Arteta on ‘heavenly’ Odegaard, winning in any context, his motivational methods & more

Ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League match with Girona, Mikel Arteta sat down with Mundo Deportivo for a wide-ranging interview that reviewed his time in charge at Arsenal, his motivational methods, his hopes for the future, and why he loves Martin Odegaard so much.

Here’s a transcript…

On the new Champions League format…

Above all, it’s more work because there are more rivals and they are all different.  We have had to put in more hours and dedicate ourselves to finding out who our opponent is only once, which normally in the Champions League you have the advantage of playing them twice. From there, we are happy with how the phase has gone. We still have to finish it off against a side [Girona] that will definitely be very difficult. But, in general terms, we are happy with what we have done and hopefully, we will qualify [in the top eight] because it is a priority issue for the club that we’ve had for many years now. 

On where Arsenal are in his five-year process…

At this club, aspiring to win the big titles is non-negotiable. With the stability that the team is showing in terms of performance, in other normal circumstances we should have some big titles in our hands, but the reality is that we don’t. So, we are missing something and that is where we have to find that margin to be able to do what we all want, which is to take another step forward and win the big titles.

On the importance of how Arsenal win, the side’s stylistic evolution and suggestions of a reliance on set pieces…

For me, a lot, because the ‘how’ will change. In the end, the contexts we are going to face in this league are totally different every three days. My obsession is to win in any context, to dominate every phase of the game, every context and for the team to feel comfortable doing that because there are times when opponents lead you to chaos. In the end, having resources for everything, that is my obsession. Giving the players tools so that they feel comfortable and, obviously, having a very clear idea of ​​what we want to do, which is to subdue and dominate the rival in their area for as long as possible and never be satisfied regardless of whether we are winning by one, two or three goals. That is the mentality of the team.  

On talk of Guardiola’s preferred style of play being superseded by new styles…

Football belongs to the players. For me the scheme is a pattern, a moment in which something begins, but the development of those patterns, those intentions, is dictated by the players and then by the opponent in relation to how they behave. For me, after so many years, with everything they [City] have done and what they continue to do, simply because of the [recent] results, because of who is available, it seems a bit exaggerated, but it is a personal opinion.

On needing new signings this month and what his wishlist includes…

That all my players are healthy is the only one. It’s not that I have asked, they [the club] have given me the opportunity to see if it would help us to have some reinforcements and I believe that, in each window, the team has to try to improve, evolve. The first thing we do is look internally. Everything that I can do better is a question of numbers. We started the season with a very low number of players and, unfortunately, we have had many injuries, some very important ones as well, and if we can give oxygen to the team, perfect, and if not, as until now, we will get by with what we have.

On football’s direction of travel and where he sees himself in the short and medium term…

I think that the evolution of football will be closely linked to future rules. First, in terms of the strict sporting regulations, to see if there are any important regulatory changes that will have to be adapted in terms of play and tactics. And then, the financial part. For example, the Premier League and UEFA [rules] are very different and, with the number of games there are, that will limit us a lot: how many players we can have and in what number and in what quality. I think that these are going to be two things that will greatly condition the way we play and the squads. And, as for my future, I am happy, and extremely grateful. I am really enjoying the experience, the challenge, and I see the future here winning titles. That is what I would like.

On how he keeps his players motivated and on their toes…

For me, the first thing is that they have fun. I think that if I lead a group of players and with the luck that we have of dedicating ourselves to what we love, and we don’t have fun, I should dedicate myself to something else. Then I have to inject competitive blood into their veins because in the end, we are here to win. And the third thing is that they have a feeling that goes beyond what they do, a feeling of belonging to where they are and that they take great care of that. There will be moments or some very specific contexts in which they need it because they are coming from a difficult moment, but it is more about creating a context to inspire them. That every day they come and feel that they can improve, evolve, that something new is coming. That they feel what they do is the most important thing for me.

On Martin Odegaard’s room for improvement and whether the side are overly reliant on him…

One thing is aesthetics and another thing is practice. On an aesthetic level, replacing Martin, how he moves, how he associates, if we want to do the same with another [player], it’s not going to happen. So, we have to adapt and be different in that. I put him on a pedestal. First, as a person, because he is absolutely heavenly: how he takes care of himself, how he takes care of others, how he behaves on a day-to-day basis. He loves to play football and we share an idea of ​​how we want to do it. For me, he is an absolute leader in that. His evolution is there: before he played far from the penalty area. I brought him closer to the box and now he likes the box. The next thing is that he loves the box so much that, every time he steps in it, he feels it. And the day he does that, like when he scored 15 goals in the Premier League, he will be able to do it every year, because he has the ability for it.

On how his side defends with such aggression and intensity… 

It is closely related to what I said about Martin, that they feel it, that they love defending. And then, I have to convince them that defending in such an aggressive way will ultimately lead to less effort and us playing closer to the game we want. It is difficult to instill that, because they are habits. It is a question of being with the stick all day, rewarding it, valuing it…and having eleven players connected all the time. Otherwise, we will have to be the best in the world at running backwards.

On things not going well for Guardiola this season…

Everyone knows how much I love him, how grateful I am for the opportunity he gave me, for the relationship we have. We have known each other for many years. There is the competitive part, obviously, but I wish him well from the bottom of my heart, he already knows that. And, in the end, this is football and it changes very quickly. And, obviously, when you have set the bar so high, it cannot go any higher. So, either you maintain it, or people will judge that you are going backwards.