Before our game against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, Mikel Arteta faced the media at London Colney to preview the game.
The boss was asked about getting the players ready for the weekend following the international break, team news, returning to Goodison Park and more.
Here is everything he had to say:
On players returning from international duty and if they’re ok for the weekend…
All good. They all came back well and all trained today, so they’re in a good place.
On Thomas Partey’s fitness…
He’s still a few weeks away. He’s got a muscle injury and he’s progressing well but he’s still a few weeks away.
On other availability for Sunday…
The rest are available.
On Saka’s achilles niggle…
He’s fine. He trained normally today so nothing to report there. Every player has pains or issues. That’s normal in elite sports, but nothing to worry about.
On Odegaard’s contract…
He’s our captain. He’s a massive player for us, a really important player for us now and for the future. We’re extremely happy to have him and want to keep him here for a long time. I’m always optimistic and we have a really good relationship with him and his agent. We are really close to them and, whenever that’s confirmed, we’ll announce it.
On excitement for the next few weeks, including the Champions League, Everton, and the north London derby…
I’m really excited about it obviously. First, Everton is the only one that we have in mind. Obviously our record speaks for itself. In the last six years we haven’t won there, so we’re going to have to earn it and we know that we’re going to have to be at our best to beat them there and it’s something that we haven’t managed to do, so that’s where we’re going to start.
On looking forward to Everton away…
Obviously I have a big emotional attachment to that football club, the way they treated me and the years that I spent there. The incredible memories that I have, so always grateful. It was a big, big part of my playing career, and now as a coach I have to play against them and obviously I want to beat them.
On planning to have success in this game…
We’ve been here and, before I came, in grounds that for 17 years we hadn’t won, and we’ve done it, so it’s just understanding the importance and what we lacked in those games to try to put it right and do it.
On how much work he’s been able to do with returning internationals…
Today was the first time that we could do a little bit because for some players it was match day minus two as well, so just managing that we knew that from the start. Don’t try to give them too much information, especially after 10 days away, but make sure that everybody is reconnected and clear on what we do and how we want to do it and our way of playing, and that’s it.
On Everton’s last couple of years…
That’s the history of football clubs and the challenges that we all have right now is the competition. The project that they have there with the new stadium and everything that they are trying to do is very exciting as well but, like everybody, you have tough times. It’s how you overcome those situations to become better.
On how quickly Declan Rice has settled in and become a fan favourite…
Yeah, so obviously you always hope that the transition is going to be smooth and fast. But then sometimes, the reality is very different. In this case, I think it's been really positive. I think he's finding it really easy. I think he understood the team and our way of playing really, really fast and things are going well for him.
On CEO Vinai Venkatesham stepping away next summer…
He's been here 14 years and I think he has a right to to make that call. He's made that call. He thinks it's the best thing for him, for his future, for his family. For what I can say from my side: I had a great working relationship with him. I enjoy it. He's a person, first of all, that I value, who has been integral in what we've done and I want to wish him the best. But I think he still have a lot of things to do in the meantime until the end of the season!
On how much playing Champions League games will test the team…
Well, it's exactly the same as last year. We played every three days, but it was the Europa League. So the competition is different. Obviously, the demands of that competition and the expectations are different, especially as we've been away from there for seven years. But it's excitement. This is where we want to be. When you look at the fixtures and the games that we have to play, I think everybody's really looking forward to it.
On Pepe leaving the club…
Obviously, these are sad moments for players. Not only for him but also with Rob [Holding] leaving and all of our players who have left and those who have gone on loan as well. You have an emotional attachment with them. You have tried to get the best out of them. But there are periods and sometimes, it's not about the will of the player and instead, it's a player that plays in his position that does so well. There are many factors. But we certainly want to wish all of them the best and hopefully they can fulfil the dream somewhere else.
On whether there’s more pressure now that the squad is mostly his handpicked signings…
I don't think the pressure is going to be bigger than what we put on ourselves internally every single day. Regardless, when you have the players that you have, you made a decision to coach them. You know, they are not my players. They are players from the club and the team evolves, the squad evolves and if you are here more years, that will happen like any other sport in the world.
On whether we can match Everton in a physical battle…
Sometimes you cannot avoid a battle. There are certain times where you have to do this and their style of play is very clear. They are simply good at that. We have a very different style. When you are trying to impose your way of playing and the tactics, it’s about making sure that your opponent's strengths are completely hiding and yours are coming out every single time to fulfil the potential of your plays. That's what I think both managers and both teams will try to do on Sunday.
On lessons to learn from Pepe’s signing…
I don't know. I wasn't involved in the process of that deal. What I can say about him as a person is that he's a phenomenal boy. He tried really hard. It is not his fault the amount of money that we paid at the time and that's it. When things are not working on, you have to move on. There's no point trying when something is not working and that decision has been made and I think it benefits all parties
On Pepe leaving before the end of his contract…
Every case has been very different and and in the end, it is a few parties who have to agree to something. It is not a decision that I take alone.
On deciding on the leadership group…
It’s not a decision we’ve made formal or public. We have many leaders in this squad. We have a captain that is Martin and so you have seen in the last few games and in pre-season, that when there are changes as well, you have number two and three - and then maybe four and five! So what I'm really interested in is about empowering the qualities that they have as as human beings and make sure that the leaders come out. So we don't really restrict anybody because we have a lot of people that are capable of doing that at the moment.
On who would be two and three behind Martin in that group…
You will see when we play.
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