Mikel Arteta: Need to be ruthless to sustain winning mentality for Arsenal

Soon after being announced as Arsenal's head coach, Mikel Arteta warned the Gunners that he will be 'ruthless' as he looks to restore the winning mentality of the club which has been suppressed by a series of losses this season.

Arteta, who was hired from Manchester City where he was assisting Pep Guardiola, signed a 3.5 year deal with the Arsenal earlier on Friday replacing former coach Unai Emery. Arsenal have looked troubled and failed majorly to dominate the Premier League as they once did under Arsene Wenger and currently hold the tenth position in the English league. 

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'You need to fight for trophies in Europe'

Speaking at his official unveiling at the Emirates on Friday, Mikel Arteta said that when he was in Emirates last week with Manchester City, he noted that the players were a bit down and now the team needs to establish a culture.

"After setting the right culture, we can talk about other things. It is necessary to make an impact and enhance the level of performances to start winning games and engage with the fans. The ambition of Arsenal is clear. You need to fight for trophies in Europe," Arteta said. 

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Furthermore, he added that every act is important and spoke highly of Manchester City coach.

He said, "What I have learnt is that you have to be ruthless, consistent and fit the culture of the club to sustain a winning mentality. It is also essential to be responsible. Everybody has to be responsible and I do not want them hiding, I want the players to deliver passion and energy."

He added that anyone who does not buy into this culture has a negative effect and is not good enough for this environment. 

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'He has a passion, like Spanish people do'

Arteta is known for his ability to connect to the players on a personal level and demands a committed performance from the squad in general. Arteta won two FA Cups during his time at Arsenal and was well respected by his teammates.

He has been regularly endorsed by his seniors in the game to coach a football team. In an interview with Arsenal.com in May 2016, Wenger had highlighted why Arteta would be a good coach.

Wenger had said, “First of all he was the captain of the team, so he has leadership qualities. He is a winner and he is focused every day to do well. He has an impact on his partners. That is a little bit difficult to explain sometimes, but I believe he is highly focused on football. He has a passion, like Spanish people do, for the game.”

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(With agency inputs)