Mikel Arteta breaks silence on Arsenal dressing room clock as boss reveals what it really means
MIKEL ARTETA has revealed why his players posed with a clock after beating Fulham 3-0.
The Arsenal squad held a replica of the famous ‘Clock End’ clock after re-establishing their five-point lead over Manchester City on Sunday.
First half goals from Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli, and Martin Odegaard earned a comfortable win for Arteta’s side.
The players were all smiles at full-time as they posed with the clock, with the hands pointing at ‘two’ and ‘eleven’.
But the Gunners boss revealed there was no significance behind the gesture, revealing it was a private joke.
He told ESPN: “It was something I related to a few days before on where we were as a team and club and what we have to stand for.
“It was something private in the dressing room just before the game and something that’s in the history of our club.
“We have to be really conscious of that and when we have that history and we use it in the right way, that’s a really powerful thing to have.
“The reality is that every game is so important, the margins are so small and we are now going to have to do something incredible until the end of the season to earn the right to be there.”
Some fans thought one of the clock’s hands pointed to 11 because that is the number of Premier League games remaining for Arsenal in their title run-in.
HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL
The Gunners are in Europa League action on Thursday for the home leg of their tie with Sporting Lisbon, and then take on Crystal Palace in their final Prem game before the international break.
Arteta also revealed his team are ahead of schedule after he informed owner Stan Kroenke of his five-step plan to rebuild the club.
The Spaniard said: “[We’re at] phase three. Phase three is a period of time, and we’re a little bit ahead of schedule.
“It’s something a little bit private. It’s just my understanding and vision of what the club was, and what we have to capture and develop.
“I like to do it looking forward first and then you have to do it backwards. It just my idea of the club and the decisions we have to take to move it forward.”