Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta faced more questions about his relationship with Man City manager Pep Guardiola and on the challenges posted by Leicester and the injury to keeper David Raya
27/09/2024
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
27/09/2024
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
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00:00Where are you at first of all with David Riya, what are his chances of making the game?
00:18We have to wait another 24 hours.
00:24We have to wait 24 hours to see if he's looking good or not that good.
00:29I guess with PSG, not worth taking the risk?
00:35It's not a risk, it's about a player being fit and available or not and when we have
00:40that clarity for Leicester, which is the main thing we are thinking at the moment, we will
00:46make a decision tomorrow.
00:47White and Timber, where are they?
00:50Jurgen was able to take part in training today, so that's good news, he will be available
00:56in the squad.
00:57And Ben?
00:58And Ben hopefully as well.
00:59Can you let us know a little bit on the progress of Raquel Mourinho, I'm guessing this week
01:00is too soon for him, but how is he progressing?
01:11Tomorrow is too soon, the next week we will see, he had partial training today, he's been
01:16working so hard and he's looking good, it's just about the healing of that bone and how
01:24mature that is to expose him to contact basically.
01:28I know you spoke about this on Tuesday, and I know it's five days, but a lot of people
01:39that you texted and there was no damage to your relationship after what happened on Sunday.
01:48I wondered how you are still able to remain such good friends with somebody that ultimately
01:56you want them to fail.
01:58Can you explain to us?
02:00First of all because I love him, I respect him and I admire him and I admire his team
02:06and everything that he does.
02:08And this is a sport.
02:10One thing is our profession, the other is our personal relationship.
02:13If my relationship has to be damaged because we play against each other and one throw and
02:17the other one wins or the amount of time that we have lost, then I wouldn't talk to him
02:21no more.
02:22So that's not a relationship, especially a relationship that I consider that both of
02:27us have.
02:28So a sport will never get in my way in a personal relationship, for sure.
02:33Is it harder to do that when it is so fiery and when there are accusations from either
02:38side coming at each other?
02:40It depends.
02:41If those accusations affect you, it's because maybe it's true.
02:43If they don't and you know and you show your integrity and you do what you believe is right,
02:49it doesn't have to be.
02:51There are opinions.
02:52And if you don't like opinions, then you shouldn't be sitting in the position that I am.
02:56So I think it's quite simple.
02:59Don't take it personally.
03:00It's part of our job.
03:02And the things that you really care about, make sure you handle them in the right way.
03:07And that relationship, I really care about.
03:09The same with a lot of people in that staff and players that I spent very important years
03:15of my life with them.
03:16Does it make it a little bit harder that you were once that side and now you're tied to
03:20the other side?
03:22No, I think it makes it easier because I know them in very different situations.
03:26And when you get to know that person in the good and the bad, when things go their way,
03:31don't go their way, then you understand much better certain reactions.
03:35So for me it's not a surprise and I'm very comfortable with that.
03:40Martin Odegaard wrote in the programme notes about how he's progressing.
03:44He spoke to Kai Havertz this morning and he sort of talked about how a lot of the players
03:49have stepped up and are filling the voids that Martin has.
03:54He's still clearly around, he said, but they're finding their voices a bit more.
03:59How impressed have you been with how your team have coped with his absence so far?
04:04And those sort of players that have stepped in that have maybe surprised you in terms
04:08of taking on the league?
04:10Well, if you put me in a scenario before the start of the season, with the calendar that
04:14we were given, with the fixtures that we had, with the three away games that we had,
04:18and with the amount of injuries that we had to deal with and how we got out of that,
04:23I would be very, very pleased, I think.
04:25So it's not obviously just with Martin, obviously he's one of our best players.
04:30The players have more impact on the team in many ways, but there were many others as well.
04:35And the team has coped extremely well because we have an exceptional group,
04:40a lot of players are taking a different role in their leadership,
04:44in their importance in the team, and they embrace that challenge
04:48and I'm really happy for that.
04:50You've obviously had a physically and probably quite mentally demanding ten days.
04:56You look at what's ahead of you now, and I know there's PSG, but in the Premier League,
05:00home game, three home games, Leicester, a chance to build a little bit of momentum
05:07and go back to playing with the ball maybe?
