Press conference

Every word from Arteta’s post-City presser

mikel presser post City

Mikel Arteta had plenty to smile about after our 5-1 dismantling of Manchester City on Sunday.

The manager faced the media afterwards, and was asked about the performance, Myles Lewis-Skelly, dominating big games, transfer deadline day, David Raya’s saves and more.

Here’s a full transcript…

 

On how much he enjoyed the game from the touchline:
Watching during the game, so-so. Maybe at the end a little but more than usual but it is a great day for us. For the result, for the manner that we've done it, especially against the level of the opposition that we played today. 


On what it takes to beat a side like Manchester City:
To beat them in the manner that we've done, a lot of things have to go your way. We were very aggressive, we played with a lot of courage with and without the ball, and with the high press, the limits are really, really thin. We scored a goal, should have scored another one clearly, and after even if you want it they are that good that sometimes you have to stay deep and defend deep, and suffer, and enjoy those moments as well. We had a bit of luck in certain moments and then we had the opportunity - our intentions, our aggression with the ball, how we wanted to hurt them. The way we finished the actions, exceptional. 


On where this win ranks during his time as manager:
I don't know, we just enjoy the day. I think it's something that we will learn from as well. And understand that still a lot of things have to go your way to win in that manner. One of the main things again is to create the unbelievable energy that we created in this stadium. We cannot waste one minute without playing with that because it infects the team, it transforms the team, and it makes it really difficult for the opposition. For the players to believe that we can compete against anybody on our day when we play at that level, individually and collectively, we compete at that level. I think it's going to be very helpful for the future. 


On how much impact our previous meeting with City had on today:
I don't know, I haven't seen that and it's nothing that I want to discuss about that. That's down to the players but they know my view on it and we have to focus on us.


On how the team has evolved to be able to dominate big games:
I think your emotional state, to work at this level, is crucial, it's how you feel about yourself, how you feel about the team. The confidence, the trust in your ability, and how you are looking at your opposition. That took some years as well and a lot of good decisions but it's down to the players. When they play with that tenacity it's because they believe they can win and can face to face the opposition. That's the best thing. After that you can win or lose because both teams are really good but what I like is the attitude.


On whether he told the team to go for it more in the second half:
Yeah, but we had great moments in the first half. And you really want it, but they are that good, that you can’t [play how you want to]. In the second half, they wanted certain things that we didn't allow them to as well. And you have to navigate this. There are micro-games within the game when you play this kind of opposition and you have to be happy to be in each phase of that game otherwise you don't win anything.


On Myles Lewis-Skelly scoring his first goal for the club:
I wasn't expecting it. I was talking today with one of our staff members about that he needs to threaten more in the final third when he gets in this position. Riccy did it the other day against Wolves and he scored. Our full backs are now generating these kind of things. The same with Jurrien, he adds threat, he gave a different kind of problem to the opposition, so great.


On deadline day tomorrow: 
I don’t know, my phone has been off with the transfer window, forbidden to call me, text me about any of that. My focus is that we have the best preparation we can have for Wednesday and that was the only thing I was interested in.


On Lewis-Skelly’s character on and off the pitch: 
That’s on him, he’s been nurtured in the academy, he’s got it inside him, he feels it and he’s very good at expressing that as well. Some players struggle with that, he does it in every action, he does it with his body language, he does it with his facial expression, how he lives the game and with the ball he takes it, he wants to make things happen. He takes risks, he takes initiatives and at his age it’s not easy to see.

 
On the talent coming through Hale End: 
There's a lot of work that has to be done in the academy, a lot of people that have contributed to that. And, hopefully they will be really proud because a big part of their success is a lot of people that have been in that process.


On controlling the emotions on the pitch:
We have to focus on us and we have to live in anything that happens. It is part of the game on the pitch and definitely whatever happens there, I think I've been in football for a long time, just, leave it. There is nothing there to do.

 
On David Raya’s crucial saves:
That's why we talk that a lot of things have to go your way, you know, and in those moments you have to be very efficient, you need a bit of luck, you need individual action. We had it all today. That's why probably the result reflects that distance because a lot of things go our way today.


On why he put his faith into Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly:
That I believe in them, that we believe in them, that when I put them next to the boys, they feel that with them, they are as good or better, you know, and that's really, really important and that they play with a lot of purpose, and they played really, to contribute and to make things happen. That's what I like about both of them.


On the importance of responding quickly to the equaliser: 
Yeah, that's another thing that went our way because emotionally, I think that was a turning point. We reacted so quickly, had a bit of luck in that action and they set the tone for the team in the stadium as well to go and win the game. And then, after that I think the team took a different level, growing in confidence and start to control the game much better and dominate certain areas much better and we went and won it from there.