When you do what you do because you love what you do,
that is called passion.
Only passion,
determination and passion,
and show these people how much you care
and go out there and play forward
and attack them and play with courage and belief
and fucking win this game.
Arsenal Football Club,
in the heart of North London.
It's one of the biggest football clubs in the world.
Thierry Henry! Superb goal!
A history of style.
Pires, magnificent.
And extraordinary success.
They were champions,
Invincibles.
An entire Premier League season unbeaten.
But recently things have not been so good.
And for the first time in more than 20 years,
there will be no European football for this great club.
The fans are restless.
Used to always be in the Champions League.
All the time, without fail.
And now we can't even make Europa.
They have the Premier League's youngest manager.
As a manager, you're going to be under pressure,
you're going to be questioned,
but I'm ready for a fight.
And youngest squad.
For the first time in their history,
Arsenal have allowed cameras behind the scenes.
Hey hey hey!
I don't speak often, when I speak it's from the heart, innit.
In what will prove to be a pivotal season for the club.
With the drama unfolding on...
And a red card.
and off the pitch.
When I lose a duel I'm upset.
Because that's the fucking standard.
We have decided as a club that he's no longer our captain.
With one question hovering over the club...
Is Mikel Arteta the man to take Arsenal and their fans back to the big time?
We have a challenge, guys.
It's a beautiful challenge, let's go for it.
It's a new beginning at Arsenal.
The start of a season that will see the fans return to the stadium.
London Colney is Arsenal's training ground where the preparations begin.
Hey Cedric!
Sambi's parked in your spot.
Why are you looking at me?
Hey!
Whoo!
All dressed in gold.
Oh! There you are.
You're like, golden!
What a golden boy!
Arsenal have several established stars.
Including club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
But their squad is mainly made up of players under 25.
In fact, Arsenal have the youngest squad in the Premier League.
One of their most exciting young players
is 19-year-old Bukayo Saka.
From the moment Arsenal scouted me, there was only one choice.
The scouts approached my parents
and they gave them a card with the Arsenal badge on.
I remember getting into the car and my dad showing me.
I just took the card and I kept it for a few days with me.
As a kid, you play for fun.
When the teams that you're watching on TV are calling for you,
it's special.
I was really excited and I wanted to get started straight away.
Vamos!
Bukayo played for England in the final of the European Championships.
He was chosen to take the last kick in the penalty shootout.
So, Bukayo Saka now.
It was the biggest moment in English football in over 50 years.
Please, Saka, I believe in you, you've been so good this tournament.
Come on, mate.
The 19-year-old has to score this.
Oh, he's saved it! Donnarumma saves.
England miss three consecutive penalties in the shootout.
It's poor Bukayo Saka who misses the crucial one.
After his miss,
Bukayo was a target of a wave of racial abuse.
His performance in the tournament
and the way he handled the attention made him a household name.
Oh my gosh.
If you step
to take that penalty, you're a hero for me.
Obviously, you score, it's better, understand me well,
but for me, what he's doing right now, and how humble he is...
And it's great because he's from the academy
and he's Arsenal through and through.
But people do not realise the pressure
of being the one that's going to make it.
And got to be that when you step on the field,
you have to be that, but then...
people do not care about how you feel as a human being
and this is where it becomes difficult.
You know, before, I could just do normal things, you know.
I can't really do them anymore.
The plate is warm, yeah?
Thank you. Dan, perfect yeah. Thank you.
At home if I cook my egg, it's well done so...
You don't cook, though.
What do you mean, I don't cook? Flo, what did I tell you I did yesterday?
Apparently he went to Wait rose to grab a meal deal.
Apparently...
On my life, bro, I swear.
The whole staff waited outside for me, bro.
What?
Bro, I walked in, I think they must have recognised me.
Did you have your hood down?
Bro, I had my hood on and my mask like here.
They still recognised you?
When I was leaving, bro...
The whole like... Eight staff were waiting outside at the entrance.
Like clapping or something?
No, they were just... As soon as I came out...
"Oh, can I have a picture?"
