‘I was shocked’: Harry Redknapp claims one Arsenal man is impressing him

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Harry Redknapp told Sky Sports News (05/10/20 at 10:55 pm) that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is impressing him after previously being left ‘shocked’ by the attitude of the players.

The former Premier League boss believes Arteta has ‘changed the mentality’ of the players, as he highlighted how he was ‘shocked’ by the Arsenal players work rate when he watched them in action at Bournemouth in 2019.

That’s when Arteta had just walked through the doors, so he didn’t have much time to implement his ideas, but that’s all changed now.

Their FA Cup and Community Shield win, their strong start to the season and a healthy transfer window has left Redknapp impressed by the man in Arsenal’s dugout.

“He’s done a great job,” Redknapp told Sky Sports.”He has gone in there and he’s changed the mentality of the players. I see them working much harder.

“I watched them play a year or so ago at Bournemouth. I was shocked really of the attitude, I thought it was poor. They lost the ball and they are walking back. They’re not working. He’s changed that. If you are going to get into Arteta’s team, you have to work.

“Discipline. He has obviously instilled that into the team.”

Even though Arsenal left it pretty late, the signing of Thomas Partey on Deadline Day is the icing on the cake for those in North London.

That bite, aggression, and added defensive stability was needed for a team that has looked pretty timid at times in the middle of the park.

Partey won’t just add his own qualities to Arteta’s midfield, but he will help elevate the performances of Granit Xhaka, Dani Ceballos, and whoever is played in a three.

In a couple of months time, Arteta will celebrate one year at the club as manager and it’s fair to say that during that small period, he has made some serious changes and differences, both on and off the field.