05:11Leicester haven't played now, in front of your home fans?
05:15We play with the ball, no? Every game I mean.
05:18Kai would say he didn't really play with the ball,
05:21but when he played on Sunday he said to me he's quite looking forward
05:24to actually getting his groove back.
05:26Yeah, so hopefully we get a lot of momentum now.
05:31Mikel, hello.
05:32I just wondered, on Sunday, but still this Friday now,
05:35all these days on and so many people are still talking about your tactics,
05:39and I just wondered what you made of that.
05:43About what?
05:44About the tactics and the decision to defend in the way you did,
05:48and I just wondered how far we're six days on and people are still talking.
05:51I just wondered what you made of that.
05:55That I did what I believed was the right thing,
05:57to be as competitive as possible to win the game.
06:04Roy Keane's had some strong comments to say,
06:07and Graeme Souness in the fall-out from that match.
06:11Roy Keane said it was a bit of a small-club mentality,
06:14Graeme Souness said Arsenal had a bit of an inferiority complex.
06:19I just wondered if you'd want to respond to that?
06:22No.
06:25And just on Dan O'Brien, is it fair to say he's a doubt for tomorrow?
06:29Yeah, sure.
06:33OK, we'll go to Brad from TalkSport.
06:36Hi, Mikel, hope you're well.
06:39Considering you said that David Lloyd could present an opportunity
06:43for someone like Neto tomorrow,
06:45what was it about him that made you decide that he was a player
06:49that you wanted to bring into the squad for someone?
06:52Well, we had to react very quickly with the departure of Aaron,
06:56and we had him in our list for a few years already.
07:00He's played in various countries at the highest level,
07:04in different roles, and he's always fulfilled it in the right way.
07:08I believe he was the right player because he was in the Premier League,
07:12he had experience and he's someone we can throw there at any moment.
07:16Years gone by, people have talked about Arsenal
07:19and said the defensive side of things has been the club's weakness.
07:22You fast-forward a couple of years now,
07:24you have one of the best defences in the Premier League and world football.
07:27Apart from hard work and training,
07:29what's been the key to get this side to be so organised defensively?
07:35It's the players' mentality, how willing you are to do certain things
07:39when you are out of possession and how you feel about them.
07:43If it's a sacrifice for the team, I'm using the wrong words.
07:48If it's adding something special to the team and contributing to that
07:52and loving it while you are doing it, then it's something else.
07:56The outcome is very, very different.
07:58Obviously a lot of work from the coaches, from the players individually
08:01and keep developing those relationships.
08:03It's about building trust within the team, within the squad,
08:08in many phases, whether it's in high press, when we are deeper,
08:12or in many other situations we have to face during games,
08:15that we are comfortable doing that.
08:17In terms of that relationship between Gabriel and Saliba,
08:20they've looked like they've played together for years.
08:22Apart from, I think you've said before, it's quite an organic thing between them,
08:27what have you been doing to help them generate that partnership?
08:31Do you think they've got the capability to be remembered
08:33as one of the best Premier League partnerships you've ever seen?
08:36In terms of chemistry, that existed from day one
08:39and you cannot really contribute to that.
08:41You can try to support it, sometimes you can even force it if you want,
08:44but that was so organic and so natural.
08:46That's the best part of that.
08:49And then the fact that they have qualities
08:51that complement each other really well
08:53and we have to use them in their right way.
08:55Everybody is very clear about its role,
08:58its perception, and when they are happy and they recognise that,
09:02I think things are easier.
09:06Steve Cooper has said the odds are against him tomorrow,
09:09but how wary do you have to be of a team clearly the underdogs
09:13and desperate for their first league win of the season?
09:15For sure, and they have a lot of ability and obviously very well,
09:19and what he's done with previous teams, what he's trying to do.
09:21I watched three or four of the games this season
09:25and they have a lot of threat.
09:27He's got the formula as well because he beat us
09:30when he was at Forest as well
09:32and it's a game that we're going to take very, very seriously
09:35because it's going to be a very tough opponent.
09:37You've just said this is an exceptional group,
09:39you do have quite a few players out,
09:41but how happy are you with strength and depth
09:43and is this the strongest squad you've worked with here?
