Mikel Arteta has thanked Sokratis for his contribution to the club and his understanding at his exclusion from the squad this season.
The Greek international left Arsenal yesterday having been omitted from the Premier League and Europa League lists, and ahead of the FA Cup clash with Southampton on Saturday, the manager wished him well.
“First of all I want to thank him because he is such a professional and great person to work with,” said Arteta.
“It’s a shame because this season we have a lot of central defenders, we are overloaded with foreign players and I had to make a decision.
“It was a tough one and to be fair he took it really, really well, he has always been really supportive and helpful, so from the bottom of my heart I wish him the best.
“It has been a pleasure to work with him and I wish the best for him and his family in the next chapter.”
The defender is expected to announce his new club shortly.
Meanwhile, there has yet to be confirmation of Mesut Ozil’s move to Fenerbahce, primarily because of quarantine rules which the German has to abide by having travelled from London earlier this week.
It’s fully expected to be completed as soon as he has completed that period of isolation, and Arteta was keen to acknowledge his contribution to the club, while insisting he has to take the team in a different direction now.
“He is a great footballer,” he said. “A really talented footballer.
“A player who has done a lot for the football club but at the moment I want to take the team in a different direction.
“If we were to have more options, then maybe he was part of some plans – he was part of some plans at the start, and he wasn’t at the end.”
Pressed on what direction he meant, the manager continued, “Arsenal has to challenge for every trophy, and every game has to be won.
“That is the standard, and the level and the history related to us. I want to do that in a way that our DNA shows, which is using a lot of talent, young talent as well, using players from our academy and building something different.
“In the last few seasons we have so many different issues not to achieve what we want and in my opinion there were things that have to be changed and slowly, to build something, you have to change some pieces and we are in that process.”
I do find myself reading Arteta’s words not once, not twice, but six times sometimes and still end up no wiser to what he is going on about.
I’m generous enough to assume he knows what he means and I just leave it there.
When the Seagulls follow the trawler it can be an indication that little fishes are in their dishes, or something…
Arteta needs to show more respect to people who listen to him. Can’t he say: there were things outside football or related to the values of the club for which he was excluded but I do not want to elaborate on that?
Remember? Wenger did not want to play Podolski anymore but the reason was clear. Podolski doesn’t help the team defend.
I would encourage people to watch the full press conference, context is key. https://youtu.be/U8fVmO1_8kk
Frankly, I commend his patience to deal with some fucking stupid questions and disrespectful comments.
Mikel makes sense to me. He’s a strong-willed guy who’s resolved to be as innocently honest and innocently direct as possible every time . Don’t think his words too deep, take it on a platter!
Trust in the process I guess. See where it leads. COYG
Here we go again…..
Ozil is terrible !
Or
Arteta is terrible !
Don’t dare come on here with anything nuanced between those two extremes or you will be dismissed as a lunatic.
And you sir have entered the knockout stages for the win the internet for the day tournament. Well done!
With every word he’s pointing in the “Özil hasn’t been doing enough” direction. As Emery did. And even Wenger knew that but had the feeling he gets enough out of him to make up for that. That was one of the reasons Wenger wasn’t that successful at the end. Because the game’s changed and you can’t have any passengers anymore. And the weaknesses is Mesut’s game were always there to see for eveybody. That’s why I don’t understand all this ”whatever happened between Özil and Arteta” stuff. Nothing happened. He just thinks Özil isn’t capable of doing what he expects… Read more »
Ozil did not want to accept 12% with the huge salary he had. Personally, I support the club on this. With Emery, Ozil used to say he works hard on the pitch to justify himself. With Arteta he talks about pay cut and the right to his political opinions.
Did he really say that or did you pull that out of your arse?
I think this is pretty clearly wrong. It’s an injustice to Arteta’s knowledge of football to think he doesn’t believe Ozil, even assuming he is a player in decline, would have been a better choice for at least some prem matches. Arteta played him regularly when he first arrived; he was at least as good as everyone else who played (I think he was much better than that, but that doesn’t matter for what I’m saying). Then he never played again. As I’ve said before, I think it is, in broad terms, something like this: Ozil’s refusal to take a… Read more »
Thats your opinion but we’ve rarely missed a player as much as we did Ozil, or Smith Rowe has he been fit, before Christmas. It needs explaining if you subscribe to the football reasons explanation
I missed Özil most when he played.
Where is the mole question?
Has Andrew & team deliberately evaded that topic in here?
Care to elaborate?
