Mikel’s message to Gunners flops
EVERTON v ARSENAL
MIKEL ARTETA has warned his Arsenal players they need to shape up or ship out as he looks to make an impact as the club’s new head coach.
The 37-year-old left the coaching staff at Manchester City to take the managerial job at the Emirates on a three-anda-half-year deal.
He replaces Unai Emery, sacked three weeks ago after 18 months in charge, but will not be in the dugout for today’s trip to Everton.
Interim boss Freddie Ljungberg will take charge at Goodison Park before Arteta takes over, with his first test at Bournemouth on Boxing Day.
Arteta, who said he felt he was “back home” after returning to the club he captained in his fiveseason spell as a player, will be asked to reverse the fortunes of a Gunners team which has won just one of their last 12 games.
The former Rangers star said: “The first thing is a little bit to change the energy. Last week I was here with Manchester
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City and I was a bit down after the game when I felt what was going on.
“So we have to try to engage everybody. I have to try and convince the players about what I want to do, how I want to do it.
“They have to start accepting a different process, a different way of thinking. I want everybody at the club with the same mindset.
“We have to build a culture that has to sustain the rest. If you don’t have the right culture, in the difficult moments, the tree is going to shake.
“So my job is to convince everybody that
Meanwhile, Duncan Ferguson has urged Everton-bound boss Carlo Ancelotti not to rip up his blueprint.
Big Dunc will stand aside as caretaker gaffer after today’s clash with Gunners at Goodison.
The Scot has led the Toffees to an impressive run in interim charge and said: “You need tactics and a gameplan.
“We’ve instilled that in the players, but of course you need to run around, make tackles and win some headers.
“You need to do the fundamentals of the game or you won’t get anything.”