Arteta and Ødegaard on his return to fitness and Monaco
10/12/2024
uefa24
10/12/2024
uefa24
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00In the room there we have the simultaneous translation system.
00:04We'll kick off with the live section and go into a 10.30 tonight.
00:08If we're all ready in the room, we'll kick off with Alex from the BBC.
00:11Hi, Miguel. A number of players missing from training today,
00:17Nigerian Timba, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Thomas Partey,
00:20Gabriel and Ricardo Calafiore.
00:22Are you able to give any updates on any of them?
00:25No, we have to manage a lot of the players,
00:28some of them probably not going to be fit to be able tomorrow,
00:31some of them are still at out,
00:33so we have still 24 hours to make those decisions,
00:36and hopefully the right ones.
00:39How frustrating has it been trying to deal with this injury crisis
00:42pretty much all the way through the season?
00:43It is what it is.
00:45At the end we have to accept the challenge
00:47and there's opportunities for other players as well to do that.
00:51In the ideal scenario we have to be in charge of making those decisions
00:55because it's forcing us to make it for the wrong reasons,
00:58but as well we need to accept the reality and move forward.
01:02How hard is it to be able to play the football you want to,
01:06not being able to have a settled backline pretty much throughout the whole season?
01:10I'm really happy the way we are playing,
01:12and the good thing is that it's not conditioning the team
01:14in such a way that we have to become a different team.
01:17So I'm very pleased with that, the way the team is adapting,
01:20the way players are making the effort to play in different positions,
01:23and hopefully the ideal situation will come up very soon
01:27and we can do what we want.
01:29Obviously you have a great record from set-pieces,
01:32and I know you've scored 16 goals in your last five games,
01:36but do you feel you need to create more chances from open play?
01:40We want to create more from every angle,
01:43and from set-pieces as well, we could have created more,
01:45we created and we should have scored another one or two.
01:47So always trying to evolve and be better.
01:51Dormish from Sky?
01:52Hello, Mika.
01:54I know it wasn't the result that you wanted on Sunday,
01:56but is the feeling around the place slightly different
02:00to when you've had set-backs in the past?
02:02Because you seem really, really positive following that game.
02:05Yeah, and the more I watch it, the more, you know, to conceive what we conceived.
02:10And how the hell we drew that game is difficult to understand,
02:13but it's the beauty of football as well.
02:15So we will adapt, obviously put our heads up,
02:18it was disappointing, it was very emotional as well,
02:20because scoring the second one and getting disallowed, it was tough.
02:24But we have to move every three games, it's another opportunity,
02:27and we need to keep going.
02:28You and the majority of your players had their first experience
02:31of the Champions League last season.
02:34What did you learn from that experience?
02:36And is there a belief and a feeling maybe that you can create something special this season?
02:42Yeah, we have to do a lot of the things that we do in the Premier League.
02:44I mean, the tendency always is to look at the Champions League like something else.
02:50So how big is the Premier League, how big is the Champions League?
02:53You know, the Premier League is this size and the Champions League is this size.
02:56We face incredible, difficult opposition every week, you know.
03:00That's the good thing, that when we come up now against a really good team like Monaco,
03:03they are doing incredibly well.
03:05We are so used to it because we play every three days against this kind of opposition.
03:09So, yeah, it's learning about certain things, certain scenarios that are different
03:15because the Champions League is different in a certain way,
03:18but there are a lot of similarities in the way we have to compete day in, day out in the league.
03:22Final one for me, you've spoken about how big an influence your captain has been
03:27since he returned to Martin Oligar.
03:28He's also had a big change in his life recently with the birth of a baby boy.
03:33Have you noticed anything different about him?
03:37That's for him probably to discuss it, but so proud to see them growing in our class,
03:43around our people, and making them feel happy that it's the right environment for them
03:49to grow as a person, as a football player, as a father in this case,
03:53and we are really happy to have this great news in the team.
03:59Can I just check on availability?
