Oleksandr Zinchenko has now discussed his experiences on the recent trip that the Arsenal first team squad took to Dubai.
Mikel Arteta recently took Oleksandr Zinchenko and the rest of the Arsenal squad for a mid-season training camp.
This sojourn was an opportunity for the players to step away from the spotlight of the Premier League, recharge their batteries, and regain some fitness. It was also a chance for Arteta and his coaching staff to put some new ideas into practice on the training pitch. Arteta worked with his Arsenal players to address some key weaknesses.
This break came at the perfect time for Arsenal. The north London club had been in awful form prior to their trip, having lost their last three matches. These poor results saw the Gunners lose ground in the title race and also get eliminated from the FA Cup.
The time in Dubai clearly did the team good, as they looked refreshed and refocused as they thrashed Crystal Palace 5-0 at the Emirates Stadium last time out.
The trip will also have done wonders for team spirit, as Zinchenko has now revealed that players were accompanied by their families to Dubai and there were plenty of opportunities for the group to get to know one another better and forge a deeper bond.
Speaking to The Athletic, the Ukrainian left-back said, “it was an amazing time there — a good refresh. The connection between all of us went to another level. We had a barbecue over there with everyone so we can get to know each other much better, with the families. It’s so important. A team is like a family when you’re on and off the pitch — always together, supporting each other, pushing each other.”
Arsenal must make Dubai trip a turning point in their season
Arsenal now need to build on the progress they made as a team in Dubai, and the subsequent win they secured against the Eagles, and put together a consistent run of positive results. Their next two outings in the Premier League will see them take on Nottingham Forest and current league leaders Liverpool. Six points from those two fixtures will fire the Gunners right back into the heat of the title race.
By the end of the campaign, Arsenal’s time in Dubai could be looked back upon as a major turning point, when the squad finally really clicked into gear. From what we can tell so far, it certainly seems to have had a hugely positive impact.
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Mark Bosnich is convinced that Arsenal have what it takes to be crowned champions this year. Now, the players need to show that they believe it too.
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