‘We have to create fear in the opponent again'

Mikel Arteta has stressed the importance of bringing the fear factor back for opposition teams coming to Emirates Stadium.

In his first interview as our new head coach, the Spaniard discussed the relationship between the playing squad and the fans. This is what he said:

The fans have been watching very, very closely, of course. They’ve been frustrated for some time now, what’s your message to them?

That please, we need them so much. I was on the bench next to it the other day and I felt bad when you see the disappointment and the faces in the crowd. I understand. We have to be the ones who are able to transmit that our idea is reaching to them and to engage them because we need them. We have to connect those powerful cables together to become what this club deserves to become. Without them we can’t do it because, at the end of the day, we play football for the fans [to enjoy] and they make a lot of sacrifices to be able to watch us, and they suffer. We have to understand it’s our responsibility, so we have to engage them. They give us a little bit and then we give them more, and then it will be a consequence one of the other. But we need them big time.

You once said: "When the crowd get going at the Emirates I think we’re unstoppable."

Because it’s incredible, this stadium. When I was here I had an impression, and when you leave this football club and you are in the opponents’ bus and you are driving and you look at the stadium and then you get into the crowd you say ‘wow, this is a place’. The opponent has to have fear to come to the Emirates. That’s what we have to again create, fear in the opponent, that’s a big advantage.