Alexandre Lacazette has pinpointed the main thing Mikel Arteta has managed to change at Arsenal since taking over at the end of 2019.
Arteta has been Arsenal’s manager for over two years. He replaced Unai Emery, who succeeded their long-term boss Arsene Wenger.
The former Man City assistant helped the Gunners win the FA Cup in 2020. After this, they endured an underwhelming campaign in 2020/21. They finished eighth in the Premier League that term.
Do England get awarded Euro 2020 by default now?
There was a lot of pressure on Arteta heading into this campaign. They started poorly as they lost their first three league games.
Arteta and his players have silenced their doubters this year though as they are overcoming adversity to enjoy a successful season.
The Gunners currently sit fourth in the Premier League. They are three points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand.
Lacazette has revealed that Arteta has been able to change “everyone’s mentality” at Arsenal:
“We’re focused on being in the top four. We want to get the team into the Champions League next season,” Lacazette told Mundo Deportivo.
“We work for it all week, and at the moment. It’s working. We want to continue like this, working hard every day to play well at the weekend.
“Arteta is the leader, the boss, even the boss of the club. Since he arrived, a lot of things have changed, including everyone’s mentality… It’s all about him.”
Speaking earlier this month, Ian Wright urged Arteta to extend Lacazette’s contract as the Gunners striker enters the final months of his contract.
Lacazette has been vital to Arsenal’s resurgence in recent weeks, combining brilliantly with Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli.
He was particularly impressive in the 3-2 win over Watford, picking up two assists, and Wright has urged the club to offer the man “feeling the vibe” a new deal.
“His position is vitally important to everything we’re doing, just look at the two assists he had,” Wright said on the Wrighty’s House podcast. “Unless we get that person, you think to yourself, ‘maybe we could give Laca another year or two’.
“I think Laca has got to stay around, man. You can see with his little back flick, his back heel assist, his little assist. Man is feeling the vibe.”
