Arsenal have spent the last couple of days hard at work at the training facility of the Los Angeles Rams. Along the way, the manager and a few of the players have taken time out to chat with the media.
Here’s our latest round-up of the most interesting bits…
Declan Rice on the energy in the Arsenal camp
The energy’s so good. Honestly, from the first moment that I walked through the training ground doors, it was not only the manager, all of the staff, their mindset and mentality is just about winning. From the physios to the chefs, to the analysts, everyone behind the scenes, it’s all on that focus of being the best you can be pushing yourself every day to become better, a better person and a better player. And I think Mikel, I think that’s exactly how he is. As well as a football coach, psychologically, he’s amazing and he really makes you wanna play for him, which is a massive reason why I’ve come to Arsenal.
Source: Sky Sports
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Mikel Arteta on whether Arsenal’s midfield will be physical enough…
We’re going to have to find the right balance as well, but a year ago Granit could never play that as an attacking midfielder. So let’s try to get the work done. It’s the first time we played with four players inside, and three of them had never played for us. So three out of four, they never played together ever. So, tranquilo! Day by day, keep doing the right things, give people the opportunity to settle into the right things and we will be fine. You use a word that is ‘physical’. So if I put Granit and Kai and I ask you who is more physical? What would you say? Kai is one metre 91, so it depends what you mean physical. Physical is (also) to run, running behind the forward, to tackle. It depends. So we will fit in with the qualities that we have, that’s for sure. And the good thing is that we have options as well. When we have a game that is more physical, we can become very physical as well. We have the right options.
Source: Arsenal.com (pre-Barcelona press conference)
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Gabriel Jesus on being part of Arsenal’s leadership group…
I think nothing changed. I’m a type of captain who doesn’t talk a lot, but I show with my actions. I run, I fight, I want to win. I put a lot of emotions in my game. Obviously, I always try to help the young players. I’m still young, but I think everyone sees me as an experienced player here. So I want to help everyone with my actions and speaking as well.
Source: Arsenal.com (pre-Barcelona press conference)
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Ben White on testing himself against wingers like Wilfried Zaha…
Being a full-back and you come up against a winger like Zaha, I want it, do you know what I mean? It’s so good, I want to test myself against someone like that. He’s just got everything, hasn’t he? It’s so, so tough to play against him when he’s got you one-on-one, you have no idea [what he’s planning. It just takes a millimetre to score, so, you have to get as close as possible for him not to turn otherwise you’re probably in trouble. You know they’re really good players you’re playing against, so any edge you can get, if I can do that to someone and stop them running at me the whole game, then that’s what I’ll be doing.
Source: ESPN
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Takehiro Tomiyasu on last season’s injuries affecting his confidence
It was a difficult period for me. Ben White was doing very well and to be honest, I’ve lost confidence. But the injured period was four months and I think about a lot of things in this time. You need to learn from the injuries and also the mistakes of the Manchester City game [when he conceded possession to allow Kevin De Bruyne to score]. You have good and bad moments but you need to learn a lot of things from the bad moments. Now I am feeling good, not only with my body and my head but my career. It’s all positive.
Source: The Athletic
One very positive take from the Man United match which was sorta lost as an afterthought–though Blogs pointed it out in the Arsecast Extra–is how incredibly good Saliba is. There often won’t be that much to say about him, because so few meaningful attacks develop anywhere near him. A dominant force, I think already maybe the best in the league.
And he signed da ting!
For years I used to read Wenger’s quotes mentally in his own accent. Now I find myself doing the same with Mikel. I really like the fact that he talks so well and with such clarity. Im sure the players must feel the same. He has this calm assurance that he knows what he’s doing is going to work.
It’s a really nice way to read. Often doing it with novels helps in understanding even more and keeps us interested long enough to actually read a good amount.
Mr Wenger, predicted that Arteta would become a good manager having learnt from both Mr Wenger and Pep, lethal combination
Someone should probably tell Ben White his nightmare winger is now playing in Turkey and his side have two rounds of champions league qualification to get through before having a 1 in 8 chance of being drawn to trouble him this year…
If Jesus could get out of the habit of falling over at the slightest breath of wind I would be happy!
Fabio as well
That’s gotta be a new Buzz word for Arsenal…..”tranquilo”
😎