Mikel Arteta has left Graeme Souness dumbfounded after taking a replica of the Highbury clock with Arsenal to Fulham. He wanted the Gunners to decorate the away dressing room.
Arsenal edged their London rivals 3-0 last week with goals from Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard. The result secured the Emirates Stadium outfit a five-point lead atop the Premier League table. But Souness questions Arteta’s antics to build morale.
The Daily Mail reported after the Craven Cottage meeting that Arteta had asked Arsenal to decorate the away dressing room. He wanted the Gunners to take their home comforts on the road as the north London natives target their first top-flight title since the 2003/04 term.
Why did Arsenal take a replica of the Highbury clock to Fulham?
Photos emerged after Arsenal beat Fulham of Arteta’s side huddled around a replica of the clock made iconic at Highbury. It appeared at the Gunners’ former home for more than 70 years. Arsenal also introduced a larger replica at the Emirates above the Clock End in 2010.
Its surprise appearance at Fulham came as part of a wider attempt by Arteta to make away dressing rooms feel more like home for Arsenal. Five of the Gunners’ remaining 11 Premier League fixtures are away from the Emirates. They also visit Liverpool and Manchester City.
So, Arsenal also took a team photo and stickers of the club’s badge to Fulham to decorate the away dressing room. It remains to be seen if Arteta asks the Gunners to replicate their inclusions away at Liverpool on April 9. Arsenal visit title rivals Manchester City on April 26.
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Arteta dumbfounds Souness with the Gunners’ away dressing room plans
Yet while Arsenal got a comfortable 3-0 win at Fulham, Arteta’s plans to decorate the away dressing room with a replica Highbury clock and photo of the team dumbfounded Souness. He also recalls how Arteta tried to ready the Gunners to visit Liverpool in November 2021.
“Really? Is this what the modern game has become?” Souness queried in a column for the Daily Mail. “So, Arsenal players arrive at Fulham to find their own clock is on the wall along with their own pictures and stickers?
“It’s extremely strange and only a winning manager can get away with that. The Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta, is doing a fine job but he has form for such nonsense.
“Last season he had ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ played over the loudspeakers at training to prepare his players for a game at Anfield. They lost 4-0, so that went well for them.”
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