Mikel Arteta admits it ‘wouldn’t be very good’ if everybody liked his touchline antics after Arsenal were charged for a second consecutive match as the Gunners boss outlines his side’s ‘special’ ability ahead of derby clash with Spurs
- Mikel Arteta has revealed he likes to be criticised for his touchline behaviour
- The Arsenal boss claimed ‘if everybody liked it, it wouldn’t be very good’
- Controversy followed the club this week after being handed a third FA charge
- Arteta also backed his side to show they had learned their lessons against Spurs
Mikel Arteta has said he prefers that some people criticise his behaviour, with the Arsenal boss claiming: ‘If everybody would like it, it wouldn’t be very good.’
Controversy over the manager’s touchline antics and the behaviour of his players continued this week, when Arsenal were charged by the FA for the second successive match – and the third time this season.
The club stand accused of ‘failing to ensure their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion’ in Monday’s win over Oxford.
The same charge followed last week’s draw with Newcastle, when Arteta’s clash with Eddie Howe became another talking point.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has explained he prefers to be criticised for his touchline behaviour
Arsenal were charged by the FA for the third time this season with their second charge coming recently against Newcastle
Arsenal then received their third charge for this bad behaviour in their midweek FA Cup win over Oxford
‘I care a lot about the reputation of the club,’ the manager said yesterday.
‘Mine I can’t control. I am who I am. I try to do my best to defend the players, to defend the club and that comes down with certain people who will not like it then, for sure, if everybody would like it, it wouldn’t be very good, I don’t think.’
When it was pointed out that Arteta is a representative of the club and therefore his reputation is entwined with the club’s, he insisted: ‘It’s not that I don’t care, but I care a lot more – especially when I’m doing my job – when I’m at home.
‘I care about my wife’s things, stuff you don’t see. But when I’m in the public eye, I think about what I can do best for the club, how can I defend the players and this is my role as well.’
Arsenal players surrounded referee David Coote after a decision didn’t go their way against the League One side
Arsenal boss Arteta has been criticised for overreacting on the touchline at times this season
On his players’ conduct, Arteta added: ‘Obviously we have to defend ourselves… and we need to be competitive. That’s for sure. Within the law and respecting all the time the opponents and the referees.’
Arteta’s behaviour will come under the spotlight once more in tomorrow’s north London derby.
After Tottenham won 3-0 in this fixture last season – a result that helped them overhaul Arsenal in the top-four race – Antonio Conte suggested Arteta needed to ‘focus’ more and ‘complain’ less.
The Arsenal manager (left) has backed his team of young stars to have learned their lessons from last season’s derby defeat to Spurs
Arsenal are sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League table heading into Sunday’s North London derby
Arteta praised his side for their efforts to climb to the top of the league as the youngest team in the division
The Arsenal boss believes his side have learnt lessons from that defeat and they head back across north London looking to move 14 points clear of Spurs.
‘For the youngest team in the league to be doing what they are right now, you have to be doing something special and that’s credit to them,’ he said.
‘In good moments, everyone wants to be on board. In difficult moments, you see people looking at each other and blaming each other. That’s not been the case.’
