As our 2024 US Tour ends, Mikel Arteta is delighted with so many aspects of our time Stateside.
The third and final game ended with a 2-1 loss to Liverpool in Philadelphia, but while it wasn’t the result we craved, Mikel is thrilled that his squad have gelled together on and off the pitch, while boosting their fitness levels in some positive showings on both coasts of the USA.
As well as that, the squad has been bolstered by Riccardo Calafiori's arrival, and all that means that Mikel feels we’re in a much better place than when we left the UK.
“We’ve got a lot from these 10 days in many things,” he said post-match. “The way we’ve lived together with all the staff and the players, and the way the new ones joined and in the condition they are all in, ready to play after three or four days in a game like this.
“Bringing Riccardo in and starting to settle him into our family, and then because we’ve had to adapt and play in very different conditions I think we did really, really good. On top of that, we didn’t have any serious injuries, so that’s something very, very positive.
“[The support] was amazing - the stadium, the atmosphere, I’m very grateful for everybody that turned up to watch the game. Hopefully we gave them a good game and overall in LA and here the support has been unbelievable, so thank you so much.”
“I’m really pleased that we had time to spend with our academy players. They’ve been phenomenal and I would loved to have given an opportunity to all of them, I couldn’t, but the ones that had it, they really grabbed it with both hands and I’m really pleased with that as well.”
The tour might have ended with a defeat, but Mikel felt the scoreline was hard on his players, who could have been ahead early on, especially when Gabriel Jesus’ charge-down onto Caoimhin Kelleher’s attempted clearance went a whisker wide three minutes in.
But going against one of our fellow title rivals in humid conditions and battling hard through the game was something that gave the boss some happiness, and he feels that there is much more to come as pre-season rolls on.
“It was a really competitive test. I think we started the game really well and after seven or eight minutes we should have been 2-0 up. Then in one action, they scored a goal and the game changes.
“There were certain difficulties, especially after regaining the ball so high and how we managed those situations and how we didn’t see the action and we allowed certain transitions, but for sure we will improve. In general, I'm really pleased.
“To play in very tough conditions, I think the boys put in an unbelievable effort. In the second half, we completely dominated the game and we deserved more from the game. We are not happy because we want to win, but I think it’s another step in the right direction.”
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