‘Really good’: Graham Potter says two Arsenal players really ‘know what you need to do to win’
Chelsea manager Graham Potter has praised Arsenal summer signings Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko ahead of Sunday’s Premier League meeting at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues host Mikel Arteta’s Gunners in West London in the day’s 12pm kickoff.
Chelsea have stumbled in the Premier League in recent weeks, losing heavily at Brighton last time out.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are in outstanding form and sit top of the table, 10 points ahead of Potter’s side.
Arteta has overseen a major rebuilding job at the Emirates Stadium since taking the reins in late 2019.
Arsenal are now reaping the rewards of great coaching, superb recruitment and a ruthless attitude to players not on the manager’s wavelength.
Arguably one of the major signs that the tide had turned at Arsenal came with the summer signings of Jesus and Zinchenko.
Both joined from Manchester City, linking up with their former coach at the Etihad Stadium.
And both have helped Arsenal step up a level, culminating in a spot at the top of the Premier League table.
‘Pressure from the outside’
On Friday, football.london asked Potter what he had made of Arteta’s job at developing Arsenal.
“They’ve recruited well in the summer,” replied the Chelsea boss.
“Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus know what you need to do to win and they’ve also carried on their idea.
“It’s a really good example of how success can come.
“He’s had to face some pressure from the outside, but the club have stayed supportive and stuck to their ideas.
“The younger players have got more game-time and become more experienced.
“And as I’ve said before, generally the coaching experience becomes the more you’re working.
“So it’s a combination of hard work from their perspective, sticking with their ideas, support from around, and good recruitment.”
Arteta playing the long game – our View
For so long, calls of ‘Arteta out’ were doing the rounds on social media, while ‘Trust The Process’ was used sarcastically.
But now, Arsenal are reaping what Arteta has sown, and though it’s not been plain sailing, the Gunners are now in pole position for the title.
Obviously it’s a long and hard season – with the added inconvenience of the mid-season World Cup – but so far so good.
