The transformation Mikel Arteta has brought to Arsenalās mentality is underscored by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlainās comparison to Liverpoolās winning culture.
Oxlade-Chamberlainās former clubs face off at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, now both contenders for the Premier League titleāa major shift from his time with Arsenal. During his six seasons in north London (2011-2017), the Gunners’ best finish was second in the 2015/16 season, ending 10 points behind champions Leicester City despite edging past Tottenham on the final day.
While Oxlade-Chamberlain won three FA Cups and three Community Shields under ArsĆØne Wenger, the latter years of the Frenchmanās tenure were marred by inconsistency and struggles in big matches.
Reflecting on his move to Liverpool, Oxlade-Chamberlain noticed a stark difference. “At Arsenal, weād go into big games thinking, āThis is going to be really tough,āā he told *The Athletic* last year. “The biggest difference at Liverpool was this incredible, single-minded focus on winning the game. There was nothing else. In the big games, we just knew we would win.ā
āWe had unbelievable quality at Arsenal, everything we needed. But were we missing belief? Toughness? Ruthlessness? Maybe it was a bit of that.ā
Under Arteta, Arsenal now have that same self-belief Liverpool had under Klopp, with a renewed confidence at London Colney reminiscent of Wengerās early years. To fully emulate Oxlade-Chamberlainās Liverpool success, however, Arsenal must aim to reach similar heights, from winning the Champions League and Premier League to capturing domestic and international trophies like the League Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.
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