Mikel Arteta Highlights Significance Of Winning Silverware For Arsenal's Confidence

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Mikel Arteta emphasises the significance of the EFL Cup for Arsenal, believing a trophy could boost their confidence after a challenging season start. Arsenal are currently six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, following a goalless draw with Everton. Arteta's team has regressed in terms of points from their first 16 games over the past three years, earning only 30 this season.

In the 2022-23 season, Arsenal had accumulated 43 points and led the Premier League by seven points at this stage. Last season, they were just one point behind Liverpool with 36 points. Despite closely contesting Manchester City for the title in recent years, their hopes have diminished this term. Fans are questioning whether Arteta should prioritise domestic cups instead.

Arteta believes securing a major trophy could invigorate the team. Arsenal last won silverware when they lifted the FA Cup during Arteta's first full season in charge in 2019-20. "It brings belief, trust and positive energy," he stated ahead of Wednesday's EFL Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium.

Winning crucial matches like semi-finals and finals can generate momentum and set a positive course for future competitions. Success breeds success, creating an environment where winning becomes habitual and influences performance positively across all games.

This season, Arsenal has faced criticism for their attacking struggles. The Gunners have heavily relied on set-pieces, leading the Premier League with eight goals and an expected goals (xG) tally of 9.01 from such situations. Set-pieces account for 27.6% of their total goals.

However, their open play statistics show a decline with an average of 1.12 goals, 1.06 xG, and 9.8 shots per league game compared to last season's figures of 1.47 goals, 1.44 xG, and 13 shots per game.

Arteta's Perspective on Scoring

Despite these challenges, Arteta remains unfazed by criticism regarding goal-scoring issues: "That's always the narrative," he said. "When you score five goals or three, you're not going to talk about it." He emphasised that their objective is to improve and aim for more goals regardless of recent performances.

The team remains engaged with matches every three days, maintaining focus on improving performance across all competitions.