04:01I know Josh Nicholls is someone who could play in that defence,
04:04but it didn't look like he was at training.
04:05Is he another one who's out at the moment?
04:07He's been with some issues, we don't know still whether he's available or not.
04:12I can ask you about Gabriel Jesus.
04:16It's obviously been a difficult run, I think it's one goal in 31 games.
04:20How is he emotionally and mentally at the moment?
04:22Because it's probably the longest run of his career he's had a period like this.
04:26Like a striker, they go on faces in moments and that gap has become big.
04:32It's true that obviously a lot of things happen, injuries, absences,
04:37not playing or starting games that much, but he's actually been really good.
04:41He always is, and we're going to try to help him to overcome that situation as quickly as possible.
04:46There were some reports in Brazil last week that you'd be willing to let him go in January,
04:51is that the case?
04:52No sense.
04:56After the Chelsea game, the international break,
04:58you described it as an absolute nightmare,
05:01have you started to feel like that all over again?
05:05I was hoping to improve it, and it did improve,
05:07but very quickly after the first game we started to have issues,
05:11probably more issues as well than we expected.
05:14But honestly, the good news is that the team still reacts,
05:17plays in the way that we want, becomes so dominant,
05:20and we want to continue to do that regardless of who plays.
05:24I think that belief is within the team, and that's very positive.
05:27With so many players potentially missing at full-back,
05:30it could be an opportunity for Kieran Tierney maybe to come back into the team.
05:33He's obviously been away and absent for so long,
05:35but is he ready to start?
05:36Yeah, he's training really well and he's going to have an opportunity for sure.
05:40The way the team is looking at the moment, he's going to do that for that reason,
05:45and because he's earned it as well, the way he's behaved, the way he's been with us,
05:48because he's willing to do it, and when that happens,
05:51you have to give opportunities to those kind of players.
05:54Art Athletic.
05:55Hi, Mikel.
05:56Just on players being unavailable, when you have to make those changes,
06:00I know you're quite big on units and how they work,
06:03is that something that's kind of big in your mind
06:05when you're having to make those selection decisions?
06:08Yeah, because they haven't played together enough,
06:10and you have to alter and you have certain positions
06:13in relation to especially the outside play,
06:15have two, three or zero left-footed sometimes,
06:20and that affects in certain ways our dynamics and the way we want to especially attack.
06:24But again, we have to adapt, we have to find ways to overcome that
06:27and still be very efficient and positive in the way we want to play,
06:31and it's been a good challenge.
06:34OK, last two in the live section, we'll go to Phil from PA.
06:36Hi, Mikel.
06:37Just on injuries, do you have any understanding as to why it keeps happening?
06:42Well, it's a knock-on effect, we have a lot of joint injuries,
06:46you know, that are very difficult to predict or assess.
06:49We have some that's going to be through tackles, for example,
06:52that are, again, quite difficult to avoid,
06:55and the other ones probably is overload,
06:58you know, the amount of minutes that they have to play.
06:59The knock-on effect of having one or two players not available
07:03means that you put more stress and more minutes in somebody else,
07:06and that's not a good change, you know,
07:08because the consequences and the load of other players
07:12starts to be too high or much higher than what you want to do.
07:16But this is where we are.
07:17I know there's been a lot of focus on pastoral scoring from set-pieces,
07:21but are you worried it's all the pastoral scoring and not from open play?
07:25No, I'm not worried, because when I watch the game,
07:27I get the situation that we had in open play
07:29and what the opposition has created in open play.
07:35I don't know if we can do much more than that,
07:37especially when I watch Fulham, the previous games,
07:39against the opposition that they've played.
07:41And because the set-pieces are a consequence of what we do in open play
07:44and how we do defensively.
07:48And it's a phase that is part of that.
07:50You guys, I know that you see it like,
07:53this is a piece that is open play,
07:55and I see it like this is open play and set-pieces.
07:58It's all together with the rest of the play.
08:00But I respect that a lot.
