Strike while the iron is hot is a saying intertwined with Arsenal’s philosophy of late.
The Gunners have exceeded expectations to the point where silverware this campaign is a demand, not a want.
As a result, the north London club has used this success, this sense of optimism, to further engage its fan base.
That’s why Arsenal’s collective effort to get their fans on board for a potentially historic campaign through a 100-strong community team, Mikel Arteta’s quotes echoed over the stadium intercom and Shakira has had the backing of Arteta, and he is working.
The club’s hierarchy has been looking for that one percent for a long time. Those small elements that, added together, amount to a significant advantage.
Mikel Arteta’s team has been chasing those one percenters that add up to a big advantage
The improvement at Emirates Stadium is such that cutlery is now a demand, not a want
It is engraved in Arteta’s DNA, a winner at heart since he first played football on those beaches of San Sebastian as a child.
That advantage has been seen before, such as when he had speakers at the London Colney training ground playing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ ahead of a trip to Liverpool in the 2021-22 campaign, or his end-of-season speech last May. year.
He continued to refer to the fan base, including phrases such as: “Together, we have reconnected the soul of this football club, and the soul of this football club is you.”
That commitment has continued, with Arsenal keen on the impact of a so-called ‘number 12 man’. It is something the club has spoken about internally with Arteta.
The Spaniard arrived at his post-match press conference at Brentford on March 9 with the smile that usually accompanies three points.
A Kai Havertz header gave Arsenal a late 2-1 victory after an Aaron Ramsdale mishap. However, the Spaniard was already thinking about Porto at home, in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16. They were trailing 1-0 after Galeno’s goal in the 94th minute at the Estadio do Dragao.
“This stadium will have energy you’ve never seen in your life,” he said.
“We haven’t done it in 14 years, so bring your noise, bring your energy, bring your passion to that stadium and something beautiful will happen.”
The Gunners try to end their 20-year wait for a Premier League title this season
Arteta launched a rallying cry for the Emirates to bring noise and energy ahead of the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie against Porto, with the Gunners trailing 1-0.
Those quotes were used in the minutes before kick-off, a tactic that has been used several times this season, including for Tottenham’s derby in north London on September 24.
Similarly, when Mail Sport asked Arteta about the importance of the fans ahead of the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Bayern Munich at the Emirates, he said: “I see the change of energy in the players. .
‘Their beliefs, their body language, actually how much they expect it, how protected they feel. It’s like a cushion to tell them and a wind that blows on their backs and says, “Go ahead, we’re right behind you.”‘
That was cut and removed from Arsenal’s X account. Behind the scenes, the club were pleased that Arteta had been asked about the fans. Arsenal knew, as he did, how crucial it could be without Bayern fans present due to the ticket ban.
UEFA had banned all Bayern fans from attending the match after fireworks were launched onto the pitch during away games in Copenhagen and Lazio in this season’s competition.
To further enhance a stadium once nicknamed ‘Highbury Library’, Gunners legend Ian Wright was given a microphone to deliver a speech over the intercom system.
‘Let’s not sleep, man! Let’s make noise all the fucking time!’ he bellowed.
And then the covers of the game day program were completely red so fans could hold them and create a red wall visual.
Ian Wright was given a microphone to make a speech over the intercom before the Bayern Munich home clash.
Forging a bond with the ‘number 12 man’ is something the board has spoken to Arteta about
Music has also been used throughout the campaign. Declan Rice’s 96th-minute goal against Manchester United on 3 September resulted in Vanilla Ice’s ‘Ice, Ice, Baby’ being blasted from the Emirates speakers, as fans chanted ‘Rice, Rice, Baby ‘ in celebration.
Kai Havertz’s brace in 5-0 thrashing of Chelsea was met with Shakira’s ‘Waka Waka’ late on, with fans’ interpretation of ‘£60m down the drain, Kai Havertz scores again’ .
It’s not rocket science, but it is an added touch that makes fans feel more involved along with other elements.
The club sends an email the day before home games with match day information such as restaurant offers and incentives.
If it is an early start, fans will occasionally receive a buy one get one free offer on beers to get fans onto the field early. Sometimes bars will remain open for an hour after the game.
A 30-year-old subscriber said: ‘They are much better than before at giving information. “You can see that the club is making that effort.”
Outside of match days, Arsenal have engaged with the local Islington community in a bid to create a unity that goes beyond football itself.
The club has an internal ‘Arsenal in the Community’ department focused on charity projects. This is unlike many of their Premier League peers who have separate foundations that focus on charity work, but often through the prism of football.
Every Kai Havertz goal is greeted with a rendition of Shakira’s Waka Waka in his honor.
The department’s initiatives include Stride On, which began in October, partnering with the UCLH Cancer Fund to implement a walking football project specifically for men affected by prostate cancer.
Another is Shape Up, a 12-week weight management program designed for men. These programs have been advertised on billboards throughout the Emirates.
Comprehensively, the journey began in April 2022. The club was on the verge of losing out on a Champions League place to North London rivals Tottenham. Morale was weak.
But at the time, internal plans were being devised for eight works of art that would adorn the outdoor stadium.
Arsenal had seen this as an “expression of their community values, their history and their pursuit of progress”, by ensuring fans were deeply involved.
A source said: “It was crucial that fans got involved as much as possible.” That’s why we spoke to dozens of fan groups across the country and internationally to get their opinions.
‘The artwork is a real reflection of that. “It’s our connection to the fan base.”
It was revealed over a period of weeks, starting in January 2023 with the Gunners top of the table. It features 150 fan group flags, over 700 fans, from both the Arsenal men’s and women’s teams, the academy and the old Highbury stadium.
The efforts Arsenal have made to unite their fans are paying off this season
That was an important point and has led to the commitment that fans feel now.
Some signs lately have not gone unnoticed either.
This season, a handful of the club’s fan photographers have been invited over a couple of match days to take photographs, which have then been promoted on Arsenal’s X account, which has 22.3 million followers. A small gesture that has had a moving impact on those involved.
Whatever happens on May 19, the efforts Arsenal have made to unite their fan base are paying off.