Bro, I had my hood on and my mask. I don't know what more I can do.
That's hard.
When I was a kid, I didn't really think about this side.
I just thought about the football side.
I didn't really know about off the pitch stuff,
the media and stuff like that.
But I don't think I would change it
because I'm still living the dream that I've always dreamt.
This young squad is lead by the Premier League's youngest manager,
39 year old, former Arsenal captain, Mikel Arteta.
Morning, Kelly!
Arteta is under pressure.
Since he became manager, Arsenal have been inconsistent
and this season, things need to change.
The expectations of this club are to win every single game.
We want to be in Europe, yes,
then we will have to win trophies, that's a yes.
You are a winger and you regain the ball here,
where is the centre-back?
There, yeah?
My main objective is for the fans to believe in the team.
That's been lost a little bit in the last few years.
Football is about trying to give positive emotions to people.
And if we are able to do that, hopefully beautiful things will happen.
Three! Two!
What I was thinking is, if you kind of do a little "hello,
good to see you all back, here we go again."
In the media, questions hang over Mikel and his ability as a manager.
Morning everybody.
Good morning. Nice to see you all again for a new season.
It's your 3rd season, isn't it? Two 8th place finishes.
Do you get the sense this is now your time to deliver?
Our goal is to get the best version consistently
that's going to bring us closer to winning football matches.
That's what I want from the team.
On Friday, win against Brentford,
and we've put so much work and effort in the last few weeks
to get the best possible preparation
and now you want to see the outcome, so... ready for the kick-off.
Thanks, Mikel. Good luck tomorrow.
Thank you.
Arsenal's first match is against newly promoted Brentford.
It's a game they're expected to win,
but Covid has affected their build up to the game.
And things have just got worse.
If you've not heard the news,
both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alex Lacazette
are not involved tonight because they're ill.
Of course, the pre-match homage to Black Lives Matter
will continue for this season ahead.
Good to see and of course, young Bukayo Saka on the bench there.
And off we go!
Arsenal start well and are dominating their opponents.
But just 20 minutes in...
Brentford score.
Arsenal fight on...
And after 60 minutes, Mikel brings on Bukayo Saka.
That's not just the Arsenal fans,
that is all of the Brentford fans applauding Bukayo Saka onto the pitch
after he missed that penalty.
But he can't change Arsenal's fortunes.
Saka towards the left-hand side
where he's pulled across there... Granit Xhaka...
A low shot, but wide of the post.
Sorensen with the long throw this time
which bounces right across the penalty area and it's in.
It's a second goal for Brentford!
Mikel's hopes of giving Arsenal fans
a positive start to the new season are over.
Arsenal fans are being waved away, they're leaving the ground.
For the fans, a defeat against Brentford is unacceptable.
The fallout begins.
Fucking embarrassing.
We are bottom of the league.
They've won! They've beaten Arsenal by two goals to nil!
The pressure is on these now, there's gonna be no excuses,
the look of the next two games Chelsea, Manchester City,
and I think that is why I feel the pressure's right on Mikel Arteta.
Rightly or wrongly, that's where we are.
Morning.
As a manager you're going to be under pressure.
You're going to be questioned, you're gonna have to deal with issues.
It's part of my job.
And I really want to fight for this club.
I want to fight for our players, our fans,
and they feel the same way and we can do it together.
We want Kroenke out! I said we want Kroenke out!
Relations between the fans and the club
reached a new low in April 2021.
The fans objected to the club agreeing
to join the proposed breakaway European Super League.
The majority of the anger was directed at the owners of the club,
the Kroenke family.
How can a football club have an owner that doesn't care?
I don't understand that.
They wanted to take us out and put us in a super league, like come on, man.
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment was founded by Stan Kroenke.
It's the largest privately owned sports empire in the world.
The company is reportedly worth around 10 billion dollars.
And when it comes to Arsenal,
Stan's son Josh is one of the four club directors.
What's the most challenging thing about running a football club?
Where should I start?
My family really just took control of the club in 2018.
There was always gonna be a bit of a transition period
where maybe you don't get everything correct the first time around.