08:04I don't agree, but I respect it.
08:08Nick at the back from Hayters.
08:10Hi, Mikel. What are your thoughts on Monaco?
08:13What's your assessment of Monaco?
08:14Well, a really good side, you see the runner living in the Champions League
08:19and in the league, especially against top opposition,
08:22so a real threat.
08:24It's a team that is superbly well-organised,
08:26really intense, really good in transition moments as well,
08:29and with a lot of quality, so it's going to be a very good test for us tomorrow.
08:33And finally, what are your memories of playing against them?
08:36I think it's a while ago, but when you were at Paris,
08:37you played a couple of times against them, didn't you?
08:40Yeah, I did, and I think we have a really good link with Arsene, with Thierry as well.
08:44There is a big history there as well, it's a very special club, a very special place.
08:51So, yeah, welcome them here and hopefully be better than them and try to win the game.
08:56OK, guys, that finishes the live section.
08:57We'll now go to 10.30 tonight.
09:00We'll kick off with Sam from Telecom.
09:02Miquel, in terms of physical demand on the players in different positions,
09:07am I right in thinking that full-back is one of the most demanding ones?
09:12Yeah, it depends on two factors that are more tactical in relation to what we do,
09:18who do we release, especially at high press,
09:20and what they have to do in terms of attack.
09:23But certainly at least it's different to playing as a whole in midfield,
09:26and that's always as well something that is not ideal, but we're trying to cope with it.
09:32Yeah, it does seem extraordinary that all of the injuries
09:35seem to be affecting players in that same position.
09:38It's not one forward, one midfielder, one defender, it's all the full-backs.
09:41Is that, do you think, partly why?
09:45Well, I don't know.
09:46For example, with Big Gabi, you know he hasn't had a muscular injury,
09:49obviously he's played a lot, he's travelling now, he's going to Brazil,
09:52he's just started with Brazil.
09:54With Ricky, he started with a knock, he started with an injury,
09:57since then obviously he lacked a lot of football,
10:00but with the rest it's true, that's what it is.
10:05And with Ricky, obviously it's been a bit of a stop-start,
10:09how is he finding that?
10:10Because he seems like the kind of guy who wants to be on the pitch for decades.
10:14He just wants to go out, he trains and plays,
10:17and we need to calm him down because he's so willing,
10:20it's the way he is, the way he plays.
10:22He started with the national team with a kick,
10:24you remember that he had to miss that, then he had an issue,
10:28and after that he lost a lot of things because of the injuries,
10:31he had to play more than what we wanted,
10:33and then he got the issue in his groin.
10:36OK, Jordan, Sam.
10:37Just on Kieran, when you came in and you started with him
10:42and you brought in different types of full-backs playing in a different way,
10:46can Kieran play that way, or is it still a working priority
10:50when he's been at the club for five years?
10:52I would put Kieran more in his strengths now.
10:54If we do what we have to do, I would play him in positions,
10:57especially in attack, in situations, in scenarios,
11:01in spaces that he's more comfortable with.
11:03That's a learning.
11:05Is it one of the hardest positions to coach, do you think,
11:08because it's such a different thing from just being a normal full-back
11:11to then being an inverted and a midfielder as well?
11:16I don't know, I think it's about the player having certain qualities,
11:22first of all, is he willing to do it, does he want to do it, he doesn't know,
11:25the other one, is he capable of doing it, and does he understand it?
11:29And when a player has those three ingredients, anything can happen,
11:33and we've seen that with many other players,
11:35but if a player doesn't really feel it, then it's more of a problem,
11:39and we as coaches, I think we have to find another solution.
11:42How much does the team change when someone like Kieran comes in as a full-back
11:44and is a different full-back to him?
11:46It will be just something that we will adapt,
11:50especially we have the ability within that unit to adapt his qualities
11:56and the qualities of somebody else to play in different positions,
11:59but I don't see it as a problem.
12:01Yes, Sam?
