After a couple of days off to celebrate Christmas, Mikel Arteta was back at London Colney on Wednesday to face the media as Arsenal gear up for tomorrow’s match with West Ham at Emirates Stadium.
Here’s what the boss had to say about the challenge lying in wait…
On whether he had a nice Christmas…
Very good, thank you. It’s a beautiful time of the year, especially when you have kids and they still have this magic feeling about it. We had the opportunity this year because of the schedule to have some time off as well and to enjoy that period in a different way.
On injuries, specifically Partey and Tomiyasu…
Nothing has changed yet. With those two, we’re not going to have them available, unfortunately, yet. And then we have the suspension of Kai [Havertz], so I think it’s five players missing the squad. We’re a bit short, but the team has been doing well and we still have a lot of players very willing to play.
On whether Partey and Tomiyasu will be available before they leave on international duty…
There is a chance, yes, but we have to see. They haven’t trained with the team yet, so they’re still far away from that, but hopefully, they can evolve in the right way.
On when the duo might leave for international duty…
There is a chance, yes, but we have to see. They haven’t trained with the team yet, so they’re still far away from that, but hopefully, they can evolve in the right way.
On whether Arsenal are more confident this year compared to last…
It feels similar. It’s always a really good feeling to have the chance to be at the top of the Premier League with an understanding of how competitive it is and that it is more competitive than last year and more difficult than last year. Tomorrow we’re going to have a really difficult opponent in front of us and we’re going to have to be at our best.
On the importance of the January transfer window…
That’s a different matter. We are just focusing on the game of tomorrow, the importance of that one, the importance of Fulham, the importance of the FA Cup [against Liverpool] and then we’ll have a little break there to think and assess the options that we had and how we can be better.
On the challenge posed by West Ham…
Very difficult. They are a really good side, really well coached, it’s incredible the success that they had last year and the position that they are again this season. They’re showing a lot of consistency. You see their games; they’ve beaten Sp*rs, they’ve beaten Manchester United, so that tells you everything about the difficulty of the game and tomorrow that we’re going to have to be really, really good.
On Odegaard being more involved in Arsenal’s build-up…
There are certain games that require certain things from certain players and we have used Martin to accommodate the needs that the team had against certain behaviours and certain challenges that the opponent puts us to make us better and that’s a big quality of his. You have mentioned as well the defensive part, which is really impressive, and I’m really happy with that because it’s a part of the game that we want to transform and keep evolving.
On how Martinelli can improve in front of goal…
Being open, first. Working hard and practising the situation in the game as much as possible and then having the courage to do it time and time and time again. He’s one of the best in the world at that.
On his message to the fans ahead of three consecutive London derbies in the league…
First of all, thank you for everything that they’ve done throughout the year and the way they have supported and inspired the team. And for tomorrow, please go to that stadium and get it rocking, get behind the team, inspire them again and the team is going to try to do everything that we can to get them out of their seats. It’s going to be the last game of the year in front of them so it’s going to be a special moment. Let’s make it beautiful.
On whether Arsenal have learnt a lesson from last season…
I hope so, but we have to prove it every day. And the competition, it’s incredible this season, how difficult it is to win every single game, you can see the results and how surprised you get every time you see the scores on your app sometimes. It’s the beauty of this league, that tomorrow you’re going to have to be so good again to beat West Ham and the next day to go to Fulham is going to be so tough. That’s the demands, and that’s where we are.
On David Moyes not getting the plaudits he deserves…
When you look at managers in this league who have managed for so long, they’ve been more successful than him, it’s not easy. How long in the teams that he’s done it as well and how he’s done it. Obviously, I know him and I love him a lot and I’m so grateful for everything that he did for me and the times that we had together but I think he’s an outstanding manager and he does it in a way that in my opinion is very, very special without making too much noise. What he has accomplished again at West Ham I think is remarkable.
On being the seventh longest-serving manager in England…
I’m getting old, I think. I’m surprised, but as well, it tells you a lot, you know, how difficult this job is, and to keep in the job, and the amount of clubs that are changing managers. Four years, before that number would probably have been very different, it is what it is, it’s the context we live in and let’s keep going.
On why Martinelli’s numbers vary a lot from Premier League to Champions League…
Difficult to put something into it, sometimes decision making, sometimes scoring, hitting the post, missing a chance, receiving a ball to score, they’re details. He’s really trying, he’s a massive threat for us and everything that he generates, not only with the ball, without the ball as well. The amount of time that he’s threatening the back line, the pressure that he puts on that back line. He’s a key player for us and things will happen again.
