Mikel Arteta spoke to the media in his pre-Chelsea press conference at London Colney on Friday morning, ahead of Saturday’s Premier League game at Stamford Bridge.
The boss was asked for the latest team news, his thoughts on Chelsea and much more. Here’s what he had to say on the following subjects…
on the latest team news:
Not a lot. We obviously haven’t had a lot of players. It’s the first training session we’re going to do today and we will know more after the session.
on whether the international break came at a good time:
During a good run you want to continue but it is what it is. We had to use it in the right way. Obviously we have a lot of players on duty and now we connect everybody with the same mindset and go because we’re going to have a really difficult game against Chelsea.
on Pep Guardiola said to him after the Manchester City game:
Nothing, as usual! We have lost quite a lot against them and when you win obviously you get congratulated. It was an important game, it was a beautiful day for us and we move on. It seems like ages [ago] now!
on whether it will be a two-horse race at the top:
I don’t have a clue who is going to be involved. We want to be there, that’s the only thing that I know and in order to do that we have to be perfect. The league is so demanding, you see it every week, and I think it’s very open.
on how much he is looking forward to Saturday’s game:
It’s a big game and we know that there is a big history between the two clubs and the type of games we have played against them. It’s a very different one I think. This season, I’ve been really impressed by Chelsea, they deserve much more than what they’ve got on the table. I think what Mauricio has done in such a short time is phenomenal and we’re going to have to be at our best tomorrow.
on whether Kai Havertz is excited to be back against his former club:
Jorginho as well, I’m sure they will be. They were there and speak really highly about the club and everybody there, so it will be a special day for them.
on Aaron Ramsdale fearing for his England future:
It’s not easy for any player when he’s not playing as much as he would like to but the only way to do it is to work harder, to show the passion that you have for the game and to contribute to the team in a different way. When you get the opportunity, do your best and try to help the team win the game.
on his old team Rangers appointing a new manager, Phillipe Clement:
I wish him the best and hopefully he can deliver again what he’s done in other clubs because he’s had a phenomenal career already, so I wish him all the best and hopefully he can bet the club back to where we want.
on the Man City result:
It’s the last experience and feeling that we had between us and it was a beautiful one. You could see in the atmosphere the importance of the game, and the way we won it, and how we controlled it against that team, but it’s just a game. Now it’s about having consistency and keeping the standards very, very high because the next game against Chelsea is going to be even harder.
on Chelsea’s form:
I think when you look first of all at the managing and coaching staff they have, the history of the club that they have, the players and the squad they have, it’s going to happen. I think it has happened pretty quickly, not only in the last three results but I think they deserved much more in terms of results and points than what they already have, so I can see that they’re going to be up there.
on whether he knows what team he is going to pick:
I do have an idea but I have to see them all together today and how everybody is because we have a lot of people travelling around the world and with a lot of minutes in the legs and I want to judge what is the best for tomorrow, not only in terms of what I want to tactically but how the energy is, how is the mood, how is the spirit. In order to that, I'm going to have a better clue after the training session today.
on the benefits of not having an out-an-out striker in the team:
I think having players with different qualities gives you different options and it is always related to the opponent, what behaviours they have and what other players you have around that number nine. If you have midfielders as wingers coming infield, a nine that wants to come infield and attacking midfielders that are more holding midfielders, you don't have any threat. We have a nine that wants to come forward, attacking midfielders are constantly threatening the last line, proper wingers - then it becomes a different threat.
You have players in the last line that can progress the play, we have players in the last line that can link those pockets and make the runs that attract central defenders. It depends a lot on the qualities of all the players - you can’t just isolate the nine, you have to see the whole thing; how he connects and what kind of threats and things that you do. If you don't have a big nine inside the box, you lose something. If you're going to start to crossing over your full-backs you're going to probably have an issue. But there are many ways to attack and depending on the opponent, maybe that option is better than another one.
on whether the midfielders are more important than the false nine:
I think the combination of all those qualities, and the other assets and ingredients that you should have as a team to attack well. It is not only the nine, it is many other players.
on whether he would like to see Bukayo left out of the next England squad now they’ve qualified:
I don’t know how they’re going to approach it. When our players are fit, we are really happy to let them go to their national teams. We have always done that and if the players want to go, I think it is a great fulfilment and opportunity for them every time they go there, so if the players are fit, they are going to be available to be taken.
on avoiding burnout:
If you ask the players, something they feel better when they are playing every three or four days. They can get a knock or an injury, this is part of the game.
on if Bukayo wants to play against Chelsea:
I’m sure he wants to play. I don’t see any player there that doesn’t want to be in the starting XI.
on whether William Saliba’s injury could be a reoccuring one:
Hopefully not but he has been carrying that for weeks now and we have to use that time to settle. We believe that this was the best moment to do it.
on if Saliba is a doubt tomorrow:
It depends on how he trains today.
on us potentially winning four times in a row at Stamford Bridge:
We just go game by game, and tomorrow they’ll have a really strong squad who are playing at home, but we have as well. We are in a good moment and we will try to play better than them and beat them, and that’s it - what’s happened in the past doesn’t matter.