09:47In terms of how we have reacted,
09:49especially two difficult, very early in the season,
09:52yes, we have to prove that obviously at the end of the season.
09:55So to answer that question with more certainty,
09:57we have to wait until the end of the season,
09:59but good sign so far.
10:02Some talented young players ready to step up,
10:04Ethan only 17 years old,
10:06how careful do you have to be to manage their minutes and expectations
10:09or do you treat them just like any other player?
10:13For sure, we treat them like first team players
10:15because they deserve to be in the position that they are.
10:17We have to be conscious that obviously we are managing the development,
10:21that step has been really far,
10:23but as well we have to be fair with them
10:25and if they give us the right signs and reasons to play them more,
10:29we have to do so.
10:32Just on Mikel Moreno,
10:34are you sort of having to hold him back at the moment
10:36because obviously he injured in that first session,
10:38he must be desperate to play.
10:39What is it like now?
10:40Are you just trying to calm him down?
10:42Yeah, he's trying to keep me in the cage
10:44because he's been pushing everybody,
10:46the physios, the doctors, everybody,
10:48and he's ready to go.
10:50He really wants it.
10:52I think we are comfortable now to start exposing him with contact
10:55and he looked really good in training.
10:58The fans obviously got a glimpse of seeing him with Spain and the Euro,
11:01but what's he going to bring to this midfield
11:03that perhaps he didn't have last season?
11:06He's going to be first,
11:07an unbelievable football brain.
11:09He's so intelligent.
11:11The way he decides, he occupies spaces,
11:14he makes decisions,
11:15it's very rare to see that.
11:17He's a really talented player in every phase,
11:21defending, attacking,
11:22he can deliver things,
11:24he can do things that complement really well
11:27with the quality we have in midfield.
11:29Physicality, for sure,
11:31and then he's a big threat.
11:32The moment he's in the opponent's box,
11:34you'll see that he's a big, big threat.
11:36Just lastly,
11:37you've obviously had a run of games
11:38where we've seen you cope without the ball
11:41when you haven't got Martin.
11:42Do you think there's going to be a shift tomorrow
11:44and maybe next week,
11:45where you're almost going to have to prove
11:47how you cope without having Martin
11:49when you're on the ball
11:50and trying to break the team down?
11:51Because obviously so often
11:52he is the man to make that pass.
11:54We have to adapt to that.
11:55Obviously the influence that Martin had
11:57in our attacking phase is enormous.
11:59We cannot question that.
12:01When you look at every metric,
12:03the way we plan the games,
12:06the type of things that we have to do
12:08to try to get him in the spaces
12:10that he can be very dangerous for the opponent,
12:13it's key.
12:15It's always in relation to him, basically.
12:17We don't have it,
12:18so we have to adapt
12:19and our way of playing,
12:21and we have to find other ways to do it
12:23that are very efficient.
12:25It will be different.
12:26It won't be the same.
12:27It will be different,
12:28but hopefully very efficient as well.
12:32You were just saying
12:33how much you respect Nestor and Steve Cooper.
12:36How do you convince the players
12:38that this is as big a game as the Tottenham away
12:41and City away,
12:42that they have to be in the same approach?
12:44I asked them the question yesterday,
12:46to write it.
12:47What are the difficulties and the challenges here?
12:49They were very clear about it,
12:51so they know what is coming,
12:53and they know this league so far,
12:55so good,
12:56and they know that we're going to require
12:58to be at the top level tomorrow to beat them.
13:00Just rewinding on Nestor,
13:02when your last season here as a player
13:04was the year that Nestor won the league,
13:06Arsenal came second.
13:07Looking back now,
13:08now you're a manager,
13:09is there anything tactically that you've learnt
13:11that Arsenal could have done differently
13:13or stopped you from winning the league?
13:16I have enough with my tactical issues
13:18to go through that.
13:20It was a beautiful story,
13:22they fully deserve it,
13:23what it is,
13:24it was absolutely amazing,
13:25and it's part of the Premier League history,
13:28so it was great.
13:29You did ask us to ask questions about tactics.
13:31Sorry?
13:32You asked us to ask more questions about tactics.
