"He has us on a tight leash" - Arsenal star lauds Mikel Arteta's management outside the pitch
Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has lauded Mikel Arteta's management, explaining how he deals with the young Gunners squad.
The north London side have the youngest side in the Premier League but sit top of the league table. While the players might have comparatively less experience than some other squads, they have shown mettle and maturity at various points in the season.
Ramsdale have given a lot of credit for that to manager Arteta for keeping the Arsenal players in check. The English goalkeeper said (via Football Daily):
"I think that's where the manager and the coaching staff come in. He has us on a probably a tight leash, which allows us to express ourselves and be ourselves, be our own characters, and then all he has to do is give it a quick pull, and we're back in order, back in line. It's very easy to get ahead of yourself when you're doing so well and such a young team, young players."
He added:
"But when you have the boss as our manager, you know, instilling the fear factor in the team, it's very hard to kinda step out of line, but when you do, he gives you a little quiet word; it's not the end of the world because again, making mistakes is a part of football and life, but he does in a way with all different individuals, different ways of doing it, and you'll be back in line sharpish."
Arteta was appointed Arsenal manager midway through the 2019-20 season following Unai Emery's sacking. He won the FA Cup in his first season but finished eighth, eighth and fifth in the Premier League in his first three seasons.
However, the Arsenal hierarchy stuck with their former player, and Arteta now has the Gunners leading the standings, five points above Manchester City.
Arsenal prepare to face Crystal Palace to consolidate league position
The Gunners host Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday (March 19). With a win, they will extend their lead at the top of the table to eight points over Manchester City, who will have a game in hand.
Palace, meanwhile, are winless in 11 league games and sacked manager Patrick Vieira ahead of their clash against Arsenal. The Gunners will be without injured defenders William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu. They will, however, fancy their chances of securing all three points against the Eagles.