How Arteta transformed Emirates atmosphere into Arsenal’s ‘secret weapon’

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Mikel Arteta has revealed the extensive measures he has taken to transform the atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium, calling it ‘non-negotiable’ for Arsenal’s success as the Gunners chase their first Premier League title since 2004.

The Arsenal manager’s focus on crowd engagement stems from a sobering experience in December 2019, just days before his appointment. As Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City, Arteta witnessed Arsenal trailing 3-0 at half-time to City, with half the Emirates empty.

‘It was the first thing because a few days before I was appointed here, I was on the other bench with Man City and that image, that feeling of the stadium, the crowd … 50% of the stadium was empty,’ Arteta recalled. ‘It really got into me. I said: ‘With this, there is no project. This is not going to work.”

Detailed changes behind the scenes

Arteta has implemented numerous specific changes to boost crowd engagement. The club no longer shows the second half of matches on concourse screens, encouraging fans to return to their seats. The stadium announcer now pauses after reading a goalscorer’s first name, allowing the crowd to complete it.

Most notably, Arteta ordered the removal of the players’ tunnel cover at the start of this season, ensuring both teams hear the crowd noise before kick-off and promoting more interaction with supporters.

‘We need to ignite the atmosphere so they can play every single ball with us because it makes such a difference,’ the manager explained. ‘We want to play and win things. That’s a non-negotiable. You need to have a stadium that is able to create those moments, for sure.’

Tangible results on the pitch

The transformation reached new heights during Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final victory over Atlético Madrid, when supporters were encouraged to arrive two hours early to greet the team bus.

According to The Guardian, Arteta described the impact: ‘The players were in the other bus, but I could see straight away all the staff and everybody was there just looking at each other and saying: ‘Wow, we’ve taken this to a different level.’ The engagement, the passion, the enthusiasm of our fans in their eyes, I think that was something special.’

Arsenal are reportedly exploring plans to expand the Emirates’ 60,704 capacity beyond 70,000, with talks underway with Populous, the original architects. Any major redevelopment could require a temporary move to Wembley, something Arteta would prefer to avoid given the progress made.

The manager emphasized the mutual relationship between team and fans: ‘When the stadium provides that level of energy, passion and optimism, they play every single action with the team. The value of that is just infinite.’