13:34About my tactics?
13:35No.
13:38OK.
13:40In your opening five games,
13:41you obviously had City's first league win over Wales,
13:43three of the top five from last season,
13:45three of the toughest away fixtures,
13:47and I think you probably would have taken
13:49seven from nine if someone had offered that to you
13:51at the start of the season.
13:52Maybe not, I don't know.
13:55With that in mind,
13:56and the results you've been able to get,
13:57are you almost amazed that your team
13:59are receiving criticism for the way
14:01they've approached these matches,
14:02given the results you've been able to get?
14:05I don't know,
14:06but honestly it's part of what we do,
14:08because I don't want to be on YouTube
14:13because we've been so silly.
14:15I want to be on YouTube
14:16because we've done the right thing in May,
14:18and for the right reasons
14:19and lifting what we want to lift and achieve.
14:22And in order to do that,
14:23we have to be very efficient in what we do.
14:25So I didn't predict to play 56 minutes with 10 men,
14:29and we have to do that,
14:31and we have to accept.
14:32And sometimes the opponent is better
14:33at doing something in the game.
14:35That doesn't mean that they are playing better
14:36or competing.
14:37They are being better
14:38at doing a specific thing inside the game.
14:41We are interested to do other things
14:43that can help us to win the game.
14:46Also, just on Tomi Assi,
14:47we've still not seen him this season.
14:49Is he getting closer?
14:50How is his injury progressing?
14:51Is he back in training?
14:53He had a partial training today
14:54and he looks good.
14:55Again, he's progressing really well.
14:56He's probably a little bit behind Mikel,
14:59but we don't know with Tomi,
15:00because again,
15:01he's another one that pushes every single day.
15:03But he's in a good place now, I think.
15:05Last couple in life.
15:06James?
15:07Hi, Mikel.
15:08Someone told us about Ricardo Calafiore,
15:10who had a slightly slower start
15:11and slower introduction to English football,
15:13but we see more and more of him now.
15:15How do you feel about
15:16how his adaptation is going?
15:18Really good.
15:19As you said, obviously,
15:20he came back,
15:21he had a little glimpse,
15:22then he went on national duty
15:23and got injured.
15:25So we had to manage him again,
15:27and then we threw him
15:28against Man City away
15:30for the first Premier League start,
15:32and I think he was superb.
15:33He's really good.
15:35He's adapted really well to the group.
15:37His understanding is exceptional,
15:39and you see,
15:40he's a player with an enormous
15:41courage and personality to play,
15:43so he's going to give us a lot.
15:45Yeah, he was kind of lost
15:46in the City discussion,
15:48because so much was talked about,
15:49but quite amazing,
15:50he made his first Premier League start
15:51at the Etihad,
15:52against that opponent.
15:53Was that something
15:54that you were worried about at all,
15:55or you felt he had the personality to handle?
15:58With another player,
15:59probably I wouldn't do it.
16:00But because I know how he copes,
16:02and when I just play to him,
16:04he really wants it,
16:06I decided to do it,
16:07and he showed that
16:08he's prepared to do it.
16:10Just to put one on,
16:11how's Miles after the other night?
16:13He's fine.
16:14He was cramping,
16:15but he has no issues.
16:17Phil?
16:19I'll just go back to some
16:20of that earlier criticism.
16:21Do you feel that there's
16:22a bit of an agenda
16:23against the club,
16:24or against you,
16:25given that it seems
16:26a bit unusual?
16:27No.
16:29But I heard a lot of
16:30positive things as well,
16:31so the criticism,
16:32is it negative
16:33criticism?
16:35So it's negative
16:36criticism.
16:40Great.
16:41So we get negative
16:42criticism.
16:43Where we are,
16:44what we've been through
16:45in the last three games,
16:46that sets you expectations.
16:47So we have to raise
16:48the level,
16:49that's it.
16:50But it's going out
16:51tomorrow,
16:52it's going to be
16:53a result against Leicester
16:54to sort of silence
16:55some of those criticisms,
16:56right?
16:57No.
16:58I want it because
16:59I want to play well
17:00and deserve and win
17:01the three points,
17:02and to make our
17:03people proud.
17:04That's it.