During an Arsenal team dinner, Mikel Arteta put his own players through an absurd exam in an attempt to impart some important life lessons.

The Gunners have disappointedly failed to win the English premier league in each of the past two seasons, and their Champions League comeback was also short-lived. 

Arsenal is one of the favourites going into the new season, and it seems like Arteta is doing everything in his power to help his team win. 

аccоrding tо infоrmаtiоn оbtаined by The аthletic, аrtetа surreptitiоusly emplоyed а grоup оf skilled pickpоckets tо steаl wаllets аnd phоnes frоm his first-teаm plаyers while they were hаving dinner. 

The Spaniard urged the players to empty their pockets after the meal. Then, a few discovered they were missing important things. The purpose of this activity was ostensibly to instill in them the value of maintaining constant awareness. 

Fans have responded poorly to the lesson, though it’s unknown how well the stunt went over with the Gunners players that evening. 

Arteta is hardly the first Premier League manager to face backlash for a motivational or instructional strategy. In his infamous first pre-match meeting as manager, Brendan Rodgers of Liverpool showed his squad three envelopes and warned them that the names inside will betray him this season.

Brad Jones, the former custodian for the Reds, disclosed that the prank quickly backfired. 

He told the Liverpool Echo in 2022, “When he did it, as we were sitting and he was talking, he put the envelopes up and you could actually see straight through them, just the way that the light caught them.” 

I simply recall thinking, “I don’t think there’s anything in those envelopes,” as I was sitting there.

In contrast to when Rodgers did it later, former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves said that renowned former Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson had used the same tactic during the 2007 preseason. Hargreaves also claimed that the players had benefited from it.

After their most recent preseason match, Gunners supporters may be in for an exciting season. Arteta will be hoping that his trιck will produce the kind of outcomes Ferguson observed.

But fans on X weren’t convinced. ‘Thats how to build trust with your players, by robbing them all,’ wrote one fan on X, who accompanied their post with a laughing emoji. 

Another said: ‘And they’ll never trust him again.’ A third user on platform said: ‘Bro thinks pickpocket will get prepare them to win the league.’

‘How does this correlate with football or winning the league huh,’ wondered another shocked user on X.’

Arsenal made light work of Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates on Wednesday evening. Following that 4-1 win, they player Lyon on Sunday before the start of the Premier League campaign against Wolves on August 17.