Cesc Fabregas has revealed he has noticed a newfound togetherness among Mikel Arteta's squad during private visits to Arsenal's training ground.
Fabregas spent eight years with the Gunners, winning the FA Cup in 2005, before leaving for Barcelona in 2011. He now plays for Serie B side Como, though he has also been taking his coaching badges, with frequent visits to Arsenal's London Colney base.
Those visits have been at the invitation of Arteta, with Fabregas watching first-team training and leading sessions with the Under 18s group. As part of his time studying the Gunners, Fabregas has picked up on a fresh characteristic among Arteta's squad.
And he has opened up on what he has spotted after Arsenal's dominant win over Chelsea. The Gunners tore the Blues apart to end a dreadful four-game winless run, with Fabregas highlighting a key part of their success this term.
"I realise the togetherness of the team and the profile of the players is very humble and positive. I see the togetherness that sometimes makes champions," he said when asked what he had spotted during his visits to training.
"I think we saw two different sides. One was really well-drilled, very well-coached with clear ideas, patterns of how they want to press - especially in Chelsea’s half - how they want to attack, how they’re going to find their movement.
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"They were fluid and Chelsea allowed that. I felt sometimes Chelsea, we used to have a coach when we were little and it was like we have eleven olives, you throw them on the table and this is the tactics that sometimes we’re looking at.
"Sometimes I couldn’t believe it, the tactical and technical mistakes we’re seeing from Chelsea players. We are not used to it. Especially from individuals, in midfield, for example, you have a World Cup winner, World Cup winner, World Cup finalist. Sometimes it doesn’t prove anything to have that experience."
Arsenal have enjoyed an impressive season this term, though they have come under fire after throwing away their lead in the title race. But Fabregas does not believe it is totally fair to criticise Arteta's troops.
"Listen, we need to understand first of all that Man City is an outstanding team. When I say outstanding, between ex-players we talk about Man City and it’s like ‘wow, this is the best team in the world’," he added.
"Taking it from there, Arsenal is having a fantastic season. Edu and Mikel have said themselves they shouldn’t even be here at the moment, this was not the step for this year.
"But they are here, 100 percent, but the question is they’re saying is it a great season? At the moment it has been a great season. They were not expecting to be where they are today."
