Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta reacts to once again marginally losing out on winning the Premier League with the 23/24 season title going to Man City with a 2 point difference
Emirates Stadium, London, UK
Emirates Stadium, London, UK
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00:00 First of all, congratulations to Manchester City for winning the Premier League.
00:03 Unbelievable what they've done since December. We've been on an incredible journey
00:10 with every performance index being at the highest level that we have seen.
00:17 And it still wasn't enough and this is the level. So today is a mixed emotions festival.
00:25 To really be proud of all those players and the staff that have done an incredible job
00:30 and they have pushed every limit, every margin that we could find
00:32 to try to win this Premier League. Unfortunately it was a bit short and we could not deliver
00:39 the big prize that we wanted because you can feel it that they are desperate for it.
00:44 And you were calling on the supporters to push you and the players
00:48 harder and demand more. Is that what you were saying?
00:50 It's the only way. So now we've seen it there and we are there. And they took it away from us.
00:58 It's the second season so there's only one way to do it. You have to be more determined,
01:03 you have to be more ambitious, you need to have a lot of courage
01:06 and push every limit and everything that we have because that's the next step.
01:15 Do you have a feeling of what the difference was this year?
01:18 Like I said, everybody available in the crucial moment of the season. Huge difference.
01:27 Is there a moment or game in particular you look back on?
01:31 For sure Aston Villa at home. You know in the first half it should have been 4-0.
01:36 And maybe the story would have been different but what happened last Tuesday,
01:41 maybe today we are champions. These are the margins, so, so, so small.
01:46 And that's a credit as well that the club and the team should take because you're
01:51 doing this against the best team in the history of the Premier League by far.
02:08 Are we reaching a stage where it might require 100 points to win the title
02:13 to beat Man City or anybody else here?
02:15 Yeah, but I was there when we did 100 points so I know what it takes and know what happened.
02:23 And this is the level. Nobody has to explain to me what the level is because I've been there
02:28 for years, every day. So I know what we have to do if we want to reach there. And not only
02:34 for one season but for the rest. But we are on the right path and the right journey. And to see
02:39 the evolution so quickly happening, I haven't seen it before. So we're on the right trajectory.
02:46 Now we need to put the teeth and bite into it because we really want more.
03:04 Have a beautiful holiday. That's what we need first because everybody has put
03:08 every single drop of energy and passion that we had and now we need to rest.
03:16 And when we decompress and rest and think, we have to start to think with more clarity.
03:31 Well the first and most important is how we're going to get this player to a different level.
03:36 That's my first job. And after that, if visualising that we still don't have enough
03:43 to do that, for sure we're going to have to do everything that we can to fulfil those gaps.
03:49 Is it healthy for football that you need to get so many to even challenge?
03:56 I mean, in promotion history, 89 points is nothing. It's not bad for you to be in the league.
04:01 Yeah, when you look in the last 15, 20 years of this league and the competition wasn't like it is
04:06 today, for sure you are a champion. But it's not enough. But this is as well. Probably we are
04:11 getting better and better and better and faster because someone is so good that you have to
04:16 change it. And that's what makes you good as well. So that's it. We cannot feel sorry for ourselves,
04:21 guys. We tried, we are improving. It was an unbelievable season again but we are not
04:28 champions. That's the reality.
04:29 Martin was quite emphatic on the pitch saying the team are even more hungry,
04:34 the players want to come back stronger and win everything next season. Is that the
04:38 set to get for the players in that first round now? Obviously they're disappointed today but
04:42 they're going to be even more hungry to go to the next season.
04:44 Yeah, but I had the same one in pre-season when we got together and they saw what was happening.
04:50 Players taking a different level, another year together, some big signings. It was a huge
04:55 belief in the squad that we can go all the way in any competition.
05:00 We have experienced the Premier League for the first time in seven years.
05:03 We arrived in the Premier League. Now we have to continue to be at that level.
05:09 What do you mean by the set to get to that level? What specifically do you mean?
05:15 In everything. The way they compete, the way they talk about the future,
05:20 where they talk about what they are capable of doing, what we are capable of doing as a team.
05:25 I sense a real belief there. They are really determined. Before I didn't have that feeling
05:30 that we really want to win and we're going to go toe to toe and look in the eyes of every opponent.
05:35 Now I feel that.
05:41 Is that the hardest thing, to deliver that consistency of motivation?
05:45 You know the last two seasons you've suffered this disappointment in the title race.
05:50 Do you have any fears that that could affect your squad moving forward in a negative way?
05:55 No, I don't think so. Because we're still there to win it and that's the motivation.
06:01 Gary, what are you going to do tonight?
06:04 Sorry?
06:05 What are you going to do tonight?
06:06 You want to come with me and have a look?
06:11 I have my family here, a few friends, so we'll have a good dinner with them.
06:15 And then spend some time with the staff and the members of the players together.
06:22 On pitch you said we will win it to the crowd. What gives you that confidence
06:28 ultimately going forward into next season?
06:30 If we do what we have to do we're going to be closer. At the end,
06:37 we will win it. They win, I don't know. But if we keep knocking and being that close,
06:42 at the end it will happen.
06:43 Thank you so much for everything guys. Have a good rest.
06:50 Hi, we're here.
06:50 Sorry?
06:51 We're here.
06:52 Yeah.
06:53 See you. Take care, guys.
06:56 Have some rest.
06:58 Thank you.
07:01 I heard you on the radio talking about you and you think we're here, but I don't know.
07:05 Thank you.
07:08 All the best.
07:10 Thank you.
07:10 Thank you, guys.
07:11 Thank you.
07:11 Thank you.
07:13 See you.
07:15 Bye.
07:16 Sorry.
07:16 Thank you.
07:19 See you.
07:19 See you.
07:20 I'm invited tonight.
07:22 See you. Thank you.
07:26 And now we're doing the music.
07:27 See you, guys.
07:28 Okay, we'll do just two bars.
07:30 You got a copy of my book, didn't you? See, I told you.