‘Finally, Arteta has listened to me’: Tony Adams lauds Arsenal boss’ recent change

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Speaking to Stadium Astro, Arsenal legend Tony Adams feels that Mikel Arteta has finally listened to his advice and that is why the Gunners have been doing so well in the Premier League over the last month.

Five wins and a draw in our last six league games is a tremendous return, especially after how poor we were early on in the season.

The game against Chelsea on Boxing Day changed everything, and a slight tactical switch by Arteta has unleashed Arsenal’s attackers.

The Gunners boss experimented with a 4-3-3 and and with a 3-4-3 at the start of the campaign. That did not work and Arsenal dropped down deep into the bottom half of the league table.

Arteta had to change something and he switched to a 4-2-3-1 with Emile Smith Rowe playing as a number 10. We haven’t lost a game in the Premier League since, and Adams believes that it is his advice and the addition of Thomas Partey that has made the difference.

Adams: Arteta has finally listened to me

He said: “Now, we’ve got Partey. What a difference he’s made to the team. I was raving away at Old Trafford earlier in the season where I thought: ‘Hallelujah! We’ve been crying out for a holding midfield player for so many years, since Gilberto and stuff and we’ve finally got one’.

“That gives you the protection now for Emile and Saka to go and do their stuff. That’s why they’re expressing themselves so well now because they’ve got the protection of Xhaka and Partey.”

“The system – the four (defenders) and the two (central midfielders) – finally, after all of the season, Arteta has listened to me and he’s put a back four in place, two holding midfield players and let the kids go and play. We’re climbing the league, everything’s good in the Arsenal world.”

Whether it’s Adams’ advice or Arteta being a genius himself, Arsenal have found the system that suits every player. We look like we can beat any team in the country if everyone’s fit and available, and fans will be hoping that we can continue this form until the end of the season.