Arsenal drop early team news hint with Mikel Arteta to reward ‘top player’
The Arsenal social media team hinted about the team news before their game against Bournemouth, which Mikel Arteta will host at the Emirates Stadium to extend their winning streak.
Arsenal is currently leading the table, ahead of Manchester City by five points, thanks to their recent 4-0 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, which they took advantage of as a game in hand.
Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Martin Odegaard have played crucial roles in Arsenal’s bid for the Premier League championship, highlighting Mikel Arteta’s array of attacking choices.
Nevertheless, the manager’s defense has been equally crucial, with Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and William Saliba leading the top-four with the best defensive performance.
There seems to be a hint that William Saliba will play in the upcoming game against Bournemouth, as he is the only player featured in Arsenal’s pre-match graphic on social media.
Ready to give it everything again tomorrow 💪 pic.twitter.com/xbFlYJoCNC
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 3, 2023
Although featuring in the pre-match graphic does not guarantee that William Saliba will start, it typically implies that he will be part of the team in some capacity.
If Saliba does start against Bournemouth, it will be shortly after Mikel Arteta discussed the ups and downs of his relationship with the French defender.
Since joining Arsenal from St. Etienne in 2019, William Saliba has been sent out on loan three times. Despite being named Ligue 1 young player of the year while playing for Marseille last season, Mikel Arteta expressed some reservations about the defender during pre-season.
“The first question was how the player is going to reintegrate into our dynamic after being out for so long,” Arteta said. “Is there some frustration there, something personal between, for example, between me and the player because he could not understand that?
“Or his environment, his expectations coming back or the amount that we paid for him, his age? Is it the same to do it in France as it is to do it in this league for Arsenal because you don’t have 21-year-old defenders at the top level in England?
“For the first week I didn’t speak to him,” the Gunners boss added. “I just wanted to see – naturally, without me really interfering in his thoughts – how he was. Because then you can understand the real him and after that I spoke to him.
“When he has made mistakes – with the crowd the first time he made a mistake that cost us a goal, the crowd reacted extremely positively towards him. But he is naturally really composed. He doesn’t get too bothered about opinions or getting nervy in certain situations. That’s a big quality.”
Arteta concluded by revealing how Saliba has become a favourite in the dressing room. The Spaniard said: “He’s really funny, and he doesn’t want to be funny.
“He’s really liked around the place. He’s good, he has his aura and presence and always the humour and energy around him. And then he is very focussed and determined to become a top player.”
Arsenal drop early team news hint with Mikel Arteta to reward ‘top player’