There will be bumps
and you just have to be strong enough to withstand them.
We want Kroenke out! I said we want Kroenke out!
It was a very tough period.
I knew we had upset a lot of people and it stings.
I understand that we have a long way to go to build back the trust with our fan base
but it's already started behind the scenes.
Josh has flown into London to meet technical director Edu Gaspar
and CEO Vinai Venkatesham.
Along with the Arsenal board,
Josh has approved a plan to upgrade the first team squad.
So, we still, of course, as you're going to see here...
We still thinks there's a lot of things to do
and when you see, like, that kind of situation,
that's what I wanna do until the end of the transfer window,
try to clean and rebalance that position.
As you see, Martin is in the building already,
which is a very important position
because before you just have Smith-Rowe in that position
and now we have a true number ten.
Martin gives us a lot of flexibility.
We've also done what we wanted to do about the age profile of the squad.
If you look at the players we've brought in, all 21, 22, 23, 24.
Josh and the Arsenal board have bankrolled a 30 million pounds transfer
for Norwegian wunderkid Martin Odegaard.
Are you happy?
Happy to be back, bro?
I heard about the wages you were getting, so I thought fucking hell.
And deals for several other young players have been secured.
21 year old Albert Sambi Lokonga, 15 million pounds.
21 year old Nuno Tavares, 7 million pounds.
But the most expensive new signing is 23 year old Ben White
bought for 50 million pounds.
Mate, I've got some little kids absolutely giving me stacks,
they were mugging me right off.
Were they?
They were like "50 million, you're shit."
Arsenal are now the highest spenders in this summer transfer window
and are still looking for more players.
The grand plan should be coming a little more obvious
after this transfer window.
You have some pace there. You're still ready to play.
I think that you see us out there really looking for young talent
that can grow with the group.
- How are you? - I'm good, Josh.
- You good? - Yeah.
It's been a tough week.
I said the first defeat in the Premier League,
you know what is coming.
The tsunami's coming already on day one.
The clouds are dark.
Hey!
- How are you? - I'm good, how are you?
I meant what I said in that text message.
Shake that shit off, you've got a bright future man.
It's going to be fun.
He gets a clap now. In every stadium, he gets a clap.
After 18 months away from the Emirates Stadium, the fans are back.
It's going to be a tough match against European Champions League holders,
Chelsea.
You've got Chelsea this weekend, then Man City.
This is not looking the easiest start you could have had to this season.
I know that people have the intentions to bury us,
to try to criticise us. We are not interested in that.
Who are you talking about there? Ex-players?
The Rwandan president was very critical of your game last week.
He said Arsenal must not accept mediocracy.
Arsenal's spent more money than any other Premier League club.
Has this been your biggest challenge since becoming Arsenal boss?
The players aren't feeling any pressure, neither are you?
If you don't feel pressure in football, in any elite sport,
I think you picked the wrong profession.
- Thanks everyone. - Thank you.
Well done. All pretty straight.
They were intense, today.
Yeah.
And you saw the Ramsdale stuff kind of came out.
Talk Sport, sports update.
Arsenal have announced the signing of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale
on a long-term deal from Sheffield United.
After weeks of negotiation,
Arsenal have secured a 30 million pound deal
for 23 year old English goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.
- You on your own? - Yeah.
He just needs to pass his medical
with club doctor Gary O'Driscoll.
Have a seat.
So, look, congratulations.
- Thank you very much. - Taken a bit of time.
We're thrilled to have you, congratulations.
Thank you.
So, have you done medicals before?
Yeah.
You are a goalkeeper, right or left-handed?
Er, right.
- And footed? - Right.
- Are you married or partner or kids? - Partner.
- You've got a partner. - Yeah.
By the end of today, I'll give you my number
and any issues that you've got
or your partner's got or whatever, family,
any issue at all and you just give me a call, we'll sort that out.
So, no injuries at the moment?
- No. - When were you last injured?
What which stopped me from playing?
Yeah. Can you... Good if you can't remember, that's great.
- Arm, elbow? - No.
