The day before we return to Premier League action with a visit from Leicester City, Mikel Arteta was back at the Sobha Realty Training Centre media room to discuss the game in his press conference.
The boss was quizzed about players returning from injury, last week's game against Manchester City, the Foxes, our young crop of players and much more.
Here is everything he had to say:
on David Raya’s chances of making the game:
We have to wait 24 hours to see if he's looking good or not that good.
on whether he would want to risk him ahead of PSG on Tuesday:
It’s not about taking a risk, it’s about a player being fit and available or not. When we have that clarity for Leicester, which is the main thing that we are thinking about at the moment, we will make a decision tomorrow.
on Jurrien Timber and Ben White’s availability:
Jurrien was able to take part in training today so that's that's good news. He will be available in the squad, and Ben hopefully as well.
on Mikel Merino’s progression:
Tomorrow is too soon, the next week we will see. He had partial training today, he’s been working so hard and is looking good. It is just about the healing of that bone and how mature that is to expose him to contact.
on his relationship with Pep Guardiola following last week’s game:
I love him, I respect him and I admire him, his team and everything that he does. This is a sport - one thing is our profession and the other is our personal relationship. If my relationship has to be damaged because we play against each other and one draws or the one wins, or the amount of times that we have lost then I wouldn't talk to him any more. So that's not our relationship, especially the relationship that I consider that both of us have. Sport will never get in my way of a personal relationship.
on if it’s harder to maintain that when the games are so fiery:
It depends, if those accusations affect you then maybe they are true. If they don't and you know, you show your integrity and you do what you believe is right, it doesn't have to be our opinions. If you don't like opinions then you shouldn't be sitting in the position that I am, so I think it's quite simple - don't take it personally, it's part of our job. The things that you really care about, make sure you handle them in the right way. That relationship, I really care about. It’s the same with a lot of people in their staff and players that I spent some very important years of my life with.
on if it’s harder because he was previously with them all at Man City:
No, I think it makes it easier because I know them in very different situations, and when you get to know that person in the good and bad when things go their way or don't, then you understand much better their certain reaction. For me, it's not a surprise and I'm very comfortable with that.
on how we’ve performed with Martin Odegaard:
If you put me in this scenario before I started this season with the calendar that we were given, the fixtures that we had, the three away games that we had and the amount of injuries that we had to deal with and how we got out of that, I would be very, very pleased. It’s not just Martin, obviously he’s one of our best players and a player that has more impact on the team in many ways, but there were many others as well and the team has coped extremely well because we have an exceptional group. A lot of players have taken a different role in the leadership, in their importance in the team and they embrace that challenge. I'm really happy for that.
on whether he’ll be happy to have a little bit more of the ball against Leicester:
We play with the ball in every game, no? We’ll do the same! Hopefully we’ll get a lot of momentum.
on the discussion around our tactics at Etihad Stadium:
I did what I believed was the right thing [to do], to be as competitive as possible and win the game.
on if he has a response to Roy Keane and Graeme Souness' comments:
No.
on if David Raya is a doubt for tomorrow:
Yes.
on what made us decide to recruit Neto in the summer:
We had to react very quickly with the departure of Aaron, and we had him on our list for a few years already. He’s played in various countries at the highest level in different roles and has always fulfilled it in the right way. I believe he was the right player [to bring in] because he was in the Premier League, he had the experience, and he’s someone we can throw in at any moment.
on the key to getting the team organised defensively:
It’s the players’ mentality, basically how willing you are to do certain things when you are out of possession and how do you feel about them. If it’s a sacrifice for the team, we are using the wrong words, so if it’s adding something special to the team, contributing to that and loving it while you are doing it, then it is something else as the outcome is very different. Obviously, a lot of work from the coaches, from the players individually and developing those relationships, and it’s about building trust within the team, within the squad that in many phases whether it is in high press, when we are deeper or many other situations that we have to face during games that we are comfortable to do that.
on the partnership between Gabriel and William Saliba:
In terms of chemistry, that existed from day one. You cannot really contribute to that, you can try to support it, sometimes you can even force it if you want but that was so organic, so natural, that’s the best part of that. And then the fact that they have qualities to complement each other really well, and we have to use them in the right way. Everybody is very clear about their role, their perception and when they are happy and can recognise that, I think things are easier.
