MIKEL ARTETA has the inside track on spymaster Marcelo Bielsa from a secret source.
Bielsa famously sent a member of his Leeds staff to snoop at Derby’s training ground two seasons ago, much to the displeasure of then Rams chief Frank Lampard.
Arteta has revealed he has a pal who worked with Bielsa and knows his secretsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
But Arteta is turning the tables on the Leeds boss with his own informer — and it is NOT Bielsa disciple Pep Guardiola.
The Arsenal head coach said: “One of my best friends spent many, many years with him.
“Who is it? I prefer not to say, but they worked as a player and then next to him.
“So I know a lot about his methods, who he is as a person, who he is as a manager as well and I’ve admired him for many, many years.”
Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino, another good mate of Arteta’s, have made no secret of their appreciation of Bielsa.
The information the Arsenal chief has gleaned from his friend — and what he has seen Bielsa achieve at Elland Road himself — have had an effect on him.
Arteta said: “I have followed his work, his ways of playing, the way he is able to change a football club immediately with his mentality and the messages he sends, with his personality and charisma.
“I’ve been very impressed with what he has done in England since he joined Leeds.
Argentine legend Marcelo Bielsa has plenty of admirers in the gameCredit: PA:Press Association
“He has transformed the club. He has transformed the belief of everyone around the club, the fans, that they could come back and be the club they were a few years back.”
Arteta acknowledged that there is no mystery over how Leeds will play against Arsenal today.
Bielsa is staying true to the high-pressing, high-energy style of play that earned the club its long-awaited return to the top flight.
But Leeds were beaten 4-1 in their last two Premier League games by Leicester and Crystal Palace, who ruthlessly exploited the space left by their opponents.
Arsenal, under Arteta, are set up to be solid at the back and hit teams on the counter-attack, so Leeds look like ideal opponents.
Arteta said: “We have players that are really good at running in behind and using spaces when they are open. You create the situations with advantages for the player on the ball to generate and exploit those spaces.
“We have scored a lot of goals as well in very tight spaces, getting out of tight situations and generating overloads in different ways.
“You can have the space but it’s how we use it and what type of balls you need to exploit that and who is going to receive those balls and make that pass.
Arteta will be looking to out-tactic maestro Bielsa in Sunday’s encounter at Elland RoadCredit: Getty – Pool
“It’s not just about knocking the ball from the back-four, it doesn’t make any sense. It’s finding ways to break those pressing moments.”
Guardiola’s City were unable to win at Elland Road earlier this season, playing out a thrilling 1-1 draw but missing some good chances.
If Arteta is to do better than his former boss, he will need Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to be at his ruthless best.
But some Arsenal fans are concerned about the form of their captain, who has scored only two goals in eight Premier League games.
Statistics show he is struggling to create and score goals after spending much of the campaign out wide rather than through the middle.
Arteta said: “I’m open to many options, as I’m open to use different formations and to change the team with different names. We have to accommodate our players.
“Data is very important. It’s also very important how you adjust the offensive and defensive to get that cohesion as a team. These things evolve. There are moments when you need him in one position, moments in another position.”
Aubameyang signed a big contract extension after scoring in Arsenal’s 3-0 win at Fulham on the opening weekend of the season. But his penalty against Manchester United is his only Prem strike since.
Arsenal will need Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to be firing on all cylinders against Leeds on SundayCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Arteta added: “We need to help him more. He knows himself as well the things he needs to improve in his game to be more decisive.
“It will come. I haven’t known any striker in the world that for ten years has never had a period when he’s not scoring as much. It’s how you navigate that period.”
Perhaps Arteta can ask his pal how Bielsa helped turn Patrick Bamford — with seven goals in eight Prem games this season — into a goal machine.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