12:02With the injury issues around the back line, with full-backs,
12:07does that bring Miles Lewis-Skelly into the picture,
12:09and if so, what does he bring to the team that might be different to what you've already got?
12:13Yeah, the issue that we had as well is that he had an infection in his foot
12:17and he's missed a few weeks as well, so when he has probably the motorway open to go
12:23and show us what he can do, because we're very impressed with him,
12:26he hasn't been available to do so.
12:29He looks better now, he's been in training now for a week or so,
12:33and he's in a good place and he's a player that he can give us a lot.
12:36What changes does he have in general?
12:39I love his personality first, he's got something, he has that presence on the pitch,
12:44that leadership, he's fearless, he takes the ball, he's really competitive,
12:50and I think he can adapt really well for what we want.
12:52And with all the injuries you've recently had,
12:55have you possibly looked at, or has the club looked at,
12:57different ways in terms of rehabilitation and physiotherapy and that kind of thing?
13:02Believe me, we're trying to scratch the surface to understand,
13:06is there anything that we have to defend, we have to do better,
13:10that's the first thing that we have to do when analysing something.
13:14But as well, a lot of the things in the department they do extremely well,
13:17and they continue to do extremely well,
13:19because at the end we are all responsible, we want to look after the players,
13:23and we have to manage the load of the players,
13:25but sometimes it's been a tricky one this season, especially in certain positions.
13:29OK, last couple now, Ed.
13:31Just on the workload of the players,
13:33obviously the expanded Champions League,
13:35there's going to be even more games to come over the horizon,
13:38can you see a time when players are going to have a chance to have a break
13:42and recover some of them, because it's not just Arsenal who have got this problem,
13:46it's a lot of the teams.
13:47You can see it as well in the league,
13:49certain players that are coming back from injuries, getting injured again,
13:53so, yeah, they are under a lot of demands at the moment,
13:57and a break, unless you are out of a cup or something,
14:00I don't see many breaks, we want to be in every competition,
14:03so hopefully we won't have that chance,
14:05but we still have the ability to maintain the level that we want.
14:08Do you think perhaps you might be forced to do something in January
14:11just because of this situation, to make the squad a little bit bigger?
14:14Well, that's a window that brings us an opportunity to strengthen the team
14:18if we feel that it's needed, and if we feel that we have the capacity to do it as well.
14:22So we are on it, just to assess the situation,
14:25because it's changing every week, and at the moment not for the better,
14:30but I'm positive that in a few weeks we're going to be in a better place.
14:34OK, finally, Alan from the RealMedia.
14:35Have your impressions of the new Champions League format changed?
14:40You've got seven teams before tonight's games on ten points,
14:43a lot could change by tomorrow night,
14:45so have you developed some new feelings about it?
14:49Yes, obviously the closer we get, you start to have more of an idea,
14:54I think it's a little bit too early, probably after the next round
14:57we have more clear what we're in the top eight,
15:00exactly what we need is to win tomorrow,
15:02and we're going to be in a much better position.
15:04OK, everyone, thanks very much.
15:10I don't know what to do with it here.
15:15Cool, thank you guys for coming.
15:17We'll start with Darmesh from Sky.
15:20Hi, Martyn. First of all, congratulations on the new arrival.
15:24We often ask managers and players how easy it is to switch off from football.
15:28Have you found it almost become suddenly easier for you to switch off?
15:33Have you found a new perspective?
15:36Yeah, I think so, obviously having a baby is the biggest gift
15:41and most beautiful thing in life,
15:43so I think that will take your mind off everything else
15:47when you're there in that moment.
15:49So, yeah, that can be a good thing,
15:51and as you say, I think it's important to switch off when you get home,
15:54so, yeah, I'll keep doing that now.
15:58How's the challenge?
15:59The fall of it?
16:01It's only been a week, but so far it's going well,
16:05and my wife is really amazing and she's doing a great job,
16:08so I'm really lucky with her.
16:10You're one of the few players to have had experience
16:13in this squad of Champions League football before last season.