on how wary we have to be of Leicester:
For sure, and they have a lot of ability. What he [Steve Cooper] has done with previous teams, what he’s trying to do - I’ve watched three or four of the games this season and they have a lot of threat. He’s got the formula as well because he beat us when he was at Forest and it’s a game we are going to take very seriously because it’s going to be a very tough opponent.
on the strength in the depth of our squad:
In terms of how we have reacted, especially to difficulty early on in the season, yes, we have to prove that at the end of the season. To answer that question with more certainty, we have to wait until the end of the season but good signs so far!
on how he handles our young players' expectations:
We treat them like first-team players because they deserve to be in the position that they are, we have to be conscious that obviously we are managing the development, and that step is really far. But as well, we have to be fair with them and if they give us the right signs and reasons to play them more, we have to do so.
on Merino’s road to recovery:
We’re trying to keep him in the cage because he’s been pushing everybody, the physios, doctors, everybody! And he’s ready to go, he really wants it. I think we are comfortable now to start exposing him to contact and he looked really good in training.
on what he can bring to the midfield when he’s available:
He’s going to bring firstly an unbelievable football brain. He’s so intelligent, the way he decides, occupies spaces and makes positions, it’s very rare to see that. Then a really talented player in every phase - defending, attacking, he can deliver and do things that complement really well with the quality we have in midfield. Physicality for sure, and then he’s a big threat. The moment that he’s in the opponent’s box, you’ll see that he’s a big, big threat.
on coping without Odegaard when we have the ball:
We have to adapt to that. Obviously the influence that Martin had in our attacking phase is enormous, we cannot question that. When you look at every metric, the way we plan the games to try to do things to get him in the spaces where he can be very dangerous for the opponent is key. It’s always in relation to him basically. We don’t have it so we have to adapt our way of playing and find other ways to do it that are very efficient. It won’t be the same. It will be different, but hopefully very efficient as well.
on convincing the players that this game is as big as any other:
I asked them the question yesterday, to write it. What are the difficulties and challenges here? They were very clear about it so they know what’s coming and they know this league so good and they know that we’re going to have to be at the top level tomorrow to beat them.
on if we could’ve done anything different to stop Leicester winning the league:
I have enough of my tactical issues to go through there! It was a beautiful story and they fully deserved it. What they did was absolutely amazing and it’s part of the Premier League history, so it was great.
on the team receiving criticism despite the results we’ve had:
I don’t know, but it’s honestly part of what we do. I don’t want to be on YouTube because we’ve been so silly. I want to be on YouTube because we’ve done the right thing in May for the right reasons and are lifting what we want to lift and achieve. In order to do that, we have to be very efficient with what we do. I didn’t predict to play 56 minutes with 10 men and we have to do that and accept sometimes the opponent is better at doing something in the game. That doesn’t mean they are better, but they’re playing better at doing a specific thing in the game. We are interested to do all the things that can help us to win the game.
on Takehiro Tomiyasu’s availability:
He had partial training today and he looked good. He’s progressing really well and is a little bit behind Mikel, but we don’t know with Tomi because he’s another one that pushes every single day. He’s in a good place now I think.
on how Riccardo Calafiori has adapted to English football:
Really good. He came back, had a little glimpse, then went on international duty and got injured, so we had to manage him again. Then we threw him against Man City away for the first Premier League start and I think he was superb. He’s really good. He’s adapted really well to the group, his understanding is exceptional and you see he’s a player with an enormous courage and personality to play, so he’s going to give us a lot.
on Riccardo making his first Premier League start at Man City:
With another player, probably I wouldn’t do it, but because I know how he copes and, when I explained to him, he really wants it, I decided to do it. He showed that he’s prepared to do it.
on Myles Lewis-Skelly’s fitness:
He’s fine. He was cramping, but he has no issues.
on if there’s an agenda against us:
I heard a lot of positive things as well. Is the criticism negative or positive criticism? Great, if we get negative criticism with where we are and what we’ve been through in the games, that tells you the expectations, so we have to raise the level. That’s it.
on if getting a win against Leicester will silence the critics:
I want it because I want to play well and deserve to win the three points, not to silence anybody. Just to make our people proud, that’s it.
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