In the second half of his pre-Sp*rs press conference, Mikel Arteta was quizzed on his squad’s reaction to last season’s defeat at White Hart Lane, whether he cares about his reputation and timewasting.
Here’s what he had to say…
On his players being driven by the disappointment of the defeat to Sp*rs…
It was a very difficult day, especially with the way the game developed and what actually happened in the game. Obviously, you learn a lot from difficult moments, we certainly did. Whether it is directly attached to a change of behaviour or the team performing better, I think there are many factors to that. Hopefully, we’ve learned some lessons from that day and we stil have something there for Sunday.
On his players deserving credit for bouncing back this season…
I think the players and the staff and everybody at the club deserves a lot of credit for the way they have behaved in difficult moments. In good moments, everybody wants to be on board. In difficult moments, you see people looking at each other and blaming each other and it’s not been the case. And then credit as well for what they [the players] are doing right now because for the youngest team in this league to be doing what they are doing right now, you have to be doing something special and that’s a credit to them.
On whether he cares about his reputation and the way the players are perceived…
I care a lot about the reputation of the club, especially. Mine, I cannot control. I am who I am. I try to do my best to defend the players, to defend the club and if that comes down with certain people that they won’t like it. For sure, if everybody would like it, it wouldn’t be very good, I think. It’s not that I don’t care but I care a lot more especially when I am doing my job when I am sitting at home I care about what my wife thinks and what people think but you don’t see that. In public, I care a lot about what we can do that is the best for the club and the best [way] to defend the players and this is my role as well.”
On whether Arsenal were suckered in by Sp*rs in May and if his players need to learn from that…
We can control what we can control. There are certain decisions we’re not able to control and that will happen again on Sunday. I agree that we have to control what we can control and there are certain things that we can do better.
On Arsenal being better equipped to compartmentalise disappointment this season…
That’s what big teams do – by the next one, it’s over. You can draw and lose and it can be very different circumstances, you haven’t played well, the opponent was better than you, wrong decisions, you didn’t finalise the action the way you should, or someone makes an error…but the next game, it has to be over. Hopefully, we have learned and we will try to do that but in this league, there are no guarantees because the next game is going to be competitive and the next one, so you have to earn it.
On whether he’s changed what he says before big games…
I think we prepare every game differently and certainly, I don’t direct it to individuals in a certain way. Collectively, the messages are always different in relation to what is important to win the game.
On it being necessary not to be nice on the pitch…
Obviously, we have to defend ourselves and leave the game with the passion the game deserves and the club deserves and we need to be competitive, that’s for sure, within the law and respecting all the time, the opponent and the referees.
On the ball not being in play that long during some matches…
We have all the data in the world now so it’s clear that the intention is to play as much as possible for the show and the quality of the event, I think it’s the best thing to do. Whoever is in charge of that they will make the right calls, like we’ve made with the multi-ball system, for example, to make the game faster and have as much as possible, the game flowing.
On whether there’s an issue with some teams slowing things down…
There are some games more than others but they can easily be modified. That’s one of the aims in the game, you’ve seen in the World Cup what they’ve done [with adding on time], it’s a simple thing to do. Iif that [timewasiting] goes borderline to an area where it’s not good for the Premier League, I’m sure they will get some things done.
I like the media attack on him and our players. Had we been utter shit they wouldn’t have been bothered, their noise and whinging is proof positive that people are running scared.
I like their noise. I love their irritation. Fuckin lurve it!
Wait until they don’t cheat us out of the points in the next 2 games before loving it too much.
The tools at the Mirror despise us.
I agree, at our standing I’d way rather have negative attacks on the club than piled pressure & compliments on us attempting to win the league. Let this spur us on to finally get the long awaited away win against spurs, when was the last?
Exactly
The last away win I can remember was when Walcott was stretchered off sticking a cheeky three fingers up in the air.
Haha how could I forget!
Wasn’t that at the Carpet? Our last win there in the League is the one in 2014 when Rosicky scored after a minute with a flukey Ox assist
Simple solution to timewasting…. just reverse the decision. If its a throw, it goes to the other team and if its a keeper taking an age over a goal kick, it becomes a corner. Problem solved.
And a foul on a goalkeeper!
I like how he always refers to his wife and family with respect and love
Arteta is almost becoming Wengeristic in his pressers, especially the way he deals with journalists’ baiting. I am increasingly looking forward to his press conferences nowadays
A theme song for Arteta, FAITH NO MORE – We Care A Lot!
Sp*rs will try everything to unsettle us so we’ll have to be careful not to fall for it. If Utd do manage to get something from their game against City, which is a possibility on their current form, then a disciplined, professional, performance tomorrow could help us to extend our lead.
This guy talks like a professor (of football). Arsene 2.0😀
Not looking good for Mudryk now as Chelski appear to have hijacked the deal
Reported in the Athletic which adds credence to the story. I lack words to describe how disgusting it is if true. One silver lining being that we’re better off without a player with such lack of moral fibre.
Agreed, though have to question Edu etc being gazumped by what appears to be only 5m more than we were offering. Failure to replace Auba cost us last time, failure to get striker this time may cost us even more