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(Reuters) – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was delighted with his team’s 4-0 win over West Bromwich Albion on Saturday and said the players have finally released the handbrake and are playing much more freely.
Full-back Kieran Tierney rolled the ball, cut from the left wing and fired his second goal for Arsenal home in the 23rd minute before teenage winger Bukayo Saka finished off a superb team effort.
Alexandre Lacazette then scored two goals in the second half to seal Arsenal’s third consecutive victory in the Premier League and take them to 11th place in the table with 23 points, six points from the qualifying spots for European competition.
“I think we previously lost games in which we were very unlucky and most of them were our fault, because we made some mistakes and we lacked discipline,” Arteta told reporters.
“But obviously you need to win football matches and now this brings a different drive and energy, the players take off the handbrake and you can see that they are freer to play.”
“This is an Arsenal team with the idea that I want.”
Arteta also said the imminent return to fitness of Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey, who has missed the last six league games due to injury, would provide a great boost.
“We miss him. He brings something different to the team. He is a hugely talented player, but also someone who can transform the team in the way we want,” added Arteta.
“It feels good. He needs another two or three good sessions to see if he is 100% available to play. If that’s the case, great news for us.”
Arsenal face Newcastle United in the FA Cup on Saturday.
(Report from Arvind Sriram in Bangalore)
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