Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny says that the 8-2 defeat at Old Trafford was ’embarrassing’ but brought about a positive change in terms of the how the team prepare for matches.

Speaking to The Times, Szczesny said, “We’ve had disappointments before but that game was the point where it got embarrassing. Looking back, I think it did us a favour because we realised we really had to work much harder, stick together and defend better.

“We always used to train as a whole team. When we did attacking it was as a whole team and defending was the same. Now we’re split into groups and the defence works separately, under Pat Rice. We know our jobs and communicate better.”

Since then there has been an improvement in the team’s defensive solidity, not just that of the back four, and the Polish stopper is quick to credit the influence the deadline day signings have had.

“The manager bought players who have brought back the spirit to the dressing room”, he said. “I think when we went to Old Trafford, we didn’t actually believe we could win. Now, we’ve signed Arteta, Yossi , Mertesacker, who have played at the top for a long time and that’s made a difference.”

And he made clear his affection for Arsenal, having signed from Legia Warsaw at the tender age of 15.

“I love the way the club do things. I’ve grown up at Arsenal. I know every single person on the staff. My best friends work for the club, my best friends are in the dressing room. I don’t have personal ambitions, I just want to win as many trophies for this club as I possibly can. ”

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The full interview with The Times can be read here (behind a paywall though).