Learning From Pochettino & Aiding Okocha - How Psg Loan Shaped Arteta

In January 2001, Mikel Arteta near Barcelona for Paris St-Germain successful a move that would yet thief toggle shape 1 of nan astir intelligent midfielders of his procreation into 1 of nan game's apical coaches.

It was wherever he first displayed nan activity qualities he has since shown arsenic Arsenal head - nan ones he will request to thin into erstwhile they sojourn nan Parc des Princes looking to overturn a 1-0 shortage successful nan Champions League semi-final 2nd limb connected Wednesday.

The 18-year-old Arteta, faced pinch nan intolerable task of usurping nan likes of Pep Guardiola, French World Cup victor Emmanuel Petit, Dutch world Phillip Cocu and Xavi Hernandez successful Barcelona’s star-studded midfield, had moved to nan French superior connected an 18-month indebtedness deal.

PSG were yet to go French football’s ascendant unit but had progressed to nan 2nd group shape of nan Champions League and boasted respective large names of their own, including Jay-Jay Okocha, Nicolas Anelka and Mauricio Pochettino.

A young Brazilian by nan sanction of Ronaldinho would subordinate nan nine from Gremio later that year.

Arteta hardly said immoderate French, but a mini contingent of Spanish speakers helped him settee quickly into life successful Ligue 1 and contempt his tender years, nan teen made a large belief astatine nan Parc des Princes.

One of nan first players to return Arteta nether his helping was Pochettino, who nan Spaniard has since described arsenic his “big brother” and “football father”.

The Argentine, 10 years his senior, besides arrived successful January 2001 aft leaving La Liga broadside Espanyol and struck up a adjacent enslaved pinch his caller team-mate arsenic they shared a edifice for nan first 3 months of their clip successful Paris.

Arteta’s activity skills, according to Pochettino, were evident from nan outset.

“He was already a coach,” he said of his erstwhile PSG workfellow successful 2023. “He was giving proposal to maine and nan others. [I’d] opportunity ‘wow!’ – nan character, nan personality, nan charisma. He already had nan shot brain.”

Arteta was tasked by head Luis Fernandez – who had already tried to motion nan teen while successful complaint of Athletic Bilbao – pinch orchestrating play from a deep-lying midfield position, a domiciled he fulfilled pinch a assurance and maturity that belied his age.

“Fernandez asked him to play simply and thief supply a level for much imaginative talents for illustration Okocha, and he carried it retired brilliantly,” French shot master Matt Spiro told BBC Sport.

“Arteta was a quiet man but already displayed nan steely determination we spot successful him today. Like astir Barcelona players he was technically excellent, but nan astir astonishing and awesome facet of his game, fixed his age, was his tactical awareness.”

Arteta made 11 appearances earlier nan extremity of nan campaign, scoring his first PSG extremity successful a 2-2 tie pinch Lille connected nan season’s penultimate weekend. Despite his good start, however, Fernandez’s broadside ended that word successful inauspicious fashion.

After losing 4-0 to Auxerre successful nan French Cup 4th information – Arteta’s debut for nan nine – they vanished bottommost of their second-round group successful nan Champions League and only narrowly clinched a top-half decorativeness connected nan last time of nan season.

But amended times were conscionable astir nan corner.

Victory successful that summer’s Intertoto Cup earned Les Parisiens a spot successful nan first information due of nan 2001-02 Uefa Cup.

Including those early-season European games, PSG won 8 and drew 10 of their first 18 matches of nan campaign, yet suffering their first conclusion astatine Bordeaux connected nan last time of September.

Arteta played nan afloat 90 minutes successful each but 1 of his 16 convention appearances earlier Christmas, arsenic PSG placed themselves firmly successful nan operation for a return to nan Champions League nan pursuing season.

“The squad had style connected nan pitch,” Fernandez, who remembers Arteta arsenic a subordinate pinch “good etiquette and behaviour”, told The Athletic past year. “They ever met my expectations successful narration to nan strategy and nan organisation. We were capable to make them germinate and turn arsenic players. I americium happy to person been capable to thief them, and Mikel.”

PSG would again autumn short successful France’s home cup competitions, losing successful nan French Cup quarter-finals and League Cup semi-finals to Lorient and Bordeaux respectively.

But it was a penalty-shootout conclusion by Rangers successful nan Uefa Cup information of 32 that would beryllium costly successful much ways than one, arsenic it marked nan opening of nan extremity of Arteta’s clip astatine nan club.

The Glasgow outfit, who knew small of nan teen earlier nan first-leg gathering successful precocious November, were truthful impressed by his capacity crossed some matches that they decided to connection Barcelona – who by that clip had Andres Iniesta knocking connected nan first-team doorway – £6m for his services.

Fernandez had reportedly made nan imperishable acquisition of Arteta 1 of his apical priorities, but contempt holding a acquisition action for nan midfielder, PSG were beaten to his signature by Alex McLeish’s side, who agreed a woody successful March for Arteta to subordinate successful nan summer.

Confirmation of his imminent departure did small to sour Arteta’s narration pinch nan fans astatine PSG, who ended their Ligue 1 run successful 4th spot – insufficient for a Champions League return but a marked betterment connected ninth nan erstwhile year, and capable astatine slightest to guarantee Uefa Cup shot for different season.

Arteta ended 2001-02 connected 42 appearances successful each competitions, his humble return of 8 extremity involvements misrepresentative of nan wide effect he had during his indebtedness spell.

As PSG supporters hole to invited Arteta connected Wednesday, conversations among a definite vintage whitethorn move to their erstwhile midfield orchestrator who, successful nan intervening decades, has blossomed into 1 of nan brightest tactical minds successful nan game.

“Arteta was a awesome occurrence during his 18 months astatine PSG,” said Spiro. “Everybody was disappointed they didn’t negociate to support him longer.

“They didn’t triumph immoderate trophies, but fans still callback that play – and Arteta – pinch awesome fondness.”