We are starting to see exactly why Mikel Arteta decided to bring Gabriel Heinze into the Arsenal backroom team.
Back in July, Heinze came in as a replacement for Carlos Cuesta, who left for Parma.
The Argentine brought the same drive but with a different approach and personality.
Heinze is known for his tough, straightforward style on the training ground, and that intensity matches well with Arteta’s energy during games and even after them.
Gabriel Heinze was seen leading Arsenal’s warm-down after the Fulham win
Following Arsenal’s 1-0 victory against Fulham, Heinze stayed behind with those who did not feature to oversee a warm-down session on the Craven Cottage pitch.
Amy Lawrence was watching from the press box and picked up on something specific while he ran through those routines.
Speaking on The Athletic’s Handbrake Off podcast, Lawrence noted just how involved Heinze became, even in what should have been a laid-back environment.
“Was it Mosquera or Ethan? I can’t remember, but he [Heinze] was doing a bit of one-to-one, like, and he was so animated. And it was very chill, the post-match warm down.
“It was like the lawnmower is going and it’s all just very light, nice and easy. But he was getting animated and involved in explaining things in quite a heated way.”
Lawrence went on to say that moments like this give real insight into the standards being set within the squad right now.
“Just even in a sort of relatively quiet moment like that, and that’s just insightful, I guess, to the fact that again when we’re talking about demanding of each other, he is demanding of them nonstop.”
The intensity that Heinze brings was not a surprise before arriving at London Colney. It is simply part of his coaching identity.
With growing expectation at Arsenal after seasons spent building under Arteta, having another demanding voice around training can only help push standards further.
Heinze known to be ‘uncompromising’
Even the top performers are struggling to break through at Arsenal right now, and Arteta was well aware of that when Heinze came on board in July.
Speaking to the Daily Mail shortly after Heinze’s arrival, journalist Juani Carducci offered a glimpse into how the coach is viewed back in Argentina.
“Heinze is known to be a very stubborn and uncompromising coach, with little self-criticism. He always believes he’s right and is tenacious in his convictions,” Carducci explained.
Arteta will appreciate what Heinze brings to the table, and his presence has already made a difference as Arsenal continues to shift their mentality.
After eight games, the Gunners sit exactly where they want to be. And over time, Heinze’s influence will only become more apparent within this squad.
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