Unai Emery has a huge week ahead.
The second leg of our Europa League tie with Napoli looms large but, before all that, there’s another testing away trip at Watford.
Our head coach squeezed in some media time ahead of Monday’s game and you can read every word he said, right here:
on our attacking play against Napoli…
I think our performance is consistent this season. Progressively I think we are improving and we are becoming more competitive in each match. The next step is giving us also a big challenge to take the three points. Whether it’s home or it’s away, it’s not different for us. The difficulty depends on the teams and the position can help us be strong at home. We are preparing each match with a particular game plan for the battle against each team, and we are looking forward to preparing for each match with the ambition to win.
on whether there’s one moment or one match that stands out…
I think there are a lot, but I am wanting to get better moments in the future. I enjoy it a lot when we win, but I enjoy analysing and preparing after some defeats because this is the process in our way.
on the spirit that we showed in our draw with Tottenham…
Yes, but we drew! We worked very well and we were very competitive against Tottenham because they asked a lot of us to be consistent. Each match gives us a big challenge for the possibility to improve and take three points and the possibility to end the season in the top four. For us that would be a big success. When we started last in the table after the first two matches in the season we were thinking about arriving in this moment with the possibility of being in the top four in our hands.
on the attitude of Ramsey...
I was speaking a lot with him and also when his future was the conversation between the club and between him. We need his approach and his focus only on us for the matches. It's not easy for him and after he signed [for Juventus] to finish thinking about his future, his focus is to help us and his attitude is a very amazing attitude towards each training session. He is available for each match, playing in different systems and different tactical positions for him. Now, I can say, I am very happy with him. I continued speaking with him to do something very important in the last matches here in two competitions that are very important for us and with Arsenal, because he wants to do something important for the supporters and I want to do something important with him in his last matches here with his Arsenal heart.
on Arsenal losing at Watford a year or so ago and Troy Deeney saying the team lack 'cojones’…
We need to be competitive and to be competitive is to use our capacity, being organised, using our quality and winning the duels individually and collectively. The capacity to make the combinations with the ball, breaking their lines and also for the full 90 minutes we have a lot to do defensively on the set-pieces, on the corners and offensively on the set-pieces and corners to see how we can fight individually against them. Above all, it is to play one match. One match with 11 opposition players with quality and also a very organised team. I think each match is going to be very difficult but we can prepare and we can be optimists also if we play with a big personality and giving a big performance.
on having Deulofeu at Sevilla when he was manager…
He is playing also now very well. He made the difference last week against Wolves in the FA Cup semi-final, with an amazing two goals. I like this player a lot. I think Javi Gracia is doing big work with him and he is showing now a big performance and also I think Watford supporters are enjoying him.
on how much potential he has…
He played at Milan, he played at Barcelona, he played at Sevilla, he needs his process also and he is finding a good team, a good atmosphere, a good coach with him [who is] developing him. His career continues in this process to improve and to grow up.
on Javi Gracia and how his teams set up…
I know Javi Gracia and above all his teams are very organised with a big commitment to helping each other. They are very difficult teams to battle because defensively they are very strong and this is now at Watford. They are a very organised team, with a big capacity offensively because they create a good movement and a good idea, a good style to take that. They are going to demand a lot from us on Monday but it is a good match and I appreciate it a lot, and I want to play matches against Javi Gracia and Watford because I think they are doing a big season.
on supporting Watford in the cup final…
They are my friends, not only Javi Gracia but also his assistant Zigor Aranalde and Iñigo Arteaga. We know the assistant coaches and Javi Gracia and we appreciate them.
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