Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has warned his players to expect a difficult encounter against Lille in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League clash, while explaining how his expectations for the closing stages of matches influence his team selection.
Arteta praised Lille’s organisation and competitiveness, saying the French side had troubled several top teams ahead of their meeting at the Emirates Stadium.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Monday, the Spaniard described the work of Lille coach Davide as remarkable.
“What Davide has done is, I think, remarkable. You can just see the way that they are competing and playing and the problems that they have caused to big teams, and tomorrow is not going to be different until we are ready for it,” Arteta said.
The Arsenal boss also explained that his starting XI is sometimes determined by the players he expects to make the biggest impact as a match progresses.
He said the ability of substitutes to influence the closing stages was an important consideration when deciding who should start.
“Sometimes I’m going to pick a team or players in relation to what I expect, especially at the beginning, that can finish the game, because that’s where most of the games are decided, at this level as well, and we have the bench and the players that are capable of doing that, and we’re going to use, obviously, that resource,” he said.
Arteta targets another Champions League final
Arteta also reminded his players that reaching another Champions League final would require significant effort, following their defeat in last season’s final.
He stressed that Arsenal must understand the difficulty of returning to the competition’s biggest stage and work hard to earn another opportunity to challenge for the trophy.
“That you’re going to have to earn the right to get in that position again. We know how tough it is and how many times we’ve done it in the history of our club. So first of all, realise that, and tomorrow we’re going to have a really tough opponent in front of us,” he said.
The Spaniard again emphasised the threat posed by Lille, insisting his team must be ready for a demanding contest.
Arteta also spoke highly of former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, recalling their time together at the club and highlighting the Frenchman’s contribution to the team.
He described Giroud as a positive presence in the dressing room who offered a different attacking option after joining Arsenal following his Ligue 1 title success with Montpellier.
Asked whether Giroud had been underrated during his time at Arsenal, Arteta said the striker had earned the respect of his teammates and former manager Arsène Wenger.
“Not for his teammates for sure or Arsene [Wenger] in this case. I don’t know the rest. But he was extremely intelligent first and he was really, really a handful. Every time you had him on the pitch, you had a massive threat inside the box,” he said.
Arteta also highlighted Giroud’s ability to combine with teammates and his commitment to the team.
“He was so good at connecting with other players as well and his work rate was phenomenal, so certainly not [underrated] by us,” he added.
Arsenal host Lille on Tuesday as they continue their Champions League campaign, with Arteta urging his side to be prepared for a tough test against the French outfit.
