Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has warned his side to expect a tough test against Lille in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League clash, while explaining how he selects his starting team based on the players he expects to finish matches.
Arteta said Lille, coached by Davide, were well organised and had caused problems for major teams, urging Arsenal to be ready for the challenge at the Emirates Stadium.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Monday, according to a report titled “Every word from Mikel Arteta’s pre-Lille presser” published on Arsenal’s official website, the Spaniard praised Lille’s preparation and competitiveness.
“What Davide has done is, I think, remarkable. You can just see the way that they are competing and playing and the problems that they have caused to big teams, and tomorrow is not going to be different until we are ready for it,” Arteta said.
The Arsenal manager also explained that his team selection was influenced by how he expected matches to develop, including the need for substitutes to make decisive contributions.
Asked about the most important factor when choosing his starting XI, Arteta said he sometimes selected players based on their ability to influence the closing stages of a game.
“Sometimes I’m going to pick a team or players in relation to what I expect, especially at the beginning, that can finish the game, because that’s where most of the games are decided, at this level as well, and we have the bench and the players that are capable of doing that, and we’re going to use, obviously, that resource,” he said.
The Spaniard also reminded his players that they would have to work hard to reach another Champions League final after losing last season’s showpiece.
Arteta said the team needed to recognise how difficult it was to reach that stage and earn another opportunity to compete for the trophy.
“That you’re going to have to earn the right to get in that position again. We know how tough it is and how many times we’ve done it in the history of our club. So first of all, realise that, and tomorrow we’re going to have a really tough opponent in front of us,” he said.
He reiterated that Lille would provide a stern examination, praising their coach and the problems they had caused other major teams
