- 21 hours ago
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on player updates and facing Aston Villa
05/12/2025
05/12/2025
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00:00Can we start with team use? First of all, Declan Rice is seeing positive at the end of the game. Is he available?
00:07Well, let's see. I think with all the questions, I'm going to get the answer. Unfortunately, it's going to be the same.
00:13We have another training session in the afternoon. Every hour is going to be very important to see the availability of the players.
00:18So, after that, we'll decide who travels.
00:21Do you think Mosquera had a chance?
00:24That's the one that is more complicated, but again, we had another test today to see where we are with them.
00:30Earlier on this week, you said a matter of days for the likes of Leandro Trostein and William Saliba.
00:36Are you hopeful that they can play a part tomorrow?
00:40Yeah, it is a matter of days with us, for sure.
00:42Any other issues that you can tell us about?
00:45No, hopefully no more. So, all good.
00:48Can I just ask you and follow up on something you mentioned?
00:51You spoke about the fixer schedule.
00:54It's less than 63 hours between the time you left the pitch against Brentford
00:59and the time you're going to take to the pitch.
01:01Is the football calendar more generally getting a bit out of hand?
01:06Do you feel that the product at some point is going to suffer?
01:11I don't know. I don't think we have to get to that stage,
01:14but the only thing I said is whenever it is possible to help
01:17and give the players an extra day or hours to fulfil the maximum potential,
01:23let's do it. That's it.
01:25We are ready for tomorrow's game, that's for sure.
01:28This is the second weekend in a row where it's actually third against first in the Premier League.
01:35With regard to Aston Villa just at this moment in time,
01:38would you say is there a tougher test in the Premier League just now?
01:44Well, for what they've been doing, the way they've been playing
01:47and winning matches, certainly it's a team that is in great form
01:51and we know that. We know obviously the manager and the incredible job that he's done there as well.
01:57So we know the task tomorrow, but we always take it as an opportunity.
02:01You mentioned the manager and the incredible job you say he's done.
02:05Is there extra motivation for him because he managed here
02:09and maybe it didn't work out as he would have liked?
02:12And does that make this game even harder?
02:15I don't know. I think when you look at Unai, his career
02:18and his motivation level everywhere there's been an impact that he's done,
02:22it's always been remarkable. So I don't know. That's a question for him.
02:26But in my opinion, he never needs anything extra.
02:29I think he's got enough on himself.
02:31I think the last three weeks on a Friday we've been asking you
02:35whether the following week is going to be a statement week.
02:39How important is it? We're here again, but given it is a team like Aston Villa
02:44and a team that you may have had a few problems against in the past few seasons,
02:49if a victory was to be achieved tomorrow, what kind of statement and message do you think that would send?
02:55That's consistency, again, to perform at the highest level and win another game.
03:00And then we will go back to the same question through this later in the Champions League
03:04and then at the weekend because that's the nature of the game.
03:07And that's exactly how we have to take it every game.
03:12Hello.
03:13Talking about making a statement, of course you played first this weekend
03:17before the right side of Manchester City play.
03:19If you were to win, what do you think it costs for the pressure on this record?
03:24I don't know. Every time you win a game obviously you are a little bit closer to your objective
03:30and it's the only thing that we can do. We have to focus on performing,
03:33preparing really well for tomorrow. We know the kind of game that we're going to play
03:37and be ready for it to fulfil our potential.
03:42Just going back to Christian Mosquera, what's the nature of the game?
03:45An ankle.
03:47Yeah.
03:48Last weekend we saw that you take Ricardo Califuri off against Chelsea
03:52because he was on a yellow card and then he's got four yellows.
03:55Is that something that plays into your mind when you're looking at the starting lineup
03:58or is that more of an issue when the game starts?
04:01Both, but especially the other day against Brentford
04:05and especially with the situation that we had at the end of the game
04:08with the back line and the numbers that we have there.
04:10But it didn't happen, so good news.
04:13And just finally for me, talking about the back line
04:16and, of course, when you've had a couple of defensive injuries,
04:18Ollie Watkins has scored three Premier goals this season
04:21but two of them, of course, came against Brighton.
