Press conference

Arteta - I wouldn't like to play against Jesus

Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta cut a delighted figure in his post-match press conference on Saturday afternoon, following our 4-2 win over Leicester City at Emirates Stadium. 

Goals from Granit Xhaka, Gabriel Martinelli and a first-half brace from Gabriel Jesus guided us to all three points in our opening home game of the season. 

Here's what the manager said after the game:

on the win...

I'm really happy. I think it was a big performance. I think it was a really good football match from both sides. I think Leicester had their moments as well and they did a lot of good things in the game and overall I'm delighted because we got the result that we wanted.

on Gabriel Jesus...

We know what Gabby can do. He scored two and assisted two and he's still disappointed in the dressing room because he said he could have scored four. That's the standard, that's the mentality that if you want to go to a different level you need that mentality. I wouldn't like to play against him. I have never been a defender but I can imagine that they don't enjoy it. He's so mobile, so intuitive and is always sharp and proactive to play in any moment and any phase of the game and he's a real threat.

on the fans...

We are telling them every day that when we play we are getting better and better. What they've done today with William Saliba is something that in my career I haveb't seen and that shows the connection and to really be there when it matters and when it's difficult for somebody. We should should be really proud to play in front of them because that was special. I think it really lifted the confidence of Wilo and how he played the last minutes after that and for the team as well. 

on the own goal...

The good thing is you pay the bill but you don't really pay because you win the football match so it's much easier to learn when that happens but I am happier today than I was at Crystal Palace with him because the way he played after that was incredible.

on our decision-making in the final third…

You can see the interaction and the speed of execution, it’s a different level now. The rotation can be the same and the way that they can execute it at that speed and be that precise is completely different. It’s much more difficult to defend. 

on the importance of playing off instinct…

Within that structure, within that shape and within that unit you have the freedom to decide and occupy any space, and they know that and we work on that every day. 

on whether Jesus can maintain this level of performance…

That’s what we are getting off because I think he’s played 18 starts in the last two seasons and we are going to demand him to start a lot of games, so we have to manage that load and the way that we train is different. We have to be on top of that and hopefully we are. 

on whether Jesus’ arrival has lifted the likes of Saka and Martinelli…

I think it lifts the standards with the way that he’s training every day and the way that he’s talking and the way that they are connecting. I think it’s very natural, but at the same time it’s pretty impressive to do it that quickly, but then we are asking other players to score goals as well. Granit is arriving in the box and he should have scored last week and he could have scored two today because he had another header, and that’s what we need. If you want to be at the top then we’re going to have to score a lot of goals and we cannot rely on two or three players. 

on Xhaka’s importance in our system…

He’s there to play the role that we want and Granit has certain characteristics, but we can develop other characteristics because he has ability to do it, and when Fabio Vieira plays in that position he will have a different role because his qualities are different, and it’s the same with Martin, so the team has to adapt, but the players as well have to play with an eye on the goal and the feeling that they want to score.

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