On whether he’s struggling with confidence…
I think confidence is not a problem for Gabi. Sometimes the efficiency or putting the breaks down and lifting your head up and making that decision, for everybody is the most difficult thing to do. Finding that composure and timing inside the box, but certainly lack of confidence or trying is not going to be an issue for him.
On not being in a position to let players leave in January…
At the moment it’s very difficult. We are really short, we have positions that we’ve been very exposed for the last six weeks and hopefully, we’re gonna get players back. In what condition and when, that’s a question mark, and as well because we have some long-term injuries still for certain players that give us a lot of versatility and that’s an issue.
On having the ability to pivot in the transfer market…
Yeah, we have certain targets, ideas. If things happen, we don’t know how the squad is going to look in two weeks’ time. You have to be always prepared for that. It’s a very, very tricky market that shifts very quickly and it’s quite unpredictable as well. You have to be prepared. We’ll be prepared and we’ll try to make the right calls.
On wishing to be active in January…
If there is something that we feel can improve the squad and needs appear, and we can fulfil it with players here, we’re always going to be open to that because we want to be stronger.
On how Arsenal stop West Ham’s counter-attacks…
Yeah, they are. When they have open spaces they come out really well. They attack in certain areas and it’s very tricky to control them. It’s obviously the areas where you give the ball away that are critical because that obviously puts them in a good starting position. We’ll try to nullify their strengths – they have many others as well and we’ll try to play to our strengths.
ESR is coming to town.
I reckon it’ll be Trossard, thought he was impressive when he came on at Anfield.
Don’t let him take a corner🤐
Can people please stop picking on Martinelli!
The front three have all been poor recently: Jesus and Saka have to share the blame too. But the transfer window is open in a few days: time to do some business!!
West Ham a must-win game now: I fancy us to do them 3-1
Hot streak overdue. It’s going to be devastating.
End product or not, Martinelli is constantly stretching space open for our entire attack, wearying defenders, forcing turnovers, and pulling the oppo midfielders into less promising spaces for their attacks. He’s a black hole for the opponent. He will get his numbers eventually but all the time he is an important piece of the puzzle.
Every time out, 100% effort 100% of the time, from Marti.
Goals and assists will come.
Agree, he can’t take all the blame. Saka and Jesus were equally poor against Liverpoop.
Personally don’t think they were equally poor, in fact I think both managed to make decent chances for the other. However, you can’t fault Martinelli’s effort. If he keeps trying as hard as he currently is, the end product will come.
“Can people please stop picking on Martinelli!”
*goes on to pick on not just Martinelli but also Saka and Jesus*
Thing is, Martinelli need to improve/learn to cut-in on the inside effectively. All the best wide players can cut-in and shoot. May be he can try and slow down a little while performing some actions. Opponents know his weakness and prepare accordingly. The rest, as the boss pointed out, look up and scan the pitch more. Good thing is, he’s young and hard working. Once he masters his inside game, he’ll be opening up a whole new avenue for goals and assists.
This will not be an easy game! We have to be at the top of our game to get the 3 points. One mistake we made last season against Liverpool and West Ham, this season against Liverpool again is we got an early lead and we took our foot off the gas. Idk why we sit deep and invite pressure when we have a lead with so much time left. I understand if the game is at the 70 min mark and we protect what we have, but if you invite pressure it will cost you and all 3 games… Read more »
Wonder if Arsene will be at the stadium tomorrow with it being Christmas week. Would love to see it.
Have an uneasy feeling about this one, they’re a really good side this year and this feels like it might be another one of those tough derby draws… hope I’m wrong and Odegaard finalls smashes one into the top corner from outside the box, starting to miss his beautiful bending screamers. Or a throughball to Martinelli for a chipped finish innit
Wow, the boss really didn’t like the question about when Partey and Tomi leave for intl duty. To give the same answer verbatim is slightly unhinged but have to admire it.
A tricky one tomorrow, W Ham are joint 3rd with us on form table (last 6 games), their success seems to be playing compact/defensive (riding their luck at times)for 60+ minutes to keep themselves in the game then hitting on the break, like Fulham if we get goals early their belief will go south, I’d have Tross a starter for this one..
“You see their games; they’ve beaten Sp*rs, they’ve beaten Manchester United, so that tells you everything about the difficulty of the game and tomorrow….” Troll in there somewhere … 🙂
After”On whether Partey and Tomiyasu will be available before they leave on international duty…”
A paragraph comes twice.