Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on transfers, the need for a striker, the challenge of Vitor Pereira's Wolves and the title race
London Colney, London, UK
London Colney, London, UK
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Good morning.
00:02How are you?
00:06Good morning.
00:08How are you?
00:10Good morning.
00:32Morning, everyone.
00:41Hope everyone's well.
00:43The camera's OK at the back.
00:45We'll kick off with the live section and then go into 10.30 tonight.
00:48So we'll go to Jamie from Sky.
00:50Thank you, Dan.
00:51Good morning, Mikel.
00:52Morning.
00:53If I could just start by asking about some players potentially returning from injury.
00:56Yeah.
00:57Lewis Skelly, Saliba, Ben White.
00:59Can you give us an update on those three?
01:01Yeah, with Miles there's nothing serious on the scan.
01:04So it will be a matter of...
01:06Yeah, today I have a meeting with the medical staff.
01:09We have a training session, whether it is too early or not.
01:12And we will do something similar as well.
01:15I think definitely be in for next week, this week, and let's see how it goes.
01:20And Ben White still...
01:21Still not available, no.
01:22Not available, but potentially Saliba and Lewis Skelly tomorrow.
01:25Yeah.
01:26Fantastic.
01:27Obviously there's so much noise outside about Arsenal needing to sign a forward,
01:32and I know it sounds like broken records when we ask you about that,
01:36but you clearly don't share that same sentiment.
01:39Do you think it is essential that you sign a forward,
01:42or would you be very happy with...
01:44Sorry, I don't share what?
01:46The same sentiment that you have to sign a forward this month.
01:49Or do you?
01:50Have I ever said no to a striker?
01:53No, but you don't feel it's a necessity, do you?
01:56How do you say that?
01:58Do you feel it's a necessity?
02:01I don't understand the question.
02:03I'm saying so many people outside the club
02:06seem to think that Arsenal have to sign a forward this month.
02:09So what is my opinion?
02:10Yes.
02:11That's what you're asking?
02:12Yes.
02:13OK, my opinion is clear.
02:14We lost two very, very important players, Bukayo Saka and Gabe Jesus.
02:18So we lack goals, we lack people, we lack options in the front line.
02:21It's clear.
02:22Yes.
02:23Yeah?
02:25If we can get the right player, that's what we are actively looking at.
02:29Any player, no.
02:30Someone that makes us better and has an impact on the team.
02:33It's clear that for the period that we lost them,
02:36ideally we need some help because we were very short already
02:40and we're even shorter.
02:41But the team still copes with that.
02:43But we have to do what is right for the club.
02:50That's an option because it doesn't depend on us.
02:53It doesn't depend just on Arsenal or Mikel or our will.
02:56It depends on the market and many other factors.
02:59And is there work going on at the moment?
03:01Have you identified targets?
03:02Yeah.
03:03Yeah.
03:04Obviously you're limited by the fact that you can't bring in a domestic loan.
03:08Would you consider the possibility of sending Neto or Sterling back
03:13to their parent clubs if a domestic loan...
03:15We're not thinking about it.
03:17That's not an option?
03:18We're not thinking about it.
03:21Obviously this weekend is a reverse of the opening day of the season.
03:26When you look at where Arsenal were there as opposed to where you are now,
03:30how do you think you've changed as a side since then?
03:33I think we are a much better side at the start of the season.
03:37Much better.
03:38In what sense?
03:39In every sense because we have evolved a lot as a team.
03:43We have some very important experiences.
03:46The way we have competed throughout the last six, seven months
03:48with everything that happened is outstanding, I think.
03:53Okay.
03:54Roger from Premier League.
03:55Hi, Mikel.
03:56Just on a similar theme, you played Wolves at the start of the season.
04:00A different manager has come in since then.
04:03Do you relish that challenge of facing a new manager?
04:07Well, he's been in now for a few weeks already so we already know.
04:12I know Vito very well from previous clubs as well.
04:14I know what his ideas are and it's very clear how he sets the team.
04:18I think he had a really good impact in the team
04:21and it will be a really tough match tomorrow
04:23because they are a really well-coached team.
04:26And especially there, they are a difficult side to beat.
04:29How do they differ under Pereira, the team that you faced at the start of the season earlier?
