Mikel Arteta sent clear message to Arsenal squad by telling four players they'd be sent home

Mikel Arteta has made a point of fixing discipline problems at Arsenal and the Spanish manager's methods appear to have paid off

Mikel Arteta once threatened to send four Arsenal players home early from training, having been left disgusted by their application levels. Arteta's revolution at the Emirates Stadium since being appointed as head coach in December 2019 has been the envy of most other European clubs.

The Spaniard took over when the club was engulfed in chaos both on and off the pitch and in danger of descending into long-term mediocrity. He has since transformed them into one of the world's most formidable sides, ending their 22-year Premier League title drought and guiding them to a first Champions League final in 20 years last season.

Central to forming that new identity has been the drastic change in the club's culture from top to bottom through his famous 'non-negotiables'. Arteta outlined those in his very first official club interview after being appointed, naming them as energy and commitment, respect and accountability and, finally, belief and passion.

This cultural reset in N5 was the first step of his five-phase plan - having seen how far they had fallen while he was second in command at Manchester City. It remains a fundamental pillar of their success as their pre-season tour continues.

Yet some refused to get on board and were cut from the squad within one or two seasons. Offering a rare glimpse into Arteta's early tenure and some of the disciplinary issues he had to deal with was Amazon's All or Nothing documentary during the 2021/22 season. Four stars in particular were singled out.

At one point in the season, the Spaniard endured a brief spell away from London Colney as he recovered from Covid-19. Once healthy and clear to come back, he went straight for the jugular as he lambasted the drop in standards while he was away.

Whether the Gunners players knew it or not, their every move on the London Colney training pitches was being recorded for Arteta's review, and he was not pleased with what he saw from four unnamed individuals.

"There are a few players who train exceptionally well," he told his players, who looked rather sheepish. "There is the vast majority of players, who train well. And there is a group of players, who just come. The training session on Sunday, if I was here, four go out of the session. Four players after 15 minutes. Gone.

"We are not training in the park. We are not in nursery. And we are not here wasting our time. Too many players laughing. And the other thing is, complaining.

"Someone gives a bad pass… complaining. I give a bad pass… it's his mistake. No! We have to raise the level and it goes for everyone. Every single one, because now is in or out. So, every f***ing day in training, every single ball."

Several players later failed to meet his standards and were removed from the squad before continuing their careers elsewhere. Crucially, it didn't matter whether they were star players like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil, or talented youngsters like Matteo Guendouzi and Ainsley Maitland-Niles - everyone had to follow the same set of rules.

The consequence is that, six and a half years later, the difference in Arsenal's level on the pitch is night and day. What was at one point considered a heavy-handed and harsh approach by Arteta has led to what fans now describe as 'phase five' of his tenure - sustained dominance and major silverware.