Mikel Arteta has left Graeme Souness stunned after bringing a replica of Arsenal’s Highbury clock to Fulham. He wants the Gunners to decorate the away dressing room.
Arsenal beat their London rivals 3-0 last week thanks to goals from Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard. The result secured the Emirates Stadium side a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table. But Souness questioned Arteta’s antics to boost morale.
this daily mail Arteta has asked Arsenal to decorate the away dressing room, according to reports following the meeting at Craven Cottage. He wants the Gunners to enjoy the comforts of home away from home as the north London natives aim for their first top-flight title since 2003/04.
Why did Arsenal bring a replica of the Highbury clock to Fulham?
Images emerged of Arsenal after their win over Fulham, with Arteta’s side sitting around a replica of Highbury’s iconic clock. It’s been around for over 70 years at the gunman’s former home. In 2010, Arsenal also unveiled a larger replica at the Emirates Stadium above the end of the clock.
Its surprise appearance at Fulham is part of Arteta’s wider attempt to make the dressing room feel more like Arsenal’s home. Five of the Gunners’ remaining 11 Premier League games are at the Emirates Stadium. They also visited Liverpool and Manchester City.
As a result, Arsenal also sent a team photo and club logo stickers to Fulham to decorate the away dressing room. It remains to be seen whether Arteta will ask the Gunners to replicate their squad for their trip to Liverpool on April 9. Arsenal will travel to title rivals Manchester City on April 26.
Arteta shocked by Gunners’ away dressing room plans
However, despite Arsenal’s comfortable 3-0 win at Fulham, Arteta surprised Souness with plans to decorate the away dressing room with a replica Highbury clock and team photos. He also recalled how Arteta got the Gunners ready to visit Liverpool in November 2021.
“Really? Is this what modern games look like?” Souness queried in a column daily mail“So, the Arsenal players come to Fulham and find their own clock on the wall, with their own pictures and stickers?
“It’s very strange and only a winning manager gets away with it. Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, did a good job but he has the ability to take this nonsense.
“Last season he played ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ over the loudspeaker in training to get his players ready for the game at Anfield. They lost 4-0, so it was a big deal for them. very smooth.”
In other news, Pat Jennings says Tottenham have a £75,000-a-week talent in the squad who are truly ‘brilliant’