Having started off a bit grouchy in the first half of his pre-Villa press conference, Mikel Arteta lightened up towards the end, sharing a few jokes with the assembled media.
The manager addressed questions on Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz, and Big Gabi, advised Bukayo Saka to take a holiday, and once again urged the crowd to create a lively atmosphere on Saturday night.
On Raheem Sterling’s recent performances…
Yeah, for sure we can get a lot from Rash. We are getting much more than we used to get [from him] a few weeks back. Obviously, his involvement has been much higher and he’s going to be capital. Now he’s got more rhythm and more minutes, he had an injury that he’s coming back from, but, overall, I think he can give us a lot.
On Gabriel Magalhaes’ being a serious goal threat…
At the present time, very much. When you look at his numbers and the type of goals and the occasions when he has scored the goals, they are very important goals as well. He will be right up there.
On whether he’s been given assurances that spending in January won’t affect his summer budget…
Assurances in this industry, I think that nobody can give you because it’s related to performance, what we achieve, how we finish the season. A lot of things. It’s clear that it’s not easy, and I think that’s probably the most difficult part because a player that is injured at the end, what can you do? He has no value, he cannot perform, so it’s a really difficult scenario. On top of that, you have to add somebody else on, so it’s not easy.
On discussing internally the balance between buying now and the summer…
Yeah, for sure. We never plan a window. We have a plan, we look at the squad, how we’re going to evolve it, what is in the academy, how we’re going to change it and adapt things. And from there, then you go. Because from what you plan, actually, and the picture that we have today [either] we are really bad at planning or nobody could see that we were going to have that many injuries. So you’re going to have to adapt whatever the plan is as well.
On whether the January window is as simple as having the money to spend…
I don’t think so. Obviously, it’s a factor, because at the end, when you want to recruit a player and the player wants to come, you have to agree to a certain fee. But that player has to be available. It [has to be] a player that we believe can be the solution, short and medium and long term. And we have to be able to afford it. It’s not easy.
On January signings needinb to hit the ground running and whether that’s a factor in recruitment…
For sure. With every player, you have to understand the context as well. So which player do you bring? What are the expectations? How is this player going to fit in on that door when everybody’s asking, OK, we need to sign that kind of player? And then how do you deal with that? That’s always a big thing.
On Kai Havertz’s morale at the moment…
It’s a joy to work with him, honestly. I wish that you could spend some time with him and the players around him and the people around him. That’s why we all love him. Because he just looks forward, he takes it in the chin, he works harder, and he tries again. [For] him and anybody else, in football, what you’ve done today or three weeks ago, it doesn’t matter. It’s about, OK, now against Aston Villa, what we can produce. We’re going to be judges on that, that’s it. So let’s look forward to that.
Best to watch this next bit as it’s funny… [3 mins 50 seconds onwards]
On reminding the crowd of the need for a big atmosphere…
Hopefully not. Hopefully, that [the NLD] is the standard and we maintain it and we go from there to better.
On whether they are aware of this…
I don’t know. They have to watch the press conference! It would be difficult for me shouting and lifting my arms, what else can I do? I will try my best.
On Bukayo Saka having his blessing to go on holiday while he recovers from injury…
Yeah, yeah, he needs to. He’s obligated to go. Yes. With his girlfriend, with his family, that he can choose, on his own, but he needs to get away for a few days and refresh. He can still do a lot of things on the rehab because it’s the perfect stage right now, but I think it’s going to make him really good.
On whether he’s keen to stay close to the team at a vital point of the season…
Yeah, but he is and he’s been every single day there. But there is a moment, especially when we plan and we’re going to be away for a few days, that he needs to do that. That’s very important for him as well and we need to look after our players.
On Saka sending him a postcard…
Yeah, a nice picture or present or something!
I wouldn’t mind a postcard from Saka.
“Do the fans know they need to make noise?”
Bless Arteta for keeping his patience through the most utterly daft questions any human has to answer.
It baffles me how banal some questions can be.