Dancing around the question as usual. This guy is a terrible man manager and I’m not confident we can improve under him.
Dude has gotten more support than Emery ever did yet you can barely tell the difference.
Because you chose not to see the difference (even if it stares you in the eyes). Your choice and your right though.
Wow, there are some dumb hot takes in these comments, but this one’s a keeper. How was Emery at winning away from home and keeping clean sheets? Conceding double digit shots every single game when the opposition had 35-40% possession? Playing out from the back? The team literally looked clueless under Emery, like they had *no idea* what they were doing. You can see what Areta’s building, but the fact is: he has a lot of mediocre players in the squad. Arteta’s made them more than respectable on defense with virtually the same back line. He’s actually instituted a press… Read more »
You think you are clever buddy… everyone has there view in life that might not suit you… Let’s talk facts here Emery had a shit squad on his disposable than Arteta = FACT ! Emery finished 5th in his 1st season… Arteta ( tbc ) 10th as present… Emery has had 55% winning ratio.. Arteta on 51% winning ratio… You talking about what Arteta is building, I have not seen that yet ( my opinion ) The team still does not have a identity as of yet… The teams we have beaten for the 4-5 games that should be the… Read more »
It basically means Ozil was pulling the other direction.
Or simply stuck in the old school style and simply incapable of improvising to the new/current ways of playing the game in this team.
This is the ridiculous “modern football has no place for a number 10” argument. For fuck’s sake, please don’t tell Emile Smith Rowe.
Modern football has no room for “lazy, pathetic leeches, hence why Ozil will be “playing” (barring injuries playing fortnite) in a sh*t league for the foreseeable future.
If Ozil is lazy, then how did he become such a highly talented footballer?!
I think you’ll find that YOU are a lazy, pathetic leech.
You’re lazy because you can’t be bothered to think and come up with an educated opinion, so you just rely on what the media tells you, and then jump on the associated bandwagon.
You’re a leech because you exist but offer nothing to humanity, yet still use up a share of land, air, and other resources.
Can you really not see the stark differences between the ways Ozil and ESR play (presumptively) the same position?? Couldn’t care less about “modern football” having a place for a traditional number 10 role, but ESR’s version fits much better than Ozil’s in the current Arsenal setup.
Jesus Christ. 8 hours without scoring from open play while the likes of Willock (no offence to him) had to moonlight as a no.10. I’m beginning to think I imagined it
Emile smith rowe can actually win the ball back instead of pressing in a way that doesn’t involve tackling
I certainly didn’t see the players pulling in his direction during our dismal run when Arteta had to comfort himself with imaginary winning odds.
Fight
What direction is that… ‘ Arsenal has to challenge for every trophy, and win every game ‘ .
So, Ozil & Sok didnt want to challenge for every trophy and win games ???
This dude or so called coach… his man Management is shit !!!
You really don’t see what he’s saying between those lines? Seriously?
No not really mate… because both players has left now & if he has the balls, come out & say it as it is… No need to go round the bush !!!
That’s not professional to say even if they have left. Good man management is thanking them, as the current players who remain can see, and will know, that they may one day too walk out the same door, and would hope to be able to do it on good terms with the club and manager.
Remember, you can buy trophies but you can’t buy class.
He is a such a class manager that he crucified ‘ Pepe ‘ on national TV after his red card…. but did not do it to Xhaka or putting Willian back in the 11 straight after he went to Dubai…
Great Class & Man Management…
Why cut your nose to spite your face? He’s learning on the job.
Arsenal Football Club is not the place to learn your job !!!!
🤔🤣
Reading between the lines, I think he’s saying that Ozil wasn’t working hard enough and there’s no room at the club with players that aren’t 100% committed to every game.
Just my thoughts
Just for interest,is the pay cut stuff under footballing or non football reasons?anyone.
To be sincere here, Arteta is lost of what to say, all the best to Papa and Mesut
‘we didn’t get to finish this crazy journey we started with Arsenal’ Arsebl*g exclusive interview with Papastathopoulos and Mesut
Can he stop using “DNA” please?
Always surprised Arteta was not able to bring Sokratis round.
He was quite the competitor (aside from penalty box fondling and molesting players getting too close)
Hope he finds a decent club.
Terminating contract should help.
Sokratis understands his exclusion… you mean he understands why our EL squad has to have 5 keepers?
This is reading between the lines so of little value, but it was interesting that after 8 hours without scoring from open play, “football reasons” became club and football reasons.