Oleksandr Zinchenko talked candidly about the strange tactics used by his boss.

Lemons, enormous domino pieces, and an undercover waiter are some of MIKEL ARTETA’S unconventional pre-match tactics.

However, Oleksandr Zinchenko, a defender for Arsenal, is certain that the manager of the Gunners is on the verge of “passing” coach Pep Guardiola in their fight for the Premier League championship.

2Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has some unusual pre-match methods.

In the past, Arteta has been known to use unconventional methods to get his team ready for important games, including flipcharts, speakers, and lightbulbs.

“We had one where every player was given a lemon, a knife, and a glass,” Zinchenko disclosed as Arsenal gets ready for another championship matchup with Pep’s Manchester City.

“”Guys, I want you to squeeze these lemons as hard as you can,” Mikel remarked.

“We’ll put everything in a bowl in the end and see how much we can accomplish as a team. Our team’s magic is the juice. Everyone begins squeezing and chopping.Then Mikel rings the clock. “We’ll see how much you managed to squeeze.” ‘Did you squeeze enough?’ he asked one of the players. “Yes, boss.” “All right, let me see.”

He squeezed the lemon, but just a small amount of juice emerged. “Guys, this is the message; you can always add more,” he stated.

“There’s always more you can give.” Easy to use but quite powerful.

“There were hundreds of large domino pieces in another one that I really liked,” Zinchenko continued. There was a ball next to a basket when we entered the room.The size of dominoes that may be used and the setup requirements were explained in great detail. Mikel requested us to construct this stone spiral together.

“Pay close attention to the details and make sure you have all your angles correct because if one thing is off, the whole thing falls apart,” he warned.Every one of us felt accountable. You don’t want the chain reaction to collapse because you are the one who disappoints the team.

“Again, it was a simple idea, but it worked so well to remind everyone that we were all in this together and to get everyone in a good mood before a big game.”

In order to educate the players the need of being ready and vigilant at all times, Spanish manager Arteta hired a number of expert pickpockets to steal their phones and wallets during a group supper.

And in January 2023, Arteta conducted another covert experiment during a lunch meeting prior to defeating Manchester United 3-2 at home when Eddie Nketiah scored a goal in injury time.

2Oleksandr Zinchenko with manager ArtetaCredit: Getty

“Mikel declared it would be another players vs. staff freestyle battle,” Zinchenko stated.

Our set piece specialist, Nicolas Jover, and I faced off the other day, and I prevailed.

‘It’s a rematch today,’ the manager says. Let’s see if you can repeat, Alex.

I get up, perform a few tricks, and so on. Nico’s turn comes next. However, he claims he is unable to play due to an injury to his hamstring.

“What the f**k is this?” everyone is asking themselves as they glance at one another.

Zinchenko, OleksandrMikel says, “We need a substitute,” after surveying the room. Anyone? Just then, a waiter holds up his hand. “All right,” Mikel says. You could try.

“And you know what? This man is amazing. In essence, he is ruining us. He even gives [Bukayo] Saka nutmegs.

“Everyone is staring at one another as if to say,What on earth is this? Everyone is smiling and supporting him.

It turns out that Mikel had set him up as a waiter at the hotel and that he is a professional freestyler with millions of followers.

“You understand the amount of effort that must have been put into that behind the scenes.

“That man patiently waited for his big moment while serving coffee and pastries for at least three hours while working covertly.

“After then, the atmosphere in the camp was amazing. On the way to the bus, everyone was buzzing. The entire situation was incredibly upsetting.

But it occurs so frequently. Mikel’s meetings are always unique.

“Mikel is on a similar level to Pep and might one day surpass him,” Zinchenko continued. He demands the highest level of energy since he is a winner.

“You have to give it your all, boys,” he loves to emphasize. Everything is going full speed, whether it’s football, partying, or spending time in the bedroom with your spouses.