- Wrists? - No.
- Fingers, hands, no breaks? - Broken thumb.
- Any issues since then? - No, it was a Bennett's fracture.
That's it, no other injuries?
Have you ever had surgery, have you ever had any operation at all? Groin? Hernias?
When I was like 10, I broke my arm.
Remember how you did that?
Better not to ask?
I fell off a skateboard trying to go down a slide...
- Good lad! - I watched my big brother do it.
A great goalkeeper in the making there. Like it.
I played outfield kicking about in the fields with my dad and my brothers,
and my dad just said, "Where do you wanna play?"
And I said in goal, and he just turned round and said "Are you mad?"
I just shrugged my shoulders.
I think it was just the thrill of diving around in the mud,
making saves, just being sort of dopey
and a joker and stuff like that.
Do you know any of the other lads here?
Erm, Bukayo, Emile,
Reiss.
All through England?
- Yeah, and I know Rob a little bit. - Great.
When I was at Bolton.
- You were at Bolton as well? - As a kid, yeah.
- No way. - Yeah.
When I was in the academy at Bolton,
obviously getting a couple of contracts
sort of from 12 to 16, you realise that you do have a talent
because you're in the academy for a reason,
but I don't think it was until when I turned probably 17, 18,
I started having a better time at Sheffield United
and I was really part of that squad, and that's probably when I thought,
"I've got a chance."
And six months later I was in Bournemouth.
The season before he was at Bournemouth, they got relegated.
I think it's a lot of money.
I don't quite get the Ramsdale one, if I'm honest.
They are Banter FC right now.
I made a decision to turn all my comments off
on Instagram and Twitter.
I don't need to listen to it.
I think the only person's opinion I need to listen to is the manager's,
he picks the team.
I need to listen to my teammates' opinions and my family,
who have been there through thick and thin, who have seen my journey.
People are jealous, people are fickle, people think they can do better.
It's a cop-out in my opinion,
you're hiding behind a keyboard, just an easy way out for them.
And if you start reading it, it's bad for you,
and obviously bad for your mental state.
Judge me at the end and we'll see what the reception's like then.
Arsenal! Arsenal! Arsenal! Arsenal!
The second league match of the season is against Chelsea.
Arsenal have captain Aubameyang back.
He's on the subs bench after recovering from Covid,
but 50 million pound defender Ben White is now out with the virus.
Mikel needs his team to perform in front of their home fans.
Otherwise, the crowd could turn against them.
You do wonder how long the home support
will back the team if things don't improve.
Because if the Arsenal fans had been in the ground last season,
they would have let the players and the manager know their feelings.
Being an Arsenal fan right now sucks.
Let's be honest, it ain't...
There's nothing to really cheer about.
So many lows, especially since we used to have so many highs.
We used to always be in the Champions League.
It's tragic.
Why do you stick with them then?
Because you have to.
I can't just... be a Chelsea fan now, ugh, like...
Or a Tottenham... No, I couldn't even.
Let's go! Let's fucking do it, come on!
Get together, come on.
Ok, this week, guys, I think we've all been hurt.
We've all been hurt because so many people has hurt our pride.
And I saw you after the game and how much you care
and it hurts me.
It hurts me for you, for all the staff,
and all the people that cares for us at the football club.
Not for me, the criticism are nothing.
For you guys, because I know how hard you fucking try.
But today, we have a possibility to make a point here.
And it's when everybody's against you, you are stronger here, guys.
Arsenal must pick up the pace in their home opener
as the Gunners welcome European Champions Chelsea to Emirates Stadium.
Romelu Lukaku is thrust straight into the limelight
following his near 100 million move from Inter.
Gets there for a start. Just listen to this as Premier League football
returns to the Emirates Stadium.
Despite the roar from the home fans,
Arsenal are immediately under pressure and Chelsea land a first blow.
Here is James, right hand side, inside the penalty area,
low ball in, chance for Lukaku taken.
Their big money signing comes good very early on here
and it was a simple tap in.
Marcos Alonso, good work from Havertz, this is Romelu Lukaku
and now it's with Mount towards James.
