Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta happy to adapt to a more defensive role
Sunday 14 October 2012 17:33, UK
Image:Mikel Arteta: Enjoying his new role as a deep-lying midfielder
Mikel Arteta says he has had to change his mentality to provide a better balance between attack and defence in the Arsenal midfield.
Different aspects
Arteta acknowledges that he may not possess the physical attributes commonly associated with defensive midfielders, but he feels he is clever enough to fill the role effectively.
"There are many different aspects to it," he explained. "For me it's not only about how strong physically you are, or how demanding the position is physically - it's about being aware, anticipating, being able to read the game and assess what's happening.
"Sometimes you don't need to make unbelievable tackles to win the ball back - not if you're in the right position.
"But it's a demanding position for me mentally, because we have a lot of defensive responsibility and if you don't do it correctly then you can get caught by a run, or something like that, and it's a goal. That's the biggest thing to be mindful of."
