The Premier League’s first-ever winter break is officially underway and Arsenal have taken a trip to Dubai for their week off to train for their upcoming fixtures.
The squad will not play a friendly like they did last time out in the UAE; they are solely focused on training and getting fit, as well as settling in new boys Cedric Soares and Pablo Mari. Manager Mikel Arteta has even taken injured players on the trip.
Arteta was appointed Gunners boss right after Christmas. This was after the sacking of Unai Emery and a shaky period under Freddie Ljungberg. Since the turn of the decade, Arsenal have been undefeated, despite most of those results being draws.
The Spaniard has acknowledged that Arsenal have weak points and that they need to be solved. The subsequent trip to Dubai makes Arteta hopeful that he can fix those problems.
Arsenal in Dubai: Arteta’s Expectations
Arteta Expects Improvement
According to arsenal.com, Arteta stated that the biggest selling point of the trip was “just the fact of having everyone together, not just the players but the staff and the backroom staff to spend some time together and work on some things that we have to improve. We haven’t really had time to work with the 20 or 22 players since I have been here.
“They needed three or four days off to relax their minds as well, recover the bodies,” the former midfielder said. I have made a big review of what we have done so far in these five or six weeks; the things where we can improve, the areas where we have improved and that we have to maintain, that we cannot lose. Hopefully, we can [take] another step forward as a team now.”
Results Must Be Wins Once the EPL Returns
A week of training commences until Arsenal return to the UK to face Newcastle on Sunday, 16 February.
Arsenal have drawn far too many games under Arteta, and he is said to be trying his hardest to make sure that the 10th placed North Londoners can start to get wins under their belt. Following Newcastle, they’ll have their Round of 32 tie against Olympiacos in the Europa League, which is their only real hope for Champions League football next season.
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