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Mikel Arteta has changed the Arsenal players’ mindset from ambitions of finishing in the top four to a hunger to become champions again, according to former Gunners forward Theo Walcott.
Arsenal finished two points behind Manchester City last season as Arteta’s squad came up just short in the quest for a first league title since 2004.
After winning their opening two games of the new campaign, Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton – after Declan Rice was controversially sent off – before the international break, while City and Liverpool both maintained perfect starts.
Walcott joined the Gunners as a 16-year-old from Southampton in 2006 and went on to make almost 400 appearances for Arsene Wenger’s side, which also included Arteta, who later became club captain.
Although Arsenal twice won the FA Cup during that spell, league success continued to prove illusive.
Walcott – who left to join Everton in 2018 and finished his playing career back with the Saints – feels the mindset around the whole club under Arteta’s calm guidance is now very much focused on a return to being the very best.
“There is an expectation now for Arsenal to win the league – but for me, when I was playing there was the expectation to finish top four,” Walcott told the PA news agency.
“So as players we were like, ‘right, top four is good’ – we were not thinking, to be fair to some extent, of winning the league – it just didn’t really come to that at times.
“Yes there was elements, like when Eduardo had his injury (at Birmingham in February 2008) when maybe we should have won it or could have done better to win it, but then it came to an expectation just to finish top four.
“Now, there is a feeling which Mikel has set with his whole demeanour, of being alert constantly, of always being so positive.
“And that is not just with the players, but with the the whole staff, at the training ground and the whole environment of an all-in-one mind of a positive outlook.
“It is hard trying to get everyone going in the right direction and I think Mikel has done that, from the fans particularly, he has brought them all in one and he has gelled it.”
Walcott added: “I have said Arsenal will win the league – and they are going to have to be exceptional to win the league.
“The way Manchester City have started, they have just wiped people to the floor and they have the fear factor now that when they walk on the field, the (opposition) players and their fans are terrified.
“I would, though, be worried as a league that we don’t want it to be a one-horse race – we have got to be wary of Liverpool as well of course, they have started exceptionally well.”
Former England forward Walcott, who retired from playing in August 2023, joined BBC Sport’s team of analysts for the new season and was part of the coverage at Euro 2024.
Walcott, 35, will make his Match of the Day debut as a pundit this weekend, offering professional analysis and insight on the Premier League.
“I feel I will be a different kind of sports pundit,” said Walcott, who will also be working on the BBC’s new MOTD Champions League programme.
“I will always like to bring a positive outlook and the insights of how I as a player would have responded in that way when a certain situation happens.
“I would really look at it in depth, the fact that it could be simple, like body position, or shirt pulling, something that could have just really disrupted a certain situation happening.
“We all look at TV and say ‘he should have scored that’ – but do we actually really break it down? Then try to take a look at why has he not hit the target?
“I am going to be that kind of pundit I suppose and see if it works for me.”
