Arsenal have made a major alteration to the players’ tunnel at the Emirates Stadium, reportedly in an attempt to intimidate opposition players.
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 01: A general view outside the stadium as fans arrive prior to the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD2 match between Arsenal FC and Paris Saint-Germain at Emirates Stadium on October 01, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Observant Arsenal fans may have noticed an alteration to the players’ tunnel at the Emirates Stadium for the last couple of friendly matches, with the usual pull-out cover no longer in use.
Arsenal Fixture News report that Mikel Arteta apparently asked for the cover to be removed, as it muffled the roar of the crowd and made the walk-out less intimidating for opposition players.
The new setup isn’t just a temporary adjustment for the friendlies, with Arsenal Fixture News adding that the cover is gone for good.
Arsenal's new player walk-out area (Photo via Arsenal on Twitter)
Photo via Arsenal on Twitter
As shown in the picture above, there’s still some protection above the walk-out area, with a screen installed in front of the doors to the tunnel.
That will help to prevent people from being able to throw things down onto players leaving the pitch, which was presumably part of the intention behind having a pull-out cover to begin with.
But the screen should only help to amplify the noise, increasing the echo rather than muffling it.
LONDON, ENGLAND: Myles Lewis-Skelly of Arsenal reacts, as he walks down the tunnel, after receiving a red card during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and West Ham United FC at Emirates Stadium on February 22, 2025. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images
Whether the new setup will have the desired effect remains to be seen, but Arteta has always been a fan of these little innovations to gain a competitive advantage over Arsenal’s opponents.
From the introduction of the club’s pre-match anthem to installing speakers at the training ground, the Gunners manager isn’t afraid to push changes and try new things.
The club also installed digital screens around Club Level this summer, though that was seemingly just about creating more flexible advertising space.
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