04:23Unai already said that the goals are coming for him.
04:26So what kind of a challenge does he have for the defensive line tomorrow?
04:30Yeah, I think the collective, I think, threat that they have
04:33in terms of how they generate chances and what they do so well.
04:38And then, obviously, the individual quality that they have in front
04:40from different plays.
04:42Ian Totto.
04:43Hi, Mikel. How are you?
04:44Very good. Thank you.
04:45I saw Aston Villa win at Brighton this weekend.
04:48I asked Unai Amri whether his team were title challengers to you.
04:52And he said, no, you're the favourites to win the Premier League.
04:55Are managers already playing mind games with you?
04:58I don't know.
05:00I think each manager gives his opinion and that's it.
05:03And we have to respect that and that's it.
05:05Do you see Aston Villa as being a title challenger?
05:08Well, if they continue, look where they are already.
05:11So if they continue what they've been doing, I think any club,
05:16any team in that position has chances for sure.
05:19You've built up a really impressive squad here.
05:22And we've seen without Saliba and Gabriel in recent weeks
05:25that other defenders have come in almost seamlessly and are still winning.
05:29Is your squad now in exactly the place you want it to be
05:33to go on and win the Premier League and maybe the Champions League this season?
05:37Well, with the squad, I believe he was the best one to give us the possibility to do it.
05:43Is it where I want it to be? No, because of the injuries that we have.
05:47To have a squad means that the player has to be feeling available
05:50because that has a lot of consequences not only during matches
05:54but as well in the way that we prepare for the week
05:56and the options that we have to change and keep the freshness in the team.
05:59But certainly very happy with how we dealt with certain situations from the beginning.
06:04And because of that obviously we're always mentioning the fixture schedule
06:08and the football calendar.
06:10Are we either at a point whereby teams to facilitate being able to play
06:14as often as they are with the quality that we want them to produce,
06:18going to have either teams having really big squads like 30 or 40 players,
06:23or teams dropping out on one competition or another to make sure they have the space to have the rest?
06:30Hopefully we don't get to that point and everything is manageable.
06:34We all learn from it and we carry on doing what we're doing.
06:37Alex from BBC.
06:39Hi.
06:40Just to clarify, Trossard and Saliba, are they going to be available for tomorrow?
06:44A question of dates.
06:46So as I said before, after the training session we will know more.
06:49And then Mikel Moreno has done such a good job playing as a striker for you.
06:55Is there a possibility that even when everyone is fit he could be an option as a number nine?
07:01Well I think he has earned at least the thinking behind it for the way he is performing
07:09and the impact that he is bringing to the team.
07:11So that's a yes.
07:13You said yes.
07:15Does it make you feel that he could excel even further?
07:18We've seen it with Kai Havertz who when he joined wasn't a traditional number nine
07:22but has grown into the position.
07:24Yeah, and then playing together, those two, even with Victor or it can be with Gabby.
07:28And that's things that we have prepared during the summer because of the squad that we have.
07:32And so far we haven't been able to do.
07:35Tom, go ahead.
07:36You rested some players in midweek and I think some of them came in really well.
07:41We talked a lot about post-match.
07:43How difficult is it then when natural and more regular starters come back into the line-up?
07:48Those conversations that you have for the players clearly done well
07:51and find themselves back on the bench once again?
07:54Well, we haven't had this situation too many times.
07:57I think the problem will be the other one, that you bring somebody in and he doesn't perform
08:02and then the decision is so easy not to play him again.
08:06And we are not in that position, which is the position that we want to be in,
08:09which is exactly that, to have people in contention,
08:12whether it's to start the game or to finish the game or to play whenever the team needs his qualities.
08:17And that's what we have at the moment with every player.
08:20And the injury situation is hopefully improving gradually
08:23and you might be getting some other players back soon.
08:26It might get to a point, touch wood, where you actually have to leave some senior players
08:30out of the match they scored entirely.
08:32What challenges does that pose as a manager and those conversations
08:35that you have to approach with those players that they might not miss out on again?
