Arteta post Arsenal's 3-0 UCL win over Monaco

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta reacts to their 3-0 win over Monaco in the UEFA Champions League which sees them firmly inside the top 8 Courtesy of UEFA Emirates Stadium, London, UK

Transcript

00:00Thank you very much.

00:05Roger, I think a question will come to you, so we'll kick off with Simon from The Standard.

00:08Mikel, what was your reaction to that performance in the end?

00:12Well, very happy, obviously, with the win, with the clean sheet,

00:15with the fact that we had to change a few players,

00:18players that haven't played that much and they still performed really well

00:22and put us in a good position in the group.

00:25Just on Bakaya, I think everyone knew about his levels,

00:28his adaptation to the Champions League going up that level.

00:31Have you been at all surprised how quickly he's made his mark at this level?

00:34Well, he keeps surprising us, but that's what he wants to do,

00:38that's the quality he has, that's the ambition that he's acting

00:42and preparing himself every single day.

00:45So I'm not surprised, but it's very difficult to do what he's doing.

00:50You could feel the excitement from the fans watching,

00:53what did you make of his performance?

00:56Well, a really proud moment. He's one of our own, 18 years old,

00:59he makes his starting debut in the Champions League,

01:03and it's just a joy to watch him.

01:06It's a privilege to have the opportunity to give a chance to somebody

01:11to start to change his career, he certainly took the chance,

01:14and it's great that we can trust him, that he can play in this environment

01:19and at this level, and I was really happy with his performance.

01:22Hi, Miquel, a lot has been made of set pieces,

01:25but you didn't struggle to create chances at all tonight,

01:28a lot of chances, was it just the finishing that let you down there?

01:31Yeah, we should have obviously scored four or five in the first half,

01:34it wasn't the case, and then this is the Champions League,

01:36the level of opposition is really high.

01:38The way they play, they create quite a chaos,

01:42because there are so many players inside,

01:44and the moment that you are not very well organised or neat in position,

01:47the first two or three passes, you can struggle against them.

01:50But we won't overcome that situation, we scored the second one

01:52and after the game was in our control,

01:54I think the shops helped us as well in the right moments,

01:57so overall very positive.

01:59James, ESPN?

02:00Miquel, there was obviously a lot made the last couple of years

02:02that you didn't have a lot of experience in this competition,

02:04you didn't have players who played in it,

02:06you had Jesus, you had Tsenchenko...

02:08The manager that has never played in the Champions League.

02:11But do you feel established now in this competition?

02:15I think we are enjoying our run,

02:18and we keep learning, there is a lot of learning to take from this game,

02:22from the experience, learning from the team,

02:24and obviously we need much more,

02:27we need to go through certain moments,

02:30and I'm sure we will in the near future,

02:33but the fact that we can compete against any team,

02:36that's a positive thing to take,

02:38but understanding how difficult it is to do it consistently in this competition.

02:43Jordan, Sampdoria?

02:45Miquel, he's still only 23,

02:47but with Paco now, his numbers are up there

02:49with the likes of Harry Kane and Manassas Junior,

02:52is that who he's now on a level with?

02:55I know he still has a lot more to grow and develop,

02:57but is he now at that world-class stage?

03:00You have to be able to do that consistently throughout many years

03:03to put yourself in that position.

03:05What he's done at his age, obviously you can't really put it in brackets,

03:08because you can't compare what he's done in his first six years

03:11as a professional footballer, which is exceptional.

03:14And that's it, his aim is to improve,

03:16he has the players and the environment around to continue to do that,

03:20and I'm sure he will.

03:22You said recently with Mars, Lewis Scully had an infection in his foot,

03:25which is why he was out for a bit.

03:27On the basis of that performance,

03:28with all the injuries you've got in the back line,

03:30he surely states he's got a good shot at the look-back now, doesn't he?

03:34He's got, and he's been in contention.

03:37In pre-season, I think it opened our eyes to say,

03:40I'm ready, the same as Ethan.

03:43They feel comfortable in this environment,

03:45I think they can perform, they can compete,

03:47which is very important as well, not just play.

03:49And today he's shown that he's at the level.

03:54Hi, Mika.

03:55Just on Gabriel Jesus, just not going in for him just at this stage,

03:59is it a confidence thing, and what can you do to help him

04:03to maybe just get that goal and that confidence?

04:05Nothing, just to put him in front of goal like he's done today

04:08in a couple of occasions.

04:09And there are millimetres, only centimetres,

04:12the ball goes in or in.

04:14He was there, he looks really alive,

04:16he had created the first goal, having a great move, and that's him.

04:20So we have him, we have him back, he's with us,

04:23and I'm sure he will contribute to the team.

04:26OK, last couple, we'll go to Kai.

04:27Hi, Mika.

04:28I'm just wondering, with the lack of clinical edge

04:30in terms of taking the chances,

04:32is there anything you as a coach can do?

04:34Because obviously you work hard to get them in the positions

04:36where they're in front of goal and take them,

04:38but is there anything you personally can do to help them finish?

04:40Well, sure.

04:41We have a massive responsibility.

04:43I cannot kick the ball, but we can coach them, we can teach them.

04:46Sometimes they have to take a step back as well,

04:48and it's a decision they have to take.

04:50They cannot be thinking what they have to do,

04:52what we've told them as well.

04:54We try to provide the right information, right tools,

04:56so they can understand the defence, they can understand the keeper,

04:59a lot of things that we work on.

05:01And after that is their execution.

05:03It's a difficult thing to do in football,

05:05but we have a lot of talent to deliver that.

05:07And finally, to Amy from there.

05:09Hi, Miguel.

05:11Quite a long time ago, when we were talking about Rakaio,

05:14you said a lot of people were saying,

05:16we have to protect him, we have to look after him when they're very young.

05:19And you said, look at the best players,

05:21they're playing every three days, they've got to play 60, 70 games a season,

05:24and that's the level you have to do.

05:26That he's doing that now, how important is it,

05:29not just for him but as an example to the other players

05:31coming through, the young players,

05:33what you have to give to get out what he gets out?

05:36Well, I think that's been an evolution.

05:38He wasn't able to do that at 17 or 18 or 19,

05:41but a year or two ago, because he's developed in the right way,

05:45mentally, physically, his condition, his preparation.

05:48Now he's got the habit to play every three days

05:51and he's consistently doing it at the highest level.

05:53I think he's continued to do that for the youngest players

05:56and for the old ones and for all of us.

05:58He's a great example because how he behaves daily

06:01and because what he wants to do with us

06:03is try to have his best version every day

06:05and continue to improve, that's it.

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