Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta reacts to their 3-0 win over Monaco in the UEFA Champions League which sees them firmly inside the top 8
Courtesy of UEFA
Emirates Stadium, London, UK
Courtesy of UEFA
Emirates Stadium, London, UK
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Thank you very much.
00:05Roger, I think a question will come to you, so we'll kick off with Simon from The Standard.
00:08Mikel, what was your reaction to that performance in the end?
00:12Well, very happy, obviously, with the win, with the clean sheet,
00:15with the fact that we had to change a few players,
00:18players that haven't played that much and they still performed really well
00:22and put us in a good position in the group.
00:25Just on Bakaya, I think everyone knew about his levels,
00:28his adaptation to the Champions League going up that level.
00:31Have you been at all surprised how quickly he's made his mark at this level?
00:34Well, he keeps surprising us, but that's what he wants to do,
00:38that's the quality he has, that's the ambition that he's acting
00:42and preparing himself every single day.
00:45So I'm not surprised, but it's very difficult to do what he's doing.
00:50You could feel the excitement from the fans watching,
00:53what did you make of his performance?
00:56Well, a really proud moment. He's one of our own, 18 years old,
00:59he makes his starting debut in the Champions League,
01:03and it's just a joy to watch him.
01:06It's a privilege to have the opportunity to give a chance to somebody
01:11to start to change his career, he certainly took the chance,
01:14and it's great that we can trust him, that he can play in this environment
01:19and at this level, and I was really happy with his performance.
01:22Hi, Miquel, a lot has been made of set pieces,
01:25but you didn't struggle to create chances at all tonight,
01:28a lot of chances, was it just the finishing that let you down there?
01:31Yeah, we should have obviously scored four or five in the first half,
01:34it wasn't the case, and then this is the Champions League,
01:36the level of opposition is really high.
01:38The way they play, they create quite a chaos,
01:42because there are so many players inside,
01:44and the moment that you are not very well organised or neat in position,
01:47the first two or three passes, you can struggle against them.
01:50But we won't overcome that situation, we scored the second one
01:52and after the game was in our control,
01:54I think the shops helped us as well in the right moments,
01:57so overall very positive.
01:59James, ESPN?
02:00Miquel, there was obviously a lot made the last couple of years
02:02that you didn't have a lot of experience in this competition,
02:04you didn't have players who played in it,
02:06you had Jesus, you had Tsenchenko...
02:08The manager that has never played in the Champions League.
02:11But do you feel established now in this competition?
02:15I think we are enjoying our run,
02:18and we keep learning, there is a lot of learning to take from this game,
02:22from the experience, learning from the team,
02:24and obviously we need much more,
02:27we need to go through certain moments,
02:30and I'm sure we will in the near future,
02:33but the fact that we can compete against any team,
02:36that's a positive thing to take,
02:38but understanding how difficult it is to do it consistently in this competition.
02:43Jordan, Sampdoria?
02:45Miquel, he's still only 23,
02:47but with Paco now, his numbers are up there
02:49with the likes of Harry Kane and Manassas Junior,
02:52is that who he's now on a level with?
02:55I know he still has a lot more to grow and develop,
02:57but is he now at that world-class stage?
03:00You have to be able to do that consistently throughout many years
03:03to put yourself in that position.
03:05What he's done at his age, obviously you can't really put it in brackets,
03:08because you can't compare what he's done in his first six years
03:11as a professional footballer, which is exceptional.
03:14And that's it, his aim is to improve,
03:16he has the players and the environment around to continue to do that,
03:20and I'm sure he will.
03:22You said recently with Mars, Lewis Scully had an infection in his foot,
03:25which is why he was out for a bit.
03:27On the basis of that performance,
03:28with all the injuries you've got in the back line,
03:30he surely states he's got a good shot at the look-back now, doesn't he?
03:34He's got, and he's been in contention.
03:37In pre-season, I think it opened our eyes to say,
03:40I'm ready, the same as Ethan.
03:43They feel comfortable in this environment,
03:45I think they can perform, they can compete,
03:47which is very important as well, not just play.
03:49And today he's shown that he's at the level.
03:54Hi, Mika.
03:55Just on Gabriel Jesus, just not going in for him just at this stage,
03:59is it a confidence thing, and what can you do to help him
04:03to maybe just get that goal and that confidence?
04:05Nothing, just to put him in front of goal like he's done today
04:08in a couple of occasions.
04:09And there are millimetres, only centimetres,
04:12the ball goes in or in.
04:14He was there, he looks really alive,
04:16he had created the first goal, having a great move, and that's him.
04:20So we have him, we have him back, he's with us,
04:23and I'm sure he will contribute to the team.
04:26OK, last couple, we'll go to Kai.
04:27Hi, Mika.
04:28I'm just wondering, with the lack of clinical edge
04:30in terms of taking the chances,
04:32is there anything you as a coach can do?
04:34Because obviously you work hard to get them in the positions
04:36where they're in front of goal and take them,
04:38but is there anything you personally can do to help them finish?
04:40Well, sure.
04:41We have a massive responsibility.
04:43I cannot kick the ball, but we can coach them, we can teach them.
04:46Sometimes they have to take a step back as well,
04:48and it's a decision they have to take.
04:50They cannot be thinking what they have to do,
04:52what we've told them as well.
04:54We try to provide the right information, right tools,
04:56so they can understand the defence, they can understand the keeper,
04:59a lot of things that we work on.
05:01And after that is their execution.
05:03It's a difficult thing to do in football,
05:05but we have a lot of talent to deliver that.
05:07And finally, to Amy from there.
05:09Hi, Miguel.
05:11Quite a long time ago, when we were talking about Rakaio,
05:14you said a lot of people were saying,
05:16we have to protect him, we have to look after him when they're very young.
05:19And you said, look at the best players,
05:21they're playing every three days, they've got to play 60, 70 games a season,
05:24and that's the level you have to do.
05:26That he's doing that now, how important is it,
05:29not just for him but as an example to the other players
05:31coming through, the young players,
05:33what you have to give to get out what he gets out?
05:36Well, I think that's been an evolution.
05:38He wasn't able to do that at 17 or 18 or 19,
05:41but a year or two ago, because he's developed in the right way,
05:45mentally, physically, his condition, his preparation.
05:48Now he's got the habit to play every three days
05:51and he's consistently doing it at the highest level.
05:53I think he's continued to do that for the youngest players
05:56and for the old ones and for all of us.
05:58He's a great example because how he behaves daily
06:01and because what he wants to do with us
06:03is try to have his best version every day
06:05and continue to improve, that's it.