16:17Following what you guys went through last season,
16:20what did you guys learn, and is there a feeling
16:22that maybe you could do something special this time?
16:25Yeah, I think that's the feeling in the squad.
16:27I think everyone is believing so much in what we're doing
16:30and we have confidence in everything we do as a team,
16:35and I think last year we learned a few good lessons.
16:39We wanted to go all the way and we didn't,
16:41and we have to take those lessons
16:45and make sure that we get better and that we learn from it.
16:47I think you see, if you look at the last game, for example,
16:51it's a really tough game away from home,
16:53and we did amazing,
16:54and I think that's a sign of improvement.
16:58So, yeah, we believe in what we're doing
17:00and hopefully this can be the year.
17:02Simon?
17:03Hi, Martyn. I wanted to ask you, it's a bit on Ethan actually,
17:06he's obviously broken into the first team this season,
17:09he also knows probably better than anyone else
17:12what it's like making that jump.
17:14Just how have you been trying to help him,
17:16what sort of role have you taken on with him now
17:17as he's made so many steps?
17:19Yeah, I've been trying to help him in many different ways.
17:23I think for a young player,
17:26sometimes it's just to help him to be himself
17:29and to feel natural and don't be like too much on him,
17:32you know, to make it more natural.
17:34I think everyone can see the qualities he has.
17:37And for him, it's just about showing that and enjoying
17:40and keep improving all the time, and he's doing amazing.
17:43I think, yeah, for his age to play the way he plays,
17:47you know, with such confidence, with such enthusiasm,
17:50you know, eagerness to get on the ball
17:52and always show his qualities.
17:54So, yeah, I'm really, really happy for him
17:56and proud of him for what he's doing.
17:58And I'm sure it's a lot more to come
18:00because he's a good boy with a good mentality.
18:02And, yeah, he will just get better and better.
18:04I always remember a few years ago,
18:06Mikel saying the guys on the bench were sort of nudging him,
18:08saying, get Ethan on the pitch.
18:10As a talent, what do you make of him?
18:13Yeah, I don't want to put too much pressure
18:15and too big words on him,
18:17but he's an unbelievable player already.
18:20I don't think there's any reason to speak about the talent
18:23because everyone can see that.
18:24And, yeah, he's already a big player.
18:27I don't see him as a talent.
18:28I see him as a really good player.
18:29And that's a great sign for such a young player.
18:32Hi, Martin.
18:34I just wanted to ask about you and Pacquiao
18:37because I think everyone talks about you on the pitch,
18:40but off the pitch, I was wondering how you guys are like.
18:42Do you remember the first time you met him
18:45and how has he changed since then?
18:48I think, yeah, all of us, we're getting older.
18:51So I think we're growing
18:54and learning more about everything,
18:57maturing, you know.
18:58But, yeah, we played together now for a long time,
19:02you know, in the same positions.
19:04And, yeah, we have a great connection on the pitch.
19:08Also off the pitch, we're good friends.
19:10And I think that's a lot of the players in the team,
19:13you know, they're really close off the pitch as well.
19:15And I think that helps us on the pitch
19:16to find those connections and to understand each other.
19:20And, yeah, Pacquiao, since I came here to now,
19:24how much he's grown, you know,
19:25he's become a leader in the team.
19:27And every game he's proving his qualities.
19:30So, yeah, just a pleasure to play with him
19:32and follow everything that he does.
19:35I was just wondering, when you were injured,
19:36he obviously took the captain's armband for a while.
19:38Did you have to talk to him about that much?
19:41Or was it quite natural?
19:43No, I think it was a natural thing for him.
19:44I think, as I said before,
19:45I think he's grown into a leader now in the team.
19:48And he can do that in his own way
19:51and in a very natural way.
19:52So, yeah, I didn't have to do anything special there,
19:57but I think he enjoyed it.
19:58And well deserved that he got the armband
20:01for a few games as well.
20:02Kaya?