Who puts it into the back of the net with real panache!
2-0 down and the energy within the stadium is low.
Half-time here at the Emirates Stadium,
and one or two boos from the Arsenal supporters.
2, not 1.2!
Romelu was so high,
we are going back.
Try to stay in front of him, let him in offside.
How can we solve that?
We call the winger to go to Mason
and you are in front of Lukaku.
It's the only chance we have.
Guys, Lukaku... Lukaku is dictating the height of our line.
If Lukaku is here, we are here and the ball is there.
We have to dictate where we want the ball,
and we have to play him offside
every time the ball is under pressure so he has to be squeezing with us.
We have some chances, we are arriving, we have courage, we need a goal.
We need a goal to give us hope and give us energy.
But whatever happens, I don't want one fucking player complaining,
one fucking player walking. Is it clear? Let's go.
Let's go!
And we're underway for the second half here.
As the second half begins,
Arsenal need to find a way to get the crowd going.
This is Saka invited to shoot.
He does just that and tipped over by Mendy, terrific hit.
Taken deep towards the back post, knocked back in
and the header does go in... No, it's wide of the target, Rob Holding.
Martinelli, a twist and a turn,
tries to slip it through towards Aubameyang who looks offside.
Here is Auba, straight down the throw of Mendy.
Reece James.
Mason Mount.
In towards Lukaku again!
Terrific save from Bernd Leno onto the woodwork.
The fact of the matter is, it's not a good day at the office for Arsenal.
That is full time, Mikel Arteta has got some work to do here.
Back-to-back defeats and the critics are louder than ever.
Yeah, we've got all this nice stadium but at the end of the day,
there just doesn't seem to be a fire like in the bellies of The Invincibles.
Get the manager out! Get Arteta out now, right now.
Fans, we're all feeling devastated, mate.
We want Arteta out now, gone, gone, gone.
He needs to go.
- Two games, zero points. - I think we should give him time.
- No, what time do you want? - What time?
- I think we should give him some time. - No! What time?
The squad... Wait! The squad hasn't come together yet.
I think we should give him some time, he's a young manager,
he deserves our support.
Don't beat on him just because he lost a few games.
Some fans wait after the game to shout abuse at the Arsenal manager.
Arteta, was that good enough?
We've got a young team so we're gonna get some difficult moments.
You've seen what it's like in football and in sport.
When you're winning, everybody's always together,
winning hides everything.
After a defeat like that, you're always gonna feel it.
When things are going poorly,
that's when the fingers will come up to the director's box
because people are looking for change.
For better or for worse, that's the way it works across
all professional sports.
We have to go through different moments,
some very difficult, some when people are trying to stab you.
Criticism is coming...
and you have to stand up
and fight for yourself and believe in what you do.
We're under a lot of pressure and criticism,
but as a club we need to stand up
to show the togetherness that we have here,
and go again.
The games don't get any easier.
Next up, it's the Premier League champions Manchester City.
And for Mikel, it's a trip back to the club
where he was assistant manager under Pep Guardiola.
Off we go then.
Jesus...
to Silva again, buzzing around as he often does.
Jesus with the delivery, it's a good one,
in toward the back post!
And City take the lead.
Cancelo.
Gun dog an again.
Now Silva to deliver.
A different type of delivery,
but it's gone all the way through and Manchester City
double their advantage.
You get the feeling this could be a very long afternoon for the Arsenal fans.
A crunching challenge from Xhaka on Cancelo.
And it's a red card for Granit Xhaka.
Arsenal's afternoon goes from bad to worse.
Enough is enough it seems
for some of the Arsenal fans as they head for the exits.
We just wanna compete and show a little bit of fight.
And out there they're not showing enough.
You can still hear us singing.
You can't hear the City fans, you hear "Saka" and "Emile Smith-Rowe".
The passion we've got we don't feel is being reciprocated on the pitch.
Bring Jack Grealish into play on the left-hand side.
Grealish one on one up against Chambers, still Grealish, into the middle.
Man City, 3-0.
