Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has cautioned his players to prepare for a difficult encounter against Lille in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League fixture, while shedding light on how he chooses his starting line-up based on the players he believes can make an impact towards the end of matches.
Arteta described Lille, managed by Davide, as a well-organised side that has troubled several top teams, insisting that Arsenal must be fully prepared for the challenge at the Emirates Stadium.
Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Monday, as reported in an article titled “Every word from Mikel Arteta’s pre-Lille presser” on Arsenal’s official website, the Spanish tactician commended Lille for their organisation and competitive performances.
“What Davide has done is, I think, remarkable. You can just see the way that they are competing and playing and the problems that they have caused to big teams, and tomorrow is not going to be different until we are ready for it,” Arteta said.
The Arsenal boss also discussed his approach to selecting the starting team, explaining that his decisions often depend on how he anticipates a match will unfold and the potential impact of players introduced from the bench.
When asked about the key consideration behind choosing his starting XI, Arteta revealed that he sometimes selects players based on their ability to influence the final stages of a game.
“Sometimes I’m going to pick a team or players in relation to what I expect, especially at the beginning, that can finish the game, because that’s where most of the games are decided, at this level as well, and we have the bench and the players that are capable of doing that, and we’re going to use, obviously, that resource,” he said.
