Mikel Arteta has revealed he sets challenges for his Arsenal players — including delaying their meals and turning up the heat in the dressing room — in a bid to keep them focused.
The Gunners were delayed by air traffic control issues in Britain as they made their way to Naples for their Uefa Champions League opener this week, forcing the cancellation of their pre-match press conference. But Arsenal coped with the disruption, securing a 1-0 win over Napoli on Tuesday thanks to Martin Ødegaard's goal.
Arteta believes his unusual decision to put his stars under duress with a series of planned problems helps them cope with stressful situations.
"I love those challenges," he said.
"I try to create them in pre-seasons so when they happen, we already experience them and we already know. So, get to the stadium very late, change the routine, and suddenly the players have to do something else.
"Because when it happens, and it can happen, you can miss the flight, the train can be delayed, there's so much traffic and I don't want the players, but not only the players, the staff as well, panicking. So when that happens, adapt to it."
Arteta has a well-earned reputation for using innovative schemes to challenge his players to cope with uncomfortable situations.
He has employed pickpockets during meals to unsettle his squad and once warmed up for a trip to face Liverpool at a raucous Anfield by pumping crowd noises through speakers during training sessions.
Asked how else he puts his players in difficult circumstances, Arteta said: "(We have) delayed the meals, delayed the transport, taken a different route.
"We've done many things — made the dressing room hotter, more difficult, more challenging, less beds ... because we're going to have to adapt to different contexts."
The English Premier League champions have made a perfect start to the season, winning all four of their matches in all competitions ahead of Saturday's trip to Sunderland. | AFP
English Premier League matchday 4 fixtures
Saturday: Bournemouth v Brentford; Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest; Chelsea v Hull; Liverpool v Fulham; Crystal Palace v Ipswich, all 4pm kick-off; Tottenham v Everton, 6.30pm; Sunderland v Arsenal, 9pm
Sunday: Coventry v Brighton, 3pm; Arsenal v Chelsea, 5.30pm
Monday: Leeds v Newcastle, 9pm