20:03Hi, Martyn.
20:05That period where you've been injured,
20:06it was the first sort of, I can remember,
20:08the long-term-ish injury that you've had
20:10during your time at Arsenal.
20:11Yeah.
20:12I was wondering how you found it being away from the team.
20:14I know Mikel said you were quite close to the team,
20:15but how did you find it?
20:17Were you able to still be involved
20:18and keep motivating your teammates?
20:19Or did you feel you had to keep them at a distance?
20:21Yeah, I tried to do it as much as I could.
20:24Obviously, it's a bit different when you're not on the pitch.
20:27But yeah, I did everything I could from the sideline,
20:30in the dressing room.
20:32I was always there in the meetings,
20:34in the preparation for the games.
20:36And I tried to be around as much as possible
20:38than all the games I could go to, I went to, you know.
20:41So, but it's a different thing
20:44when you're not on the pitch.
20:46So, obviously, it was a bit frustrating,
20:48it was a bit hard.
20:48But yeah, it's a part of life,
20:51it's a part of your football career.
20:52Everyone will have an injury at some point.
20:54So, I think I just tried to deal with it
20:56in the best possible way
20:57and make sure I came back,
20:59come back stronger.
21:00And I feel like I've done that.
21:01So, it's okay.
21:03You mentioned coming back stronger.
21:04I mean, the way you've been able to come back
21:06immediately at the same level,
21:07or even better than teammates.
21:08Most players, it takes one or two games
21:10to get back up to speed,
21:11but you seem to have come at it straight away.
21:13How have you been able to do that?
21:14What's been your technique?
21:16I don't know, to be honest.
21:18I think I surprised myself a little bit as well,
21:20that I was able to play straight away
21:22in 90 minutes.
21:24And I could feel that on my body afterwards.
21:26So, I think it's just the hard work I've done
21:30every day here with the physios,
21:32medical team, fitness coaches,
21:34and myself, you know,
21:36I've been working really hard
21:37and putting in a lot of effort.
21:40So, yeah, I guess that's the answer.
21:42Hard work.
21:43Jordan.
21:44Hi, Martin.
21:45We spoke to Saliba last week
21:47about how he wants to go down in the club's history
21:50as one of the all-time great defenders.
21:53But he realises that to do that,
21:54he has to win one of the big trophies.
21:57Are you in the same mindset as a captain
21:58that you want to go down in history,
22:00but you know that to do that,
22:01you have to get over this hurdle,
22:03this barrier of winning
22:05either a Premier League or a Champions League?
22:07Yeah, I think obviously if you do that,
22:10then everyone will remember you
22:12because you write history.
22:13And I think that's the feeling
22:16from everyone in the squad and team.
22:19We want to do something really special.
22:20We want to win.
22:22We want to win everything, basically.
22:24So, yeah, that's the mindset of everyone.
22:27We want to win trophies.
22:28We want to win every time we play.
22:31Yeah, I think we all share that mindset.
22:32We just want to win
22:33and make sure that the trophies come to the club.
22:36And when you think of former captains
22:38like Javier or Tony Adams
22:40and now you as captain,
22:42is that pressure or is it inspiration
22:44or is it both?
22:46I would say more inspiration.
22:47I think to get the armband
22:50and then look at the history of the club,
22:51look at everyone who's been here as a captain
22:53and such a big, massive club.
22:56You know, growing up,
22:57I was always watching Premier League
22:58and I dreamt of playing here
23:00and now I'm captain.
23:02So I think that's just a massive inspiration
23:04and something that inspired me to do better
23:07and to improve all the time.
23:10Yes, Sam?
23:10Hi, Martin.
23:11You seem to be a leader by example
23:14rather than being a boisterous
23:15or outspoken character.
23:17From childhood and growing up,
23:19obviously your dad, I think,
23:20was your coach at one point as well as a kid.
23:23What kind of things have you took
23:24from your youth and childhood
23:26that might have influenced
23:27the way you are as a leader today?
