Football Daily | Mikel Arteta hits upon a new psychological wheeze for his champions

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The use of psychological stratagems and pitchside or locker-room sabotage has long been employed by football managers trying to give their teams an edge over visiting rivals. Whether it’s placing the pegs too high or the seats too low, painting the walls an aggression-lowering shade of pink or deliberately moving the advertising hoardings to prevent long throws, there are apparently no stones conniving coaching staff will leave unturned if they think their team’s chances of winning may be improved by such shenanigans. Almost 40 years ago, Wimbledon’s Crazy Gang famously used to leave visitors to Plough Lane without any hot water, a plan that seemed stunning in its simplicity, until you realise – as Football Daily has just done after nearly 40 years – that footballers generally tend not to shower until after the game is over, rendering their attempt at disruption decidedly redundant.

Thankfully Noble Francis has now won a book (yesterday’s Football Daily letters) so has something else to do other than writing prize-winning, witty missives. This means the rest of us mere mortals have a chance of winning your letter o’ the day” – Martyn Shapter.

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