Mikel Arteta admits changing Arsenal’s look ‘will take some time’ | Arsenal

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Mikel Arteta admitted that changing Arsenal’s fortunes “will take some time” and urged fans to get behind the squad as they travel to West Bromwich for the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night ahead of Saturday’s clash with champions Manchester City.

A 2-0 defeat at home to Chelsea at the weekend left Arsenal without a point or a goal in their first two Premier League games to add to the pressure on Arteta after he failed to qualify for Europe last season. This means Arsenal should enter the League Cup in the second round for the first time since beating Hartlepool 8-0 in two games in 1995 as they seek to advance in a competition they last won two years earlier.

After a disappointing opening performance in the defeat to newly promoted Brentford, Arteta has since added £34m to sign Martin Odegaard for his attacking options on a permanent deal, but stressed the fans need to be patient with a young squad.

“I know they are disappointed when you lose at home, there has to be some backlash, but this is a project that will take some time,” he told Arsenal.com.

“You can see and say from the hiring we’ve done and the really young squad we have at the moment and it can’t happen overnight. We all want to make it as fast as possible and know it’s our responsibility to fight with the top teams in every competition and that’s not going to change, and I think we’re We really need them and this group of players really need them and the club now needs them by our side because we need that confidence, that support, that energy.”

Ødegaard and Alexandre Lacazette are on hand for the trip to face West Brom, as the Norwegian playmaker has been given full permission to play following his move from Real Madrid and Lacazette is back in full training after testing positive for Covid-19. Ben White, who signed in the summer, also tested positive ahead of the Chelsea game and will not be available.

“The approach is to win the game and go to the next round,” Arteta added. “To try to get the players back if possible to help us because we have Manchester City at the weekend, and to try to get the players up. They are obviously injured, the feeling is tough at the moment, and they need some help also with the players coming back, keeping them together, because the spirit there is good.

“They don’t need stimulation. Honestly, they are really together, and the only thing they don’t need is stimulation. That’s really clear, they’re really trying what they can do. Give them confidence – that’s what they need.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal are hoping Willian will accept a proposal from the former Corinthians club that would see the former Chelsea striker leave on a free transfer. A contract has been proposed until 2023 or 2024, with talks continuing over whether Arsenal will continue to pay some of the 33-year-old’s estimated salary of £200,000-a-week. It is understood that Willian would prefer a move to a European club, but he may now consider returning to Brazil after an absence of 14 years.

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