Arteta: Capital gains isn’t taxing me!
ARSENAL v TOTTENHAM LONDON RIVALRY NO BIG DEAL
MIKEL ARTETA insists the battle for supremacy in London does not interest him – because his priority is to make Arsenal the top team in the land.
That is perhaps just as well given that three other sides from the capital sit above his team in the Premier League right now.
And going into today’s derby against Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham, the Gunners are not even top dogs in their North London territory.
When asked if being the fourthbest team in London was acceptable, he said: “No. We want to be the best. Not in London, in the League.
“That is the standard we have to try to reach because of the expectation we have and what this club has done over the years.
“I’m not interested in London. I’m interested in being the best in the country.”
Arteta’s words will no doubt raise an eyebrow – and perhaps a chuckle – along the Seven Sisters Road. And also from supporters of other clubs given the amount of work that needs to be done and money that needs to be spent for Arsenal to close the gap not just on Spurs, West Ham and Chelsea, but on Manchester City, too.
He added: “You know the successful teams in this country in the last five to 10 years, and what they’ve done to become successful. It’s no secret to anyone.
“There is not someone who has done something unprecedented, apart from what happened with Leicester a few years ago.
“But we have to find a way to do it. If it’s not one way, we have to find another way.
“This isn’t the right time to try to find excuses.
“We are not going to evolve this squad in one transfer window. It’s going to be a constant thing and it has to be a constant thing.”
You have to go back to 2015-16 – the season Leicester won the title – to find a Premier League table showing Arsenal finishing as top London team. That season they finished in second, 10 points adrift of the Foxes and only a point ahead of Tottenham.
Last season they were eighth, with Chelsea and Spurs finishing above them.
In 2018-19 a fifth spot again saw them finish behind their two main
DAVINSON SANCHEZ puts his resurgence at the heart of Tottenham’s defence down to hard work – and humility.
The Colombian, Spurs’ record signing when he joined from Ajax for £42million in 2017, found himself down the pecking order at the start of the season, with boss Jose Mourinho preferring to pair Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld in central defence.
But after impressing in the Europa League, Sanchez earned himself a good run of games in the top flight.
Gareth Bale, Dele Alli and Tanguy Ndombele have all found themselves in a similar boat to Sanchez (left) but have knuckled down and, to varying degrees, been rewarded.
“It is not just here at Tottenham, it is like that since I started,” said Sanchez.
“If you are not in the condition to be in the starting XI, to be involved, you don’t expect to be.
“In sport, you need that, and at the moment you have to be perfect in every position, with possession or
London rivals. A year earlier, the Gunners could only finish sixth, 14 points behind Tottenham and seven behind Chelsea.
Chelsea were champions in 2016-17, seven points clear of runners-up Spurs and a massive 18 points ahead of Arsenal, who finished fifth.
And the last time Gunners were top dogs in England? That was way back in the glory days of Arsene Wenger in 2003-04.
Little cause for optimism there for Arsenal’s Spanish manager (right), who left his role as Pep
Guardiola’s right-hand man at Manchester City to reignite the Gunners.
Arteta clearly has frustrations over his 15 months in charge and the disruption Covid has caused on the work he hoped to do.
And he accepts he can’t put a time-frame on when he does expect to have Arsenal challenging for titles again.
He said: “If I knew, I would give you a date.
“All I know is that tomorrow it has to be a better team than today. My whole focus is towards that.”