Days like this, it just makes you wonder about it all really.
Arteta's gotta go. Everything's got to change from top to bottom.
The club is just rotten now.
And Rodri.
Manages to pass it in.
First game of the season, rubbish.
Second game of the season, rubbish.
We haven't scored a goal, we haven't even threatened to score a goal.
It's terrible. It's the worst Arsenal team I've ever seen in my life, ever.
Martin Atkinson brings the game to a close.
It's dire, it's embarrassing.
I don't think I trust the process.
I don't think the other fans trust the process.
I don't even think the players trust the process.
I'm sorry, his time is up, he has to go.
He doesn't know his starting 11, he's just practically inept.
He's gonna be the first manager to get the sack, I promise you.
Is he the man to take you to the next level?
You'd have to say no.
After three games the table does not make happy reading for Arsenal.
They sit bottom, and to make matters worse,
their North London rivals Tottenham are top of the league.
We are bottom of the league.
Zero goals, conceded nine,
zero points.
And we are getting hammered by everybody.
It's the biggest challenge that I've faced since I joined the club.
In difficult moments, you question yourself, you have fears,
difficult things happen in your mind.
"Can I turn it around?"
Do I have the energy today
to go back tomorrow and transmit what I have to transmit?
How we're going to do it?
"Are people going to believe in what we are doing?"
You need the right people around you to support you
and sometimes to help you lift when you're under difficulty.
How are you?
Yes, good.
We need some stability, we don't need any of this.
I was annoyed that there were so many people trying
to fracture the group, you know.
Yeah, I have experienced that a lot.
The only guys you can trust are the ones in the room with you.
That's all I know.
That word is very...
rare to find.
Ay?
Very much. Very much.
But onward we go.
Yeah.
Part of my job is to be aware of certain narratives that are out there.
That doesn't mean I believe them or actually pay attention to them,
but I must be aware of what's being said.
But I think that our main motto is tune out the noise,
keep our heads down and have each other's backs.
At times, everybody needs to have an arm around their shoulder.
Just before the transfer window closes,
Arsenal make one more signing.
We can start on right-backs, so Tomiyasu's just finalised the deal
with the player's agent.
It's literally just signing the paperwork now
and them confirming they're happy with the medical.
So that's all in hand.
Feels like we're in good shape.
Takehiro Tomiyasu,
a Japanese international right-back,
is signed from Bologna for 17,5 million pound.
In all, Arsenal have spent 156 million pound this summer.
After three defeats in a row,
Mikel's thinking about making some changes.
Bernd Leno has been Arsenal's number one keeper for three years,
but now, new signing Aaron Ramsdale is in contention.
I know my position at the moment in time and you have to... to get to the top,
you have to try and beat the people at the top.
You have to be selfish at times
because when you're a number one, you get the criticism
but you also get all the glamour and the praise
and you get the relief of playing matches.
I think that's what's pushing me on at the moment.
I know Norwich is a massive game,
and my goal is to get into the team,
to help the team improve on tough times we're having.
That's all right.
Oh!
This is Arsenal's worst ever start in the Premier League.
Everyone at Colney knows another defeat is unthinkable.
They haven't lost their first four league games in almost 100 years.
Focus on first of all, let them play,
for example, again start without giving them much instruction,
just to get the press beaten, and running to the half way line.
How we do that and let them play for 5 minutes.
He's dealt with pressure all his life.
From when he was a young boy
right the way through to playing at the highest level
and now coaching and managing at the highest level,
so I don't think he knows a world without it.
And then we will go to the four points that we discussed,
defending, about the aggression on the press.
The very best people in their roles at that level
actually embrace it and need it.
He's very focused
and concentrated on what needs to be done.
That's it, OK? Thank you.
Let's not hide from the fact that this is Arsenal.
You have to make top four.
Surely pride has to kick in because I get annoyed sometimes
when people have a go at the manager,
saying "Oh, he can't handle it."
No, they. They cannot handle it.
After you lose two games in a row, it's bad.
After you lose three, that's when it gets really, really bad.
