• Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, hired pickpockets to teach his players a specific lesson ahead of the new season
• The Gunners have twice played the bridesmaids in the Premier League and would want to end their Premier League drought
• Since taking the reins at Arsenal in 2019, Arteta has shown no hesitation in using bold and creative methods to inspire his team

Mikel Arteta's unconventional methods of teaching his Arsenal squad crucial lessons have caught the attention of many.

One of his latest tactics is particularly creative: hiring pickpockets.

The Spanish manager, known for his innovative approach, has played a significant role in transforming the Gunners into genuine Premier League title contenders over the past two seasons.

Despite finishing second to Manchester City on both occasions, the north London outfit has shown consistent improvement under Arteta's leadership, pushing the title race to the final day in the previous campaign.

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However, the elusive Premier League crown, which the club has not won in 21 years, remains just out of reach.

To bridge that final gap, Arteta has introduced some unique methods to sharpen his squad's mentality.

Why Mikel Arteta hired pickpockets to 'rob' Arsenal players

According to a report filed by The Athletic, the 42-year-old arranged for professional pickpockets to attend a team dinner, with the players unaware of the plan.

The hired hands discreetly moved around the tables, lifting phones and wallets from the unsuspecting players.

After the meal, Arteta stood before his squad and asked them to check their pockets, revealing that several items had gone missing.

This exercise was intended to instil in his players the importance of three key principles: always being ready, staying alert, and remaining prepared in any situation.

What's next for Arteta and Arsenal?

Following their 4-1 demolition of Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, Arteta's Arsenal will return to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday to take on Olympique Lyon in their final pre-season showdown.

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Afterwards, they’ll host Wolves on Sunday, August 17, as noted by Sofascore, with the Gunners aiming for a victory to ignite their title challenge.

Arteta takes a swipe at Chelsea after Calafiori purchase

In an earlier report by YEN.com.gh, Mikel Arteta appeared to take a sly jab at Chelsea, particularly in light of Riccardo Calafiori’s comments about selecting the right project for his career before departing Bologna.

The 42-year-old Spanish manager revealed that he had multiple conversations with the Italian star to keep the deal on course.

Arteta highlighted that despite interest from other clubs and the allure of lucrative offers, Calafiori ultimately decided to sign with Arsenal.

Messi not Ronaldinho's GOAT

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that former Barcelona and Brazilian legend Ronaldinho considered Lionel Messi as one of football's greats but did not declare him the GOAT.

The two were teammates at the Camp Nou when Messi had just emerged from Barca's development structures. Ronaldinho soon left for Italian giants AC Milan.

Source: AFP