Mikel Arteta is at it again, and this time, he’s taking inspiration straight from the skies.
The Arsenal boss, famous for his unusual training tricks, is reportedly looking to bring in fighter pilots to teach his players how to communicate under pressure.
“So, the British fighter planes, for example. I will get in touch with those guys, how they communicate, because that is life or death,” Arteta told the Daily Mail.
“I’m sure they don’t use 20 phrases or 20 words if there is one word. Don’t say, ‘Nah, the wind is coming this way, now you have to turn left’, because boom, dead. So, it will be one word.”
When was this?
Sorry, we’re too late. As noted by Mikel on Monday’s press conference, this was 2 years ago and the planes are gone already.
It’s classic Arteta, cut the noise, get to the point. Just like fighter pilots use one-word codes to survive, he wants his players using instant triggers on the pitch to avoid costly mistakes.
Loudspeakers, Bulbs, and Sketch Pads
And this isn’t the first time Arteta has pulled a stunt. Ahead of a trip to Anfield, he blasted “You’ll Never Walk Alone” through giant speakers at training to prepare his squad for Liverpool’s intimidating atmosphere.
He’s also used a light bulb in team talks to show players when they need to “switch on”, and even sketched out tactical drawings to hammer home key ideas.
Call it quirky, call it crazy, but it’s all part of the plan.
Marginal Gains, Big Rewards
Some fans may laugh, but Arteta’s message is clear: football matches are decided in tiny details. And if fighter pilot communication, booming anthems, or light bulb metaphors sharpen his team by even 1%, it could be the difference between victory and defeat.
Unorthodox? Yes. Effective? So far so good and We certainly hope so.
Because with Arteta, one thing’s for sure: he’ll stop at nothing to give his players the edge.