When you have zero points on the board at the beginning of the season,
it's just relegation form, literally.
I'm 22 and I haven't seen my club win a Premier League
and my dad, my uncles, they've seen it all,
and they always tell me, "This is not the Arsenal,
I'm not used to seeing this."
Morning.
Mikel is a modern manager with progressive ideas.
Along with the coaching team,
he focuses on how to bring the best out of the players.
We talked in the office and we saw the images
about what we want to work on.
The number one thing, clean sheet, no goals,
and do your role and your task as well as you can, yeah? Let's go.
Ben, you have a level of aggression in some actions that you do,
attacking and defending, Ben
and before I didn't see,
and you have to get out of that system
to become the leader in the back.
We have a young team and I don't know if they're going to handle that pressure.
So, I need to try to release pressure from them.
Again, bravo. Yes, Ainsley.
And they have to, at least from our side in our bubble,
feel that we trust them, that we have confidence in them,
and that whatever happens, we're going to defend them.
And that's the approach that I try to take.
Why did you go then?
I didn't, I waited a bit.
OK, when you waited and you went, what happened?
He wasn't still there. So you have to speak to him.
From the moment he came in I knew he was gonna be a top manager.
Tactically he's so good,
the details he gives us and stuff just helps us so much.
If there is no order, it's not creativity,
it's just chaos,
if you have to organise this chaos into something,
then it becomes really, really tricky.
Mikel is very, very special.
I had already a lot of coaches,
but he's a "freak",
but in a positive way.
Because he sees details.
I didn't have a coach like that.
Way he connects the team and environment
he creates here, it's brilliant.
And we need to get a win and get the team back
to where it belongs.
3-5-5, nice, Aub.
I feel lucky because I feel that the players,
they are really convinced of what we are trying to do.
Guys, we start to win tomorrow.
You know if we lose and we don't score,
we're going to be the worst start of Arsenal...
- No, the worst start of the Premier League. - In history?
In the history of the Premier League.
Wow.
No, bro, we're gonna score, we're gonna win.
I think 3-0 or 3-1.
Why 3-1?
- That means we always concede a goal. - I said 3-0 or 3-1.
The coach say clean sheet.
Many football pundits believe that if Mikel loses this match,
it will be his last at Arsenal.
After three league games, it's no goals and nine conceded.
This is the definition of a must-win.
I think this game is absolutely crucial today,
three points is a must.
I think anything less than a clean sheet
and a win, no.
It's good that we've got four players coming back,
so we should be all guns blazing
and let's just hope he picks the right squad.
- Hi, we have... - We've got car parking.
For Aaron Ramsdale.
We've been told just to say his name, we've got a space.
Thank you.
The Ramsdale family are dedicated followers of their son, Aaron.
Hi. Hello there.
Other than covid, I think my mum and dad
have missed two games probably in three or four years.
So to know I have them in the stands, it's great for me.
He's playing!
Hey hey!
Fuck me, he's fucking starting.
Well it's a debut after just one training session
for the 22-year-old Japan international Takehiro Tomiyasu.
But the big news is that Aaron Ramsdale is preferred in goal to Bernd Leno
and Ramsdale makes his first league start for Arsenal.
He's just come out on the pitch.
I give a wave to my mum each game, and it's just nice,
you know, it's making them proud, and it's just great to have their backing,
because I know if I've done well, they'll tell me,
if I've done badly, my dad definitely will tell me, so...
He's on the front of the program me.
Do you think without
their dedication or encouragement you'd be here?
No.
There's no need to go further than that,
absolutely not. No.
There'd be no way I'd be sat here right now without them two.
How does he feel? That's what I think.
How does he feel?
I mean, I know he's buzzing but good God.
Excited now.
It's been a long, emotional week for Mikel
and now he's ready to tell his team exactly how he feels.
Good afternoon, guys.
Today I want to share with you a personal emotion
and the reason why I'm here.
In many industries,
there are high performance teams.
And these high performance teams are called like this
because they all have something in common,
because they get results.
When I was born, I was born with a big heart disease.
