This archive report was first published on 11 January 2020.
January 11, 2020, marked a significant moment for Arsenal as their boss, Mikel Arteta, called upon his players to adopt a winning mentality, one that he believes can be achieved by emulating the qualities of summer signing David Luiz.
Luiz, who joined the club from Chelsea for £8 million, has an impressive trophy cabinet, having won league titles in three different countries, as well as two FA Cups, the Champions League, and the Europa League.
Arteta has identified Luiz as a role model for his players, citing his influence in the dressing room and on the pitch as a key factor in the team's improvement. The Arsenal boss has acknowledged that Luiz has become a mentor to the club's young players, and has praised his attitude in training and his recently improved performances.
"He is a player that has won more trophies than anybody else in that dressing room," Arteta said. "We have to use that in a very powerful way. I wanted him to step up, I wanted him to put all his qualities - his personality and his experience - towards the team and he made a big step forward."
Arteta has also been working with Luiz on his defensive skills, and has praised his improvement in this area. "He has been terrific in the games he has played under me so far," Arteta said. "His attitude in training, the way he communicates with his team-mates, his desire to still learn, it's superb."
Luiz has been criticized in the past for lapses in concentration, but Arteta believes that communication is key to staying focused on the game. "For me, the most helpful thing for that is communication," Arteta said. "If you are constantly communicating with your team-mates it makes you stay focused on what is happening all the time."
