PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Tech chief on Gunners new emphasis on mental and physical strength
MIKEL ARTETA is taking Arsenal back to the Invincible days by getting physical.
Gunners technical director Edu, a member of the allconquering 2004 title-winning team, said their new signings are about mental and physical strength as well as finesse and skill.
That reveals a determination to try to tackle Arsenal’s soft underbelly as deadline-day signing Thomas Partey (right) was brought in for his “physical” power to beef up their midfield.
They also spent £27million on defender Gabriel and brought in Brazil star Willian in a window which was designed to turn them back into Premi e r League contenders.
Edu, a former midfield tough guy who played with the likes of Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva, said: “I think we improved the squad’s quality and physicality.
“I think you get all the players who we really focused on. If you see Willian, he brings us experience and a very special physicality in terms of speed.
“If you see Gabriel, riel, he gives us a lot of physicality and presence. sDani Ceballos, , quality. Thomas, physicality, quality and mentally he is very strong.
“In the end if you see all these players we brought to the club, they are very good here (points to legs), but they are better here (points to head) which for me is very important.
“When you talk to the players, they have a lot of ambition, they are excited and they are hungry to win a title again.” Arsenal boss Arteta has set about c changing the culture at th the club, made them ha harder to beat and h has won the FA Cup and also got them into Europe in his short spell in charge.
That early promise pers persuaded the Arsenal ownership to push in the market despite the lingering financial fears and impact the coronavirus pandemic will have on football.
Arsenal first identified Partey back in March as their primary midfield target but waited until deadline day to make their capture after owner Stan Kroenke pushed the button on buying out his contract with Atletico Madrid.
Edu said: “It is a huge investment for this moment which we are in now and of course we need the green light from the owners.
“They understand the plan and pressed the green button and then I felt very, very confident because it is not easy to invest a lot of money in this period of time.
“We are facing a very difficult situation with Covid and in the market, everyone is quite worried about the future, the planning, whether they have the money or not, the revenue, so it is quite challenging but the way we did in the window was amazing.
“We cannot forget of course the support, of which I received a lot of, from the board and the owners.
“Without them, we cannot do much.”