on his relationship with Mauricio Pochettino:
My first professional opportunity was in Paris and we arrived at the same time, and we lived together in the same hotel for three months. He was critical; he’s been one of the most influential people in my football career - first of all as a player he took me under his wing and he looked after me like a little brother. A big part of the success that I had in Paris was because of him because he really looked after me and gave me a lot of confidence and advice. He’s been a role model for me since that day, not only when I was a player but as a manager as well. I had to make the decision to leave playing and start my coaching career and he had a big say on that. I will be always grateful for what he has done for me.
on whether he has seen him since he’s back in London:
Yeah we have seen each other a couple of times.
on whether he had opportunities to link up with him after his playing career:
Probably there were [rumours] because of our relationship but I had various opportunities to go. I didn't know and I went with his advice and experience and that was very important for me to make the decision that I made.
on whether he could turn it around at Chelsea:
Yes. You can see already that something has changed very quickly.
on whether there is a set penalty taker hierarchy:
There is one but then they have surprised me as well this season so I don't really know who is going to take it. Sometimes when I see them and someone is on the ball, I am still doubting. They have the freedom to do it, they practice a lot and what they decide on the day is the best the best thing to do.
on whether it makes it more unpredictable:
It’s a very particular moment and it's related to the state of the game, what you've been doing and how you feel emotionally and confidence-wise. I don't like to get too involved in that; there is some preparation obviously and there are certain players that if they are in contention to take that penalty, the practice has to be there - that is the only thing that I am demanding them to do. After that, it is their decision.
on whether it will be beneficial for Bukayo to have had a 10-day rest:
He has been working so hard to be fit for this game and let's see where he is at today. He had a couple of days off that he needed, but the rest unfortunately has not been rest for him because he needed the treatment and training to get ready to be available against Chelsea.
on how he prevents a player burning out:
It is our responsibility to monitor them, but as well it is also in relation to the days off that they get. The way we train you cannot take certain parts of training out, so it’s not only about the minutes when they are on the field because sometimes we want to rest them but we ask them to be out on the [training] field for three hours which do them a big favour. There is some balance there but at the end, when you want to be a top, top player you have to be able to play every three days and play 65 to 70 games. It is what it is.
on whether Saka needs to play every game:
I think we have to play him when we see he is in the right condition to play - mentally, physically and that he’s performing. He needs to deserve to play, that’s another story, but so far when he’s played that amount of minutes, it’s because we believe he was ready to cope with that.
on us being defensively solid at the expense of being more dangerous up front:
I want to concede nothing and create a lot, so there is no plan for that. Obviously, we know the foundations to win games and where that's coming from, keeping the amount of clean sheets we've kept in the last seven games that's been very important to make the right steps, but we want to attack better. When you look at the other teams, you can't just isolate for 90 minutes, it's about game state, there are periods, as well the scoreline has a big say when those expected roles have shifted and I guess, who do you play against is another one? A lot of teams have been defending with really low blocks, so open play is something, but set pieces are not something very different to the game, they are connected, so it's as important to be able to do that, because against low blocks we are going to be able to generate more free-kicks, more corners than last year, so that's going to have an impact. To attack well, you have to be able to attack well in various areas, because that's the moment where the opponent can open up.
on how excited he is to see Martinelli, Saka and Jesus on the pitch together:
Obviously, we had injuries, and we had the availability we have, we missed other players as well in midfield that are very, very important, but I'm sure we'll get them back. It's about being able to win and continue to perform in the right way even when those players aren't there and now, we're going to have the opportunity to see them, I'm sure.
on Jack Wilshere’s future:
I'm really happy that Jack is part of the setup. I think he's done really well, I think it he was really needed around the academy and the place, and these things are going to happen when people are doing well, he's going to get attraction, and then it's going to come down to him to make the best decision for his career.
on whether he could be an Arsenal manager in future:
Yeah, but way down the line you don't know when that is, it could be very soon! He's got the potential to do it, now he's clear in his mind what he wants to do and the reason why he wants to do it, and I think it's a big asset for the club to have him here.
on what Pochettino’s advice was to him:
Don't go into coaching, it's too hard! That was the first thing! I knew he was going to be a coach, I followed him very closely obviously because as a player he was already a leader, they way he understood the game, it was phenomenal. I used to have him constantly coaching me and I'm very proud of what he's done and especially the way he's done it through his coaching career.
on how similar they are:
No, I think in a lot of senses we are different. He had some big influences in his career, especially one that he had which marked his career a lot. In general, I think we have a lot of values that are similar.
on whether Arsenal are more mature now:
Yes, but that maturity is linked to what? Our results? So, if that day we play in a really mature way, but don't win, we will say that it's not too mature. So, I don't pay too much attention to that, it's the way we compete, it's the way we behave and the mentality that we have to show, regardless of that. Yes, I do see an evolution, not only this season, but the season before, I saw a big shift in that and certainly we can still improve.
on how important it is for the players to keep their heads against Chelsea:
Yes, it's important, and to be better than them as well, both!
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