Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes striker Gabriel Jesus will have a more sustained impact on his team if he motivates himself rather than fueling the momentum of others.
Jesus struggled at times last season.
Injuries played a part, but the Brazilian scored just four goals in the Premier League last season, and none in 13 appearances in all competitions, after scoring in Nottingham Forest on January 30th.
The 27-year-old was left out of his country’s Copa América squad, a blow considering he was part of the Brazilian squad at the previous four major tournaments, as well as winning the 2016 Olympics.
Jesus caught the eye with a remarkable contribution in Arsenal’s 2-1 pre-season victory over Manchester United In Los Angeles.
This suggests he has a burning desire to prove his doubters wrong.
In this case, Arteta feels Jesus would be using the wrong motivational tool
“Motivation has to come from within himself, with his demands and with how much he is capable of improving the team,” said the Gunners boss. “He showed that. He transformed the energy and belief of that team and achieved this.
“If he is waiting for something external to motivate him, it will be for a very short period of time.
“If it’s something that’s happening internally, it’s going to last longer and it’s going to be consistent.”
