Arteta on preparing for PSG and Saka's challenge

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on preparing for PSG and Saka's challenge   22/04/2025  Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK

Transcript

00:00He played really well, probably one of his best games in midfield.

00:03How much do you think he's going to improve because of this role as a striker as a midfielder?

00:12I think it's giving him a different perspective as well about the position

00:17and how we link the attacking midfield role with our nines.

00:22He has spent certainly much more time in the last few weeks in training around the box,

00:27so probably that's going to give him as well another taste, another smell

00:31and a really good sense of timing of how he can hurt the opposition

00:35and that's something very, very positive.

00:38I agree with you that he played a really good game in midfield that weekend

00:42and again, now he feels really comfortable in both of them which is good

00:47and on the right as well because I think he can play on the right as well.

00:50In the past you've spoken about specificity of players being designed for certain positions.

00:56How beneficial is that and how important is it for players to have that experience?

01:08Yeah, well, if you don't have the numbers, you need to have something else

01:13and having the capacity for a lot of players not only to understand the position

01:18but actually to execute it at the level that they are doing,

01:21be credit to them and very much needed for the team,

01:24especially with the numbers that we have at the moment.

01:27Two years ago you spoke about Saka being targeted by other players

01:32in terms of rough tackles and you called on referees to kind of protect him more.

01:38It was a nasty challenge out on the weekend and the referee was quite quick in the decision.

01:43Do you think that he is now being picked more,

01:47that referees see challenges like that and act quicker on it

01:50because they want to kind of get both of the tackles out again?

01:55I don't know, I think he made a really quick call.

01:57It was very far from me to see it but he looked really decisive

02:01and after looking at it I think it was the right decision.

02:03And just afterwards he got off stick from the fans who had been booed and jeered

02:09but he seemed to kind of show a lot with a smile.

02:12Just how hard have you worked with him on that maturity and that reacting

02:17to being tackled, getting up and ignoring the outside noise

02:21and being able to focus on his game?

02:24Very difficult to work on that.

02:25We cannot really replicate it.

02:27I think he needs to stay focused and present in the moment

02:30and make sure that the noise doesn't affect his game,

02:34his decision-making especially.

02:36It is tricky sometimes but I think he handled it really well

02:40because the worst thing that you can do is start reacting to that,

02:43start to pay attention to that and he needs to stay focused on the game.

02:47That's it.

02:48But for someone so young, emotionally,

02:50you wouldn't be surprised if he did react to that.

02:52Yeah.

02:53So what makes him different?

02:55That's in his nature really.

02:56It's not something that we have coached

02:58or something that we can take credit from.

03:00That's him.

03:01He's really calm.

03:02He's very rational.

03:03He's very intelligent

03:05and the way he manages his emotions.

03:07So that's down to him.

03:09OK.

03:10What are you going to do now after tomorrow's game

03:13before the semi-final?

03:15Are you giving the players time off?

03:17What's that six days going to look like?

03:19Yeah, they will have a day or two off

03:21and then a full preparation.

03:23Three, four days about what we have to do to beat PSG.

03:27So we're going to have some time to recover as well.

03:30Some players are going to need that

03:31and then full focus on what's coming.

03:33What were you doing different over that time?

03:36A few years ago,

03:38Poch had these players walking over coals.

03:40He had them walking over hot coals before the Champions League final.

03:45Yeah, literally.

03:46To try to get their mentality right from the biggest game that they had.

03:50I would think it was the best approach.

03:52Whatever we do is what we feel is what the team needs,

03:57what the players need.

03:59And if they need more tension, less tension,

04:02be more emotional, more tactical.

04:04We will try to manage to get the levels in the right way

04:09to be as prepared as possible and ready to win.

04:12Will you take any advice from anyone before this game?

04:14Would you speak to any managers about playing PSG?

04:16Obviously, is there anyone you would talk to?

04:19Orson, for example?

04:21I will think about it and do what I feel, yes.

04:26How beneficial is the schedule?

04:28Obviously, it's because of the FA Cup for seven months.

04:30The PSG previous round had a fixture moved between the Athens and the Leagues.

04:35So, to have that planning,

04:36how much does it benefit from the coaching staff?

04:39Yeah, it's going to give us more time to prepare the game.

04:42Very unusual.

04:43So, it's fine.

04:45We take it.

04:47We are very short in numbers at the moment.

04:49So, that little break, I think, is going to be good for us.

04:51In terms of the flexibility of your players positioning-wise,

04:54the bigger picture of football,

04:56how far do you think that's going to trend?

04:59And is it something that's coming from academies in the past decade?

05:04Probably.

05:05A better understanding of game dynamics and the spacing and a lot of things.

05:11But, as well, you have to develop those players

05:13because it's not just the acknowledgement or understanding the positions.

05:17I think the different positions, one of the trickiest things,

05:20is that it brings different physical challenges.

05:23I think the game is very different.

05:24You play as a full-back or as a centre-back,

05:26as a holding midfielder, as an eight or as a nine.

05:29And you have to be very prepared for that

05:31because the demands are very, very different.

05:33Okay, final quick to John first.

05:36Hi.

05:37Has the Champions League run made up for maybe a little bit of a disappointment in the Premier League season?

05:43Sorry, sorry?

05:44Has the Champions League gone great nights like Real Madrid?

05:48Yeah.

05:49Does that make you make up for the disappointment in the Premier League?

05:52It's not about making up.

05:54I think we are very, very clear about what we are doing in the Premier League

05:59and how much we are doing in the Premier League with everything that happened.

06:02So I don't think we have to make up anything.

06:04We mentioned earlier that Liverpool players will be watching the match tomorrow night

06:15and potentially celebrating.

06:16Is that a motivation for BU and the squad to try and delay their title celebrations?

06:22I don't need any motivation to win a football match in the Premier League.

06:26It's super motivating for tomorrow to go out there and try to be better than Palace and beat them.

06:32Okay, thanks guys.

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