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Mikel Arteta: David Luiz says Arsenal boss can be one of world's best coaches

Arsenal were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea in Mikel Arteta's first home game charge, but David Luiz believes the Spaniard is the right man to take the club forward

Monday 30 December 2019 12:52, UK

David Luiz has tipped Mikel Arteta to become one of the best coaches in the world despite a winless start to his Arsenal tenure.

Arteta's first home game in charge of Arsenal ended in disappointment on Sunday as London rivals Chelsea came from behind to secure a late 2-1 win at the Emirates Stadium.

The defeat leaves Arsenal 12th in the Premier League table and, following the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth on Boxing Day, means Arteta is still waiting for his first win as head coach.

But Luiz was encouraged by Arsenal's dominant first-half display against Chelsea and has already seen enough to believe former midfielder Arteta, who previously worked on Pep Guardiola's coaching staff at Manchester City, is destined for big things in the dugout.

"For me, Arteta is going to be one of the best coaches in the world," he told Sky Sports' Pat Davison after Sunday's game.

"I have had the opportunity to have many coaches during my career.

"He is intelligent, he was a player, he is clever. I think he's going to be one of the best, but it's part of our job to help him do that, especially in the beginning because everybody doubts.

"But I really trust in this philosophy, I really trust in the way he sees football. That's why we could see Arsenal dominate the first half with amazing football, with a lot of quality.

"I think if we scored the second goal, it would have been a different game."

Arteta is attempting to overhaul Arsenal's playing style, with a greater emphasis on dominating possession and being aggressive off the ball.

After the mixed messages and unpredictable tactics of Emery's tenure, the players already appear to be buying into his methods.

"He knows football," added Luiz. "When you know football, it is much easier to explain. It's much easier to try to help and it's much easier to understand the heads of the players on the pitch.

"It's not an easy job for him, especially coming in the middle of the season.

"He didn't choose the players or anything, but he's going to try to do his best and we as players have to try to do our best too because this club deserves to shine. It deserves to play amazing football like in the first half.

"We are not in the best position in the table. It has not been a very good year for us. But there is still the possibility to improve, to learn, and to do what we did in the first half.

"I think everybody saw a team with personality, with ideas, with a connection with the fans, with top players.

"I think Mikel is trying to impose his philosophy as soon as possible.

"We have a lot of players with talent and a lot of players who are going to be top players in the future. They are trying to learn quickly.

"Then it is up to us to try to get some points and results because we need that."

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