04:33Have you noticed a difference in the short time he's been in charge?
04:36Well, in regards first of all to the structure and the organisation that they use is different.
04:39They have certain very clear principles, what they want to achieve with and without the ball.
04:44As well as certain players that they are in different moments.
04:47At the start of the season they were in a certain moment, now they are in a different moment as well.
04:50So everything is important.
04:53They've lost three in a row and they've conceded three in each of those games.
04:57Do you sense that their priority may be just to be as compact and difficult to break down as possible
05:02rather than playing on the front foot but therefore obviously making it tougher for you guys?
05:06Well, they've done it differently, they've done it differently throughout matches.
05:10Regardless of the opposition and regardless of the results.
05:14So it tells a lot about their intentions as well.
05:17So we'll have to understand very quickly what kind of game they want to propose and what is good for us.
05:23One of the players that gets talked about there is Kunyu of course.
05:27He's been linked with several clubs including Arsenal as well.
05:30What is it about him, what threat does he pose or what sort of a danger would he be?
05:35You know, I prefer not to talk about an individual.
05:38I talk about the collective qualities that they have and they do have a lot.
05:42Recent games, the cup game, the Aston Villa game,
05:45you have said that the team probably hasn't got what it's deserved.
05:48It's dominated matches, created chances.
05:50Is there a danger that that sort of thinking can get to the players as well?
05:54They can think things aren't going our way, we're playing well but we're not doing as well.
05:58That's a fact. The thing is that we cannot feel sorry for ourselves.
06:02We have to raise our hands and there are certain elements, certain things,
06:05certain moments that we have to elevate those standards.
06:08So then those margins become huge and they are a reflection of actually what happened on the pitch.
06:17I know it's only been a couple of days since we saw you last,
06:20but have there been any further plans about the winter break?
06:23No, no further plans, not yet.
06:26I know you've been asked a lot about the striker and you said that it has to be right for the club.
06:31Does that factor in the summer window and the plans that you have long-term about potential new players?
06:37Well, everything has obviously.
06:39You have certain resources, the ability to recruit certain players,
06:44to develop certain players, to bring certain players for the academy.
06:47So everything, you know.
06:49In a positive note as well, we have two of our own players
06:53that probably nobody expected to have any participation this year
06:56and they had a lot and a very important one so far.
06:59So that's as well a big bonus.
07:04When you look at bringing in players,
07:07so let's say you want to bring in someone to help out because Bakayo Saka is injured,
07:12how difficult is it?
07:13Because that player knows that the minute Bakayo Saka comes back,
07:16Bakayo Saka is going to play.
07:19That's the theory, you know.
07:21We don't know for how long and how many games he can play.
07:24I think the context has changed a lot.
07:26The amount of games that we have, the intensity, the demands that we put in our players,
07:30it's just impossible to think that a player can sustain a position.
07:34It's not going to happen.
07:36We're all asking managers the same sort of questions at the moment regarding transfers
07:41because of a lot of injuries.
07:43Do you think at the end of the season, because of what's happened this year,
07:46you managers will get together and try and lobby for bigger squads in the future?
07:51Because it's clear that the 25-man squads at the moment aren't big enough
07:56for what you need them for.
07:58Yeah, but I think we cannot resolve that situation.
08:01I think that situation as well with the Premier League UEFA rules
08:05has to be adapted because the schedule is adapted in a really demanding way,
08:10but the constraints that the clubs have are more limited.
08:14That doesn't make a lot of sense to continue in the direction that we want,
08:18which is to watch the best football games that we want,
08:21to have players available for the players to extend their careers
08:24and maximise their potential, and for the show to continue.
08:28Finally, I don't want to put too much pressure on you,
08:31but I'm expecting your problems with goalscoring not to be a problem tomorrow.
08:35I looked into the stats and it's 46 years, so long before you were born,
08:40Arsenal didn't score against Wolves.
08:43They won 1-0 at Highbury, that's 1979.
08:47So I'm expecting lots of goals from your team tomorrow.
08:50I don't want you to feel under any pressure, but...
08:53Am I right?
08:54Yes, thank you for the stuff, but for tomorrow's games,
08:57that doesn't help us, unfortunately.
08:59You can put it up in the dressing room!
09:02Good.
09:04Simon from Standard.
