Mikel Arteta has spoken about watching his behaviour on the touchline with the Arsenal manager just one booking away from a ban.
Arteta picked up just two bookings for his sideline protests last season but has already picked up two this campaign with just nine games played- one more and he’ll face a one-game suspension.
His animated nature and his inherent passion often lead to bookings from the referee, most recently in last week’s 2-2 draw with Chelsea for repeatedly berating referee Chris Kavanagh.
Mindful of a potential suspension, Arteta has said he is trying to change the way he shows support for his Arsenal players on matchdays.
He said: “Yes, I think I am changing. If you think differently, let me know. But I have made a conscious effort.
“Basically, I don’t want to get sent off. Sometimes when I look at myself and I’m so agitated I think it can sometimes give an image that is not the best, mainly for the club.
“Sometimes it’s difficult with the certain decision when you are in the heat, because you are representing the club, and you want to defend them.
“That’s what drives me. It’s to defend the players to defend the club. Nothing else. It’s not about me.
“You are there to be on it and make sure that we are the best we can be and the most competitive we can be. That’s the drive, nothing else.”
Despite the criticism for his behaviour, Arteta is adamant that his actions on the touchline only seek to improve the team, but it is about finding the right balance.
“What I don’t allow is that behaviour changes the focus,” he said. “Then I cannot look at the game or make decisions with clarity.
“I don’t see it as something. I think something bad if it affects the team in a bad way if I am making decisions that put the club or the team under pressure. If it’s to support and allow them to make better decisions, I will continue to do it.
“If you ask the players that played with me, they would say I was always on their backs. I don’t know. It’s who I am. Probably in ten years’ time I will be very different.”
