Guimaraes reveals Arteta is 'obsessed' with making Arsenal more entertaining this season

Bruno Guimaraes has lifted the lid on Mikel Arteta’s driving philosophy this season, revealing the Arsenal manager is “very obsessed” with making his side play better football than the campaign in which they claimed their first Premier League title in 22 years.

The Brazil midfielder, who joined Arsenal in the summer transfer window, spoke after Sunday’s victory over Chelsea — sealed by goals from Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard — in which the Gunners offered an early glimpse of what Arteta is demanding.

“It’s great to be able to work with such a strong team,” Guimaraes said. “They’re strong physically, strong in defence, strong in attack. It seems that this season they’re playing better than last season. I think that’s the goal, to improve every year. That’s the message that Arteta wants to pass on to us. Since the first time I talked to him, he’s very obsessed with these things, he’s always improving.”

Arsenal’s title-winning campaign drew admiration but also a degree of criticism for a reliance on set-pieces and physicality. Arteta appears determined to add a more expansive dimension to those strengths, and his post-match comments after the Chelsea win echoed Guimaraes’s assessment.

“I thought it was an exceptional performance,” Arteta said. “The conviction, determination, quality and intent we showed — it was beautiful. It was a fascinating game for the spectator as well, and I think we deserved to win.”

The Arsenal manager went further, framing the display as evidence of a higher ceiling still to be reached. “I think it’s an indication that we’re capable of performing even higher than we did last season,” he said. “It depends on whether we maintain that desire, that humility, and continue every day to find a greater version of myself and the team. We still have a lot to grow and a lot to offer, and that’s the ambition.”

Guimaraes, for his part, was careful not to get carried away. “It’s just the beginning, there’s a lot to come, but so far, congratulations to everyone,” he added.