Mikel Arteta has admitted Arsenal are "still far" from fulfilling the vision he has for the club as he looks to slowly restore the Gunners to their former glories.
Arsenal currently sit fourth in the Premier League one point ahead of their nearest rivals Manchester United in fifth, despite the fact Arteta's side have played three games less than the Red Devils. With that in mind, the first of those games in hands comes in the form of an incredibly stern test up against Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool at the Emirates on Wednesday night.
Hopes are high among the Gunners fanbase that Arsenal could send a statement to their top four rivals with what would be a surprising victory against the Reds, but Arteta has been quick to stress to reporters that there is still plenty of work to be done beyond the visit of Liverpool.
The Spaniard was grilled as to whether his side are any closer to fulfilling the vision he has had for the club since he first returned as a manager in December of 2019 and subsequently replied: "Still far, still far."
Arteta was then pressed on what it is going to take for his players to achieve his ultimate aim. "We have to make things quicker, sharper - we have to be adaptable and become more unpredictable. We can have much more flexibility and be more consistent throughout games to maintain that level."
Arsenal are currently in the midst of one of their best runs of form in recent memory having lost just one league game out of their last 11 while winning five from their last six. Unfortunately for the Gunners, Liverpool have enjoyed six wins from six and will be expecting to continue that run mid-week.
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The Gunners boss has tried to change the culture of the club since his arrival and has discussed how Arsenal must look to avoid falling into the trap where they feel sorry for themselves instead of stopping any potential rut. "I hate that feeling, of feeling sorry for ourselves," he added.
"Of saying: ‘Oh, this is happening to us again.’ A lot of things happen, and when they happen we have to find the reason why it happens. If we don’t want it happening again, we have to do something about it because if we keep doing the same thing then I expect the same – or worse – to happen, because we already have a history. We have less margin to suffer, because we have already been there.
Arteta went on to say: "We have to change that dynamic completely, look at what we can become and how we are going to do it. If we put all the effort and energy there, the rest will take care of itself. Beating Liverpool with the way they are playing today is extremely difficult and we are aware of that, but if we get to the game with the belief and understanding of doing what we can do, the game is there for the taking."
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