Quotes

Arteta - It is difficult, but we must be positive

The current Covid-19 situation is challenging for everybody, in all walks of life - but what is it like to try to manage through?

Mikel Arteta and his counterparts are having to deal with a scenario where a match can be called off at a moments notice or one where you can lose half your squad to an outbreak.

So how is the boss dealing with it?

"I think it is very difficult for everybody," Arteta told Arsenal Media. 

"It is very difficult for yourself and the way you have to do your work, it is very difficult for Vinai, because he is dealing with a lot of meetings, a lot of responsibilities to try to defend the interest of the club in the right way, it is difficult for the players, for myself, for the staff because we don't know really who is going to be available to do what, and we are all trying to help each other and get the best out of the situation. 

"We have to respect the decisions I made because we have to believe that those decisions are based first of all on the wellbeing of all of us, that we are involved and secondly because we have to protect the game, and that is important as well.

"[We have to] have a really positive approach and your mindset must be ready that unpredictable things are going to happen - and stop complaining about everything that happens. Then you will find excuses, we can find excuses for everything. 

"We know what is going to happen, we know bad news will come probably so we have to expect it and try to prevent it if we can with all the protocols we have. But we have to be prepared as well with Plan B, C and D."