In a recent interview with Mundo Deportivo, Mikel Arteta shared his grand ambitions for Arsenal, a team he hopes to continue with for many years and, most importantly, win more trophies. After five years as the Gunners' manager, Arteta has only secured three trophies: an FA Cup in his first season (2020) and two Community Shields (2020 and 2023). Despite these victories, the Basque coach is not content with the runner-up spots and feels his team deserves more.

Arsenal has finished as Premier League runners-up several times, like last year when they almost snatched the title from Manchester City, 20 years after their last championship. Although the team's performance is respectable, Arteta is not satisfied with the results. "With the stability the team shows in terms of performance, in other circumstances we would already have a major title, but the reality is that is not the case. We’re missing something, and that’s where we need to find that edge to move forward and win the big titles," Arteta explained determinedly.

Arteta's desire is not just to win trophies but to leave a historical mark on Arsenal. After dominating England at the turn of the century, the London club has fallen into a routine: too strong against smaller teams but too weak against Europe's giants. This is an attitude that Arteta is not willing to tolerate. "At this club, it's non-negotiable to aspire to win the big titles," he stated firmly.

The Gunners' coach has been working for five years to change the team's mentality. "My obsession is to win in any context, dominate every phase of the game, every situation, and make the team feel comfortable in it," he explained. Arteta also emphasized the importance of giving players the tools they need to face any kind of adversity. "The obsession is to have resources for everything: to give the players the means to feel comfortable and, above all, to have a very clear idea of what we want to do, which is to dominate the opponent in their zone for as long as possible," he detailed.

A philosophy that has yielded results

Despite the failures in recent seasons, Arteta has not allowed frustration to overtake his team. In fact, one of his principles is that players enjoy the process, as only then can they maintain their competitive edge. "The first thing is that they have fun. If we’re not having fun, I think I should do something else. Then, I need to make the blood of competition run through their veins because, in the end, we’re here to win," the Basque coach explained. This philosophy seems to be working, as Arsenal has maintained impressive consistency, even with the numerous injuries affecting them this season.

Arteta’s challenge is not only to win titles but also to maintain a winning mentality and continue evolving. Although the coach feels frustrated by not having achieved more trophies, he remains optimistic about the future. "I really enjoy the experience, the challenge, and I see the future here winning titles. That’s what I want," he concluded. With this mentality, Arteta continues to seek the formula to take Arsenal to the next level. The opportunity to keep fighting for the Champions League title presents itself this Wednesday in Girona, where the Gunners only need a draw to secure their spot in the Round of 16. However, it doesn’t seem that Arteta and his team will settle for anything less.