23:30That's a deep question.
23:34Yeah, I don't know.
23:35I think, as you said,
23:37my dad was my coach
23:39and he was a football player before,
23:41so I always trained a lot with him.
23:44I think he always said to me
23:47that the way to do things
23:48was through hard work
23:49and I think my whole family
23:52helped me to stay humble
23:55and to always want more
23:56and always improve
23:58and not be too satisfied.
23:59So I think, yeah, I would maybe say
24:01that I was always pushing to get more
24:04and I wouldn't be satisfied
24:05if I played a good game.
24:06Then I wanted to do better the next one.
24:09And that's still a mindset I have today.
24:11So, yeah, maybe that.
24:13When you were 15,
24:14you were basically a child prodigy in Norway
24:16and then went to Real Madrid.
24:17In some ways,
24:18does that experience at such a young age
24:20influence how you are
24:21with the younger guys at Arsenal now?
24:24Yeah, I think so.
24:25I think, obviously,
24:27it was a big change for me
24:28to go to Madrid at 16 years old
24:30and I was still a baby
24:33when I look back now.
24:34So I think I just learned
24:37what it feels to be a young player
24:39in a senior squad
24:40and it's not always the most easy thing.
24:43So, yeah, that's something I keep in mind now
24:45when younger players are coming up to the first team
24:47and I know how they feel
24:48and then just try to help them
24:50as much as possible.
24:51And from an outside perspective,
24:53what's it like being a leader and a captain
24:55at such a big club at Arsenal?
24:56Because it's obviously a massive role
24:58and not only are you having to perform on the pitch,
25:00it's the off the field stuff as well.
25:02What's all that like as a package?
25:04Yeah, it's a lot.
25:06But it's something I really enjoy.
25:09Yeah, something I'm really, really proud of.
25:12And, yeah, just enjoying it.
25:15I think the main thing is on the pitch,
25:17but then outside the pitch
25:18you also have to do some things
25:19and be a bit more active in decisions and all that.
25:23But it's something I enjoy
25:24and, yeah, it's a really nice squad
25:27to be a captain for, so I enjoy it.
25:29Yeah.
25:30All right.
25:31Speaking of babies...
25:33How...
25:34Back to that topic.
25:35How has the last ten days been for you?
25:40It's been good.
25:41It's been a beautiful week,
25:43as I said before, I guess.
25:46Yeah, it's something you can't prepare for,
25:48but it's the most beautiful thing in life
25:50and, yeah, really proud and happy.
25:52You mentioned also Glenn,
25:54and it's almost two years ago now
25:55that he broke the internet by...
25:58In Norway, at least.
25:59In Norway, at least, yeah.
26:02How important has it been
26:04to get a person like that into your life?
26:06Yeah, she's been really important for me.
26:10As I said before, she's amazing
26:12and, yeah, she's really important.
26:14We're also speaking about upbringings
26:17and a lot of people here in England
26:19have been talking about giving compliments
26:21about the upbringing that you have gotten as well
26:23and what made you the person that you are today.
26:26How do you feel when you get compliments like that
26:29about the person that you have become?
26:32Yeah, I guess it's nice.
26:34Yeah, to be honest, I don't think too much about...
26:38I don't follow too much about what's in the press
26:40and social media and all that,
26:42but, yeah, it's nice.
26:45You mentioned that, you know,
26:47all of you are getting older in the team.
26:49You've just become a father.
26:51What do you see your role as in the team?
26:53Are you like an older brother to some of the players
26:56and the younger players that are coming through?
26:58Do you help guide them?
26:59Yeah, I think...
27:01I think we have quite a young squad,
27:04so at the moment I feel like
27:06I'm more experienced, more older guys,
27:08and that's something new to me,
27:11but something I enjoy.
27:13I feel like I've been through a lot,
27:15gained a lot of experience on the way,
27:17and now I'm just trying to use that
27:20in the best possible way to everyone around me.