08:38Well, I hope that we are in that position and then, again, we can maintain
08:43and decide for the freshness of the team and what is required on that day,
08:47what is the best squad to take.
08:49A problem that, obviously, a lot of clubs in this country are very familiar with.
08:53Simon Standard?
08:55Has Cechquid with Mosquera said it's complicated?
08:57Are you worried that it could be a serious injury?
08:59No, we need to know because the feeling that we had after the game and yesterday,
09:05we need to corroborate with what happens with all the testing that we do today.
09:09On the injuries, how has the rate of injuries changed how you look at the January window?
09:21Does it make you open to bringing someone in because of the injuries?
09:22No.
09:23I mean, we always have to be prepared.
09:24I mean, the moment that we have an option to touch the squad,
09:28to improve the squad or to protect the squad, depending on what happens,
09:31but I think we need to be open for a time from what is going to happen from here
09:34until the window is closed as well is football.
09:37So, we don't know, but we're certainly going to be alert
09:40and we know where the risk can come in terms of the squad
09:44and be ready just in case we have to do something.
09:47In the same way, can you afford to let anyone go?
09:49Because you look at someone like Ethan, you know,
09:51who had minutes in that game the other week,
09:53someone like Gabby Jey behind, sort of a card victim, Mikel.
09:56But can you afford to let players leave in January when you're having injuries?
10:00No, at the moment, obviously, we haven't had a situation,
10:02as we mentioned before, that players are out of the squad
10:05for three or four weeks in a row.
10:08So, at the moment, we know that the squad we're having,
10:10we are fulfilling it with the players that are fit.
10:12So, at the moment, it's very clear that there's no option to do that.
10:18Hi, Mikel.
10:19Every week we come and we ask you about different players, different injuries,
10:22and yet it hasn't been a kind of core defining narrative of Arsenal season
10:26because of the quality of the results and the performances.
10:29Last season was a very difficult season in respect of injuries as well.
10:33You lost a lot of big players for long periods of time.
10:36I just wonder now, do you reflect on that period as a time
10:39where you, the squad, the staff, learnt a lot about how to cope with that situation?
10:45Is that helping you to stay with this?
10:48Yeah, well, you certainly learn from those situations.
10:51And I think looking for solutions and being positive
10:57and transmitting that positivity and belief to it is the main thing
11:01because you cannot do anything about it.
11:02We had injuries that are totally uncontrollable,
11:05especially the ones that were long-term last season.
11:07And this season, a lot of the things happened as well.
11:10Learn from the things that we can control as well,
11:12and the areas that we can improve, first of all myself.
11:16And then, yeah, take it as it comes and enjoy the ride.
11:20That's it.
11:21And just on Martin, obviously he's one of the players who came back in midweek.
11:25He's the starting level.
11:26What do you think of his performance?
11:27And do you think he's in a position now
11:29where he's ready to be playing every three days like the calendar?
11:33Yeah, I think he's certainly capable of doing that once the injury is resolved.
11:37I mean, you see his stats, what he did on midweek after six, seven weeks out.
11:42It's incredible.
11:44So, we just have another player, another top player that gives us a lot,
11:48give us something different to what we have in those positions.
11:51So, I'm very happy to have him.
11:53Finally, that's all I have to carry.
11:55Hi.
11:56With the fixture schedule the way it is,
11:57we always talk about rotation.
11:59That seems to be a really common conversation.
12:01You haven't been able to rotate in recent seasons.
12:03How have you adapted to having obviously more options available
12:07given the biggest squad?
12:08And how have you changed as a manager in terms of just being more
12:12maybe open-minded to that now that it's an option?
12:15Well, great.
12:16I think it's something that I haven't experienced much,
12:20especially through long periods of time since I've been here.
12:23And it's great before the game.
12:26It's great because you can think about different ways,
12:28different relationships.
12:29You can accommodate players for the game that you expect to play.
12:33And what is great is that when you look at the bench and you said,
12:36now we can change the game.
12:37Or last year when we were from February to May,
12:41look there and we had two players really.
12:43So that's a huge difference.
12:46That's a huge difference.
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