Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta played a sneaky trick with CCTV to inspire his side to a memorable North London Derby win this season.
The Gunners enjoyed a fine campaign in the Premier League this term and are assured of second place. Whilst their fight to lift the title ultimately ended in disappointment, Arsenal have still impressed under Arteta.
A couple of highlights will certainly be their North London derby victories this season. The Gunners defeated Spurs at the Emirates Stadium 3-1 back in October, before following that up with a 2-0 victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in January.
It was before the former success that Arteta elected to swindle his squad. According to The Telegraph, the Spaniard tasked his players with hiding coins in their shoes.
Coaches would leave the room and then return to look each player in the eye in an attempt to guess which players had hidden the cash. The trick was meant to indicate that Arteta and his staff knew the squad closely and would be able to identify if they were hiding something.
They certainly managed to do that as they guessed every single one right, to the squad’s amazement. The only problem was that Arteta and his staff were secretly watching on CCTV.
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Despite that advantage, the trick appeared to inspire the squad to overcome Spurs as it immediately eased the tension in the dressing room. Arsenal eventually won 3-1.
Thomas Partey gave the Gunners the lead midway through the first-half before Harry Kane equalised from the penalty spot. Second-half strikes from Gabriel Jesus and Granit Xhaka secured three points, whilst Emerson Royal was also sent off for Spurs.
Speaking after the victory, he revealed that a half-time dressing room chat convinced him that his side were going to run out the victors. He said: “Yes, I could sense it [the passion in the players] every day since they came back from the international break, they were ready and focused for it.
“It’s so meaningful we know what is at stake in this game and it goes a little bit further than just the three points. You have to play with that passion and that coolness in your head and I think the players did it brilliantly today.”
That victory left Arsenal top of the Premier League after an electric start to the season with a solitary point lead over nearest challengers Manchester City. Despite managing to extend their thrilling start, their end of season form has cost them the title.
Arteta’s side have won just two out of their last eight games with the defeat at Nottingham Forest officially seeing City crowned as champions.
