FA Cup: Mikel Arteta’s half-time hairdryer treatment works on Arsenal

published 7 January 2020

YouTube

FA Cup third round Arsenal 1 Leeds United 0

Today’s back pages: Saracens could be forced to sell players and Reiss is the word for Arsenal

Championship leaders Leeds bossed the Emirates during an opening 45 minutes that showcased the old Arsenal, the listless team that had performed so woefully under Unai Emery this season.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Had the Yorkshire side been a little more precise in their finishing they could have gone into the break with an unassailable lead, but somehow the Gunners kept a clean sheet.

Shouting

In the Arsenal dressing room at the break Arteta was giving his players a piece of his mind.

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said the Spanish coach was “really angry” while Alexandre Lacazette told the BBC: “The manager shouted a lot. He was not happy because we knew they’d play like this and we didn’t respect what he had said.”

The result of Arteta’s anger was a different Arsenal in the second half, more like the side that had beaten Manchester United on New Year’s Day.

The breakthrough came - albeit in scrappy style - on 55 minutes when Reiss Nelson’s scuffed shot from Lacazette’s deflected cross sneaked into the Leeds net.

Today’s back pages

Saracens could be forced to sell players and Reiss is the word for Arsenal

Attitude

“We changed our attitude, desire and organisation at half-time and then we were completely different,” said Arteta when asked to account for the transformation.

“Sometimes they have to experience themselves how tough and how hard it is going to be. I watched a lot of Leeds games and they battered every team every three days. It was good for my players to learn and to suffer on the pitch.”

Cherries trip

Arsenal’s reward is a fourth-round trip to Bournemouth, while holders Manchester City will face Championship outfit Fulham, who knocked out Aston Villa at the weekend.

Premier League leaders Liverpool will hit the road, playing the winner of next week’s replay between Bristol City and Shrewsbury Town. Northampton Town, the lowest-ranked side in the competition (ninth in League Two), will host Derby County.