And for two years, they have to try to save my life
till I have the opportunity to have the first open surgery in Spain.
So, a high performance team, not a football team or a basketball team,
for example, it can be...
an emergency team.
That's the ones that work, for example, in hospitals.
So, these teams
have to be surrounded by people who are very special.
They're willing to work 24/7.
They do it only for one reason,
because they love what they do. Nothing else.
That's their drive and that's their purpose.
I'm going to share something with you.
This is me.
This is my emotional status.
In the last fourteen days, one to ten.
Post Man City, I was here.
Dead, I was here.
I have fear.
I have insecurities.
I have the media that is killing me.
Suddenly, I have all the positives.
I have an incredible family, a wife, three kids.
Another one:
The club,
always supporting me, from the top, the owner, everybody.
The biggest gap here,
the moment that I go from here to there like this...
is you guys.
Because this week, I have found the purpose,
why I want to be a coach, why I'm in this industry,
why I have to be with these people.
So, for this, guys, what I have to say
only, from my side,
is thank you so much to all of you
because you made, in a difficult moment,
the best week of my football career.
Believe in yourselves, I do. You are really good.
The last thing I want to do as a coach, is blame any of you in difficult moments.
My responsibility, I take the shit.
Let's go.
Both Arsenal and Norwich will want to forget
about the first three games in the Premier League season,
and try to lift the spirits of a frustrated fan base.
Arsenal starting in goal: Goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale!
Come on!
And Arsenal get this match underway,
a big roar goes up around the stadium.
Tomiyasu coming up after him.
Tzolis.
Early ball in.
Save it, Aaron! Save it, Aaron!
Pulls it right across, nobody there.
Max Aarons.
Tries a shot.
Save it, Aaron!
It's a good save.
Fucking hell.
Back from Williams, Do well plays one in,
takes a deflection right through to Pukki.
Ramsdale did well, read it well.
Well done, Aaron.
Not across your box.
Fucking hell, Aaron!
Arsenal are being penned back a little bit.
Oh, Ramsdale is cool.
Fucking nothing to do with my fucking heart...
Here come the Canaries immediately with Tzolis.
A long shot from distance well off-target.
Ma it land-Niles looking for Aubameyang.
So can Arsenal get some players into that box?
Aubameyang...
Might drop it to Saka.
Takes a deflection, must be... no!
Fucking hell.
Hanley trying to win it back.
Saka's got away from him.
Chance for Arsenal now.
It must be in. Hit the post again. It must be.
Aubameyang has bottled it in!
Looks like Arsenal have finally got their season up and running.
Here comes Smith-Rowe, he's away, this could finish the job.
Save by Krul.
There goes the final whistle.
Relief all round here for Mikel Arteta and his coaching staff.
Yes, get in!
Fucking get in!
And the all-important three points
are off the bottom thankfully of the Premier League table
and hopefully now, its onwards and upwards.
Emotionally, a difficult game to play.
Obviously after three defeats,
coming here, you're sitting bottom of the table,
and everything to prove,
but I think the boys played with a tremendous character,
great attitude.
Right from the beginning, you could see what we wanted to do.
It was a really difficult game to play
because I know emotionally how you were feeling,
I know the pressure is building around the crowd.
I thought you were terrific, guys. Your attitude was fucking spot on.
Thank you so much. Well done.
You've spoken ever since you come in about
getting that connection between the players and the fans.
Yes.
I'm extremely grateful because I know that it's a difficult moment,
but I just saw a crowd that wanted to inspire the team.
I wouldn't say he won over some fans,
but I would say he definitely bought some time.
Now the games that we've got, they are all must-wins.
I think he's got to get a positive result at the North London derby,
then a lot more fans
will feel a bit more relaxed but there's still a lot of pressure on him.
Imagine scoring in the North London derby, bro.
I've scored in a few derbies here at home,
so I know what's the feeling.
Derby Day means everything.
You're taught to hate Tottenham from birth.
I just picture myself the whole week
in a position where we are winning that game.
This is as big as it gets.
Oh, it's hit the bar. Saved by Ramsdale.