5 of Mikel Arteta's strangest managerial tactics at Arsenal

Mikel Arteta is undoubtedly one of the best young managers around today.

Since the end of 2019, the former midfielder has completely transformed Arsenal from a team who could barely qualify for European football, to one closely competing with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table.

And while a huge reason for this transformative impact has been his clever tactical nous, his rather odd man-manager tactics have also played a part too.

Here's the strangest stunts Arteta has pulled so far...

1. The lightbulb team talk

One of the high-lights (sorry, we had to) of the Arsenal 'All or Nothing' docuseries was Arteta's weird and wonderful pre-match team talks.

None were more weird or wonderful than when he whipped out a lightbulb and started pointing it at his players ahead of a Premier League meeting with Brighton.

Here's his full team talk while holding the lightbulb:

"[Thomas] Edison invented the light bulb. Today, I want to see a team that is connected because a bulb by itself is nothing. I want to see a team that is connected with each other and that shines.

"And you want to transmit to him [your teammate] light and energy and passion and how you play football, and you two the same. And each of us plays the game connected, because what happens when we play connected, guys?

"What is the next thing that happens? That we connect with 60,000 people who create more energy.

"Because at the end is electricity, that through heat creates light and life. Because if not it would be f****** dark if this guy doesn't have the idea to do that.

"And I want you to play like this today, because as good as we are it depends on one thing.

"What makes us special is our attitude, and today I want you to play with that attitude. Go out there, f****** turn the light on, and play football. Let's go!"

Arsenal went on to lose the game 2-1.

2. The photographer team talk

Although the lightbulb team talk didn't work, Arteta's decision to let a long-term club photographer talk to the players ahead of the north London derby in the same season did.

Stuart MacFarlane managed to gee the players up so much that they ended up thumping Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium.

It was only a Nuno Espirito Santo-led Tottenham, but still.

3. The club dog called 'Win'

Back in May 2023, Arteta brought a chocolate Labrador to Arsenal's Colney training ground, where she has taken up residency with her primary carer ever since.

The dog's name? 'Win'...of course.

Explaining his rationale behind buying a dog for the club, Arteta said: "We always talk about family, and being connected.

"A big family like we are at the club, and I feel like we are a family, we need a dog to represent that family. I think there are still things at the club that can be done to connect with people. To be more caring with people, to show love.

"I carefully chose the dog and in my opinion it's the perfect representative of who we are right now. Her name is Win, we all love winning and Win needs a lot of love. So the love for Win, that was basically the feeling.

"The reaction from the players and the staff has been incredible, she is one of us. She is going to be on this journey with us together. It's something that changes your mood like this [clicks fingers]. She gives you all the love and suddenly you feel the energy of the place. It’s just beautiful and to me those things are very important.

"Win needs accountability from us because we have to look after her as well, her emotions and what she needs."

4. 'You'll Never Walk Alone' training session

"One of my crazy ideas", said Arteta before he set up speakers around the training pitch to blare 'You'll Never Walk Alone' prior to Arsenal's Carabao Cup trip to Liverpool.

The intention was to get his players used to the atmosphere at Anfield.

The result?

Arsenal lost.

5. Hiring pickpockets

The most recent addition to this list, and probably the best of the bunch.

During a team dinner, Arteta enlisted the help of professional pickpockets to steal players' phones and wallets.

At the end of the dinner, the manager asked his players to empty their pockets, only for them to find that their belongings had been stolen. Arteta then explained that the rationale for this was to teach his team to always be alert and ready for anything.

We hope their phones and wallets were all then returned in a timely manner.

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