09:08You've spoken a lot about what you're capable of doing, what you can do.
09:12If you get players out the door this month,
09:15is there a way to increase the capacity of what you can do,
09:18given some assurances that money coming in can be used?
09:21It's all about balance as well, depending on which player it is.
09:25If that player is a player that obviously gives us space,
09:28or is going to limit us again in a certain position.
09:31It all depends.
09:32The rules are quite tricky as well.
09:34It's not just what you bring or what you sell,
09:37it's actually what resources we have available after that.
09:40Can I ask you about Ben Wyatt?
09:42I know you said he's a bit short for this week.
09:45Very good.
09:49He hasn't trained with the team yet,
09:51but I think he's very close to doing that.
09:53He needs to still tick a few boxes in the next two or three days,
09:57and if that's all going well and smoothly,
09:59I think he will be with us pretty soon.
10:02Nick from HS at the back.
10:04Hi, Mikel.
10:05Hi.
10:06With so many games on top of each other,
10:08do you ever wish you could rotate yourself for a little bit of rest?
10:12Me?
10:13No, I'm OK.
10:14I'm OK.
10:15I don't have to run.
10:16It's very different, obviously,
10:18the psychological demands and everything that we want to achieve.
10:22Obviously, we put the bar really, really high,
10:27but it's what I love doing.
10:29I'm fine.
10:30Do you have to look after yourself?
10:32Do you have to get extra sleep or a special diet?
10:35Diet I'm doing good.
10:36With sleep, yeah, I can sleep a little bit more.
10:39So I will find the right time to do so.
10:41And just finally, talking about players going out,
10:43it looks like one of those players might be the youngster, Aiden Heaven.
10:46Are you disappointed to lose one of your own academy products?
10:51Yeah, I cannot talk about anything that is individual,
10:57and this is not my duty.
10:59OK, we'll stay at the back with Phil from PA.
11:01Hello.
11:02Just on the size of the race,
11:03obviously it will probably be nine points to give Liverpool a win there.
11:06How realistic do you think it is that Arsenal can catch Liverpool?
11:11I mean, the margins are really, really small.
11:13You can see how things could have gone last weekend,
11:16and the turning point are minimal,
11:19and the gap suddenly looks very different.
11:21We have to be at it.
11:23We have to do what is in our hands,
11:25and there's still a long, long way to go.
11:27Do you envisage at some stage they'll have a bit of a sticky patch?
11:30Obviously, they've been pretty good so far,
11:32but most teams at some stage go through a bit of a difficult spell.
11:37They normally do,
11:38so we have to be there, that's for sure.
11:41OK, Art Athetic.
11:42Hi, Mikel.
11:43A couple of January ago when Leo and Jorginho came in,
11:47you kind of mentioned the squad was ready to absorb players
11:50of maybe a bit of an older age profile.
11:53I was just wondering, is that still the case,
11:54or has that changed in terms of what the squad can absorb in Liverpool?
11:59Yes, it can, because I think you need to find the right chemistry
12:05and the right balance in the squad.
12:08That goes with age, that goes with personalities,
12:11that goes with characters, that goes with different skill sets
12:15to adapt to very different demands that the game can throw at us.
12:20So I think the squad is in a good place.
12:23And just with Leo and Martinelli,
12:25I think the past week has probably been very good for both of them.
12:28You had a good headache,
12:31and with those two I think they probably brought a lot more threat to the side.
12:36How have you felt the past few weeks?
12:39Yes, very happy, because I think they have made another step forward.
12:43They are impacting the game in a more powerful way,
12:47in a consistent way as well.
12:48Both of them playing off the left, playing off the right in the centre.
12:52So it's a great asset to have because they are really important,
12:57and the fact that both of them are now in a good moment
13:01I think gives the team a very good threat.
13:03James, ESPN.
13:04Hi, can I ask you about the market again?
13:07Yes, sure. Go ahead.
13:09After the Spurs win, Declan Wright interviewed you on TV.
13:13He said, I'm not surprised if we're going to do something in the market
13:16because we had to break you and turn you on in an unnatural position.
13:19Obviously the players don't call the shots,
13:21but have they talked to you and said,
13:24we feel we need another ball and we need someone else?
13:27Not like that, but I think we've all been there.