27:23But we have more experience in the team as well,
27:26and they try to help,
27:27and we have a lot of leaders,
27:29so, yeah, we're just all trying to help each other
27:32to get better and push each other every day.
27:35You mentioned that you learned quite a few lessons last year
27:37in the Champions League.
27:38Is there one thing in particular that you can point to
27:41that you learned from it?
27:43Yeah, it's hard to point at one thing,
27:46but if you look at the last few games there
27:49when we went out,
27:51we didn't do well enough in the away game especially,
27:54and I think we showed last game
27:57that we're capable of doing that
27:59against a really good side now,
28:01so hopefully we've improved that.
28:03Last couple on this side for start of the season.
28:06A big question that all the fans ought to know,
28:08how are you sleeping?
28:10I'm sleeping good to be fair.
28:12As I said, my wife, she's really good,
28:14so I'm sleeping well.
28:16It was half-joking, but that does actually matter, right?
28:19The coaches do care and the physios do care,
28:21so do you have to change anything about your life around that?
28:24Obviously, I think your life changes a bit,
28:27but, yeah, we always knew
28:30that this was going to happen now for a while,
28:33and we've planned it in a good way,
28:35I get a lot of help and I do as much as I can,
28:39and I think we've found a good way to deal with things
28:42and it's working quite well.
28:44I wanted to ask you about your friendship with Kai as well,
28:47that you've both described each other
28:49as your best friends in football now.
28:51I was wondering how that started,
28:53did you know each other before last season as well?
28:56No, I didn't know him from before,
28:58from playing against him.
29:00But, yeah, I just had a good connection when he came in,
29:03he's a good guy, a funny guy and a good player,
29:07and I think always when new players come in
29:10I try to help them a bit,
29:12and, yeah, now we're good friends, so that's cool.
29:16You've both got this shared journey
29:18where you both played senior football very young,
29:21you're kind of older than your years would suggest,
29:24is that kind of a shared bond that you have?
29:27Am I making that up?
29:29Yeah, it can be.
29:31I think we've been through a lot of the same things,
29:34breaking through early, being at big clubs,
29:37and then leaving a big club.
29:39But, yeah, I guess it's just the connection you get with someone,
29:44and I think within this team you have so many great players,
29:49great people, we're all good friends,
29:51so I don't think there's anything special,
29:54but it's a good connection with everyone in the team,
29:57and I think that helps us on the pitch as well,
30:00so, yeah, it's a good thing.
30:02Hi, Martin.
30:03Since you've come back into the team,
30:05Arsenal are unbeaten, scored lots of goals in that time,
30:08lots of set-pieces, which I'm sure you've seen the talk about,
30:11but there's been a bit of debate
30:13about whether Arsenal are creating enough from open play.
30:16You're on the pitch, how does it feel?
30:18Does it feel like you're creating?
30:20Yeah, I think so.
30:21I think the last few games have been really, really good.
30:25The full-time game made me not the best in that way,
30:29but still we dominated the whole game,
30:31and it's just a few centimetres away from winning there in the end as well,
30:35but if you look at the games before that,
30:37we completely dominated, we scored a lot of goals,
30:40and created a lot of chances,
30:42so, yeah, I think we're doing well,
30:45and, yeah, we can still improve, we can still do better,
30:48and that's what we're trying to do.
30:50But, yeah, I think we're doing well.
30:53Just one, just away from the pitch,
30:55tomorrow is the FIFA Congress,
30:57and your federation are going to abstain from voting
31:01as they're critical of FIFA's process around the World Cup.
31:05I was just wondering, as captain,
31:06whether they've spoken to you or you have any thoughts on that?
31:09No, to be fair, I haven't spoken to them,
31:11and I've just seen something about it now after training,
31:14but, yeah, I think that's a question for them,
31:18them and not me at the moment,
31:20so, yeah, I don't have too much to say about it.
31:24Cool, we'll end it there. Thank you, guys.
31:26Thank you, guys.
31:27Cheers.