Inside Mikel Arteta's 'basics' rule and completely made-up word he uses on Arsenal players

Mikel Arteta is known for his unique approach to inspiring his team since taking over at the Emirates Stadium.

He's introduced a dog named 'Win' to lift spirits, placed an unlit Premier League trophy-shaped light at the training ground - set to be illuminated if and when Arsenal secure the title - and even employed professional pickpockets to quietly swipe his players' possessions to emphasise the need for readiness and alertness.

However, perhaps the most strange of all is his invention of a new term: 'collaboretition', a blend of collaboration and competition. The Athletic reports that Arteta uses this term on a regular basis, including during training sessions and team talks.

Kevin Balvers, Arsenal's former head of methodology, revealed that Arteta had sought information from educational experts to understand the science behind the best ways to take in information. "We had people from different clubs and different sports coming over to speak to the coaches, which is how we picked up things," Balvers said.

"For presentations, we had an American come and share techniques which teachers use at university to bring across the message, how to get information into them and how to get information out of them.

"In tactical meetings, I learned from studies that if you put a dark blue background the players will learn the information more than white, black or red as the contrast is better," reports the Express.

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"When speaking about defending, we made sure the text and areas highlighted were red and when attacking it was blue. This helps their brains know instantly what phase of play we're talking about."

Arsenal's innovative approach to player presentations has been revealed, with staff using colour-coded materials to help players understand tactics better - red for defending and blue for attacking.

Balvers explained some of the designing tasks he'd completed following Arteta's orders to create a culture with words and pictures plastered on the white walls at the club's training ground.

“One of them was ‘BASICS’ — B for Boxes, A for Attack, S for Shape, I for Intensity, C for Compete and S for Set pieces. It made it clear what we expected from them, and because he speaks that language every day, the players then speak it," he said.

The club's attention to detail extends to recruitment pitches too. For instance, during talks with Jurrien Timber, Arsenal showcased photoshopped images of him in the team's kit and included personal touches like family pictures to convey the club's family-friendly environment.

They even tailored the music in presentations to match the tastes of targets like Timber, and for dog-lover Kai Havertz, they featured pictures of Win the dog. These strategies seem to be paying off, as Arsenal have secured most of their key transfer targets, including Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori, positioning themselves as consistent contenders for the Premier League title.

But now, the focus shifts to a formidable challenge - an away game against Manchester City. Last season, Arsenal broke a long-standing jinx by defeating a Guardiola-led City team for the first time in the league, marking their first victory over the Citizens in almost ten years.

Despite this breakthrough, Arsenal's track record at the Etihad is daunting, with eight losses in their last nine visits. The last time they left with a win was under Arsene Wenger's management. Currently sitting second in the league, two points adrift of City who boast a perfect record, the upcoming clash is pivotal for the Gunners' title aspirations.