Arteta says the 'energy was not right' when he replaced Emery

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admits he had to fix the energy at the club upon his arrival, following Unai Emery's sacking.

The Gunners have had an awful first half of the season, only winning six times in 22 Premier League matches, leaving them tenth in the table.

Emery was sacked in November after going seven matches without a win and Arteta has also had mixed results – but Arsenal fans have been encouraged by recent good Premier League scorelines and performances.

Speaking to Ian Wright on his YouTube channel, Arteta said: "It is happening (the transformation). Coming into the club in that moment wasn't easy.

"You mention a keyword which is 'energy' and I felt that the energy around the training ground and the stadium wasn’t right for this magnificent club.

"I was here and was lucky to play here so everyone, first of all, has to feel in that way. There was a lot of disconnection in many areas and I wanted to bring everyone together.

"First of all, to make everyone understand how lucky we are to be here and then a very clear direction of where we have to be."

- TEAMtalk media