Mikel Arteta Confirms Freddie Ljungberg and Full Arsenal Staff

Freddie Ljungberg's time as interim manager of Arsenal came to a quick end, but he will be a key member of Mikel Arteta's staff. The new boss confirmed the Swede will stay on. 

Arteta also added ex-Everton and Manchester United coach Steve Round as assistant coach, Wales assistant Albert Stuivenberg and Brentford's Inaki Cana Pavon as goalkeeping coach to his staff.

"I am delighted to have this talented group of coaches alongside me. They bring a great mix of experience and fresh thinking. Along with the talented people we have in the club already, they will be key people to get us back to winning ways," Arteta said on Tuesday.

Arteta detailed his discussion with Ljungberg after the 42-year-old was in the dugout for Saturday's 0-0 draw away to Everton, per BBC Sport on Monday:

"I spoke to Freddie after the (Everton) game. I told him my idea and the people I wanted to bring to form my coaching staff, their roles and responsibilities of each of them.

"I wanted to know what he was feeling, I wanted to know what he had in mind, what his expectations were. We talked and we made a decision that the best thing was for him to stay with us. I think he knows the players, he knows the situation, he knows the history of where we're coming from and also his knowledge of the game is going to really help us to be better."

Keeping Ljungberg in the fold is a smart move from the ex-Manchester City assistant. The former Gunners star can be a valuable conduit to the players.

Like Ljungberg, Arteta was an Arsenal midfielder during his playing days. However, even though he won two FA Cups and wore the captain's armband, Arteta lacks the gravitas of Ljungberg, a free-scoring member of the "Invincibles," who won the Premier League title without losing a game during the 2003-04 season.

Both men played for Arsene Wenger and experienced the Frenchman's preference for expansive, attacking football. It's a style Arteta has previously expressed an affinity with:

First, Arteta needs to win over the senior players in the squad he inherited from Unai Emery after being officially appointed on Friday.

Specifically, the new man in charge needs to convince big earners like strikers Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, as well as playmaker Mesut Ozil, that he can deliver success. It's a tall order for an inexperienced 37-year-old who has never been a manager before.

While Arteta played alongside Ozil for three seasons, most of the rest of the Arsenal squad will be unknown to him. The scale of the turnover in staff and players has been immense since Wenger stepped down in 2018 and was replaced by Emery, so Arteta needs Ljungberg, who has seen the overhaul up-close and knows the personalities.

Ljungberg also knows how tough the job of rebuilding this squad will be, having laboured six games in all competitions in the senior job since replacing the sacked Emery in November:

Saturday's clean sheet at Goodison Park aside, Ljungberg saw Arsenal concede 10 goals in five matches. It's obvious which area of the team will be Arteta's initial focus:

Ljungberg's final team selection in charge also sent a not-so-subtle message about the need for Arteta to ensure he has maximum commitment from the established stars. Lacazette and club-record signing Nicolas Pepe watched from the bench while academy graduates Bukayo Saka, Reiss Nelson, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Emile Smith Rowe, all of whom were managed by Ljungberg at U23 level, helped the Gunners keep a rare clean sheet.

There have been questions about the motivation of some of the marquee names in the squad. Ljungberg singled out languid schemer Ozil after the latter reacted negatively to being substituted during a 3-0 home defeat to City earlier this month:

Getting underperforming big players like Ozil back on track will be as important for Arteta as helping gifted youngsters reach their potential. A rookie senior boss won't be able to do it alone, so keeping Ljungberg's knowledge and passion for the club makes sense.