- 20 hours ago
- #mikelarteta
- #arsenal
- #afc
Pre-match press conference with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta ahead of Aston Villa v Arsenal in the Premier League at Villa Park.
Arteta gives major injury updates on Declan Rice, Cristhian Mosquera, William Saliba and Leandro Trossard, confirming Rice still has a chance to travel while Mosquera’s ankle issue is “more complicated” and needs further testing. He says Saliba and Trossard are only a matter of days away and stresses every hour before their final training session will be important for deciding availability.
He discusses the tight 63 hour turnaround since the Brentford game, the impact of the congested schedule on player welfare and performance, and why giving players even a few extra hours where possible can make a big difference. Arteta praises Aston Villa’s form under Unai Emery, calls the fixture a major test, and says consistency and focus remain key as Arsenal look to maintain momentum at the top of the Premier League.
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#mikelarteta #arsenal #afc | Mikel Arteta Arsenal press conference today
Arteta gives major injury updates on Declan Rice, Cristhian Mosquera, William Saliba and Leandro Trossard, confirming Rice still has a chance to travel while Mosquera’s ankle issue is “more complicated” and needs further testing. He says Saliba and Trossard are only a matter of days away and stresses every hour before their final training session will be important for deciding availability.
He discusses the tight 63 hour turnaround since the Brentford game, the impact of the congested schedule on player welfare and performance, and why giving players even a few extra hours where possible can make a big difference. Arteta praises Aston Villa’s form under Unai Emery, calls the fixture a major test, and says consistency and focus remain key as Arsenal look to maintain momentum at the top of the Premier League.
📺 Please subscribe, like the video and share wherever you can!
⚠️ DO NOT copy and re-upload any part of this video anywhere otherwise copyright strikes will be made! You do not have my permission to use this footage.
🔔 To make sure you don't miss any of my videos on this and my other channels please:
🐦 Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BeanymanSports
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@BeanymanSports
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/BeanymanSports
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeanymanSports
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#mikelarteta #arsenal #afc | Mikel Arteta Arsenal press conference today
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SportsTranscript
00:00Can we start with team news? First of all, Declan Rice is seen positive at the end of
00:05the game. Is he available?
00:07Well, let's see. I think with all the questions I'm going to get, the answer is going to be
00:12the same. We have another training session in the afternoon. Every hour is going to be
00:15very important to see the availability of the players, so after that we'll decide who
00:20travels.
00:21Do you think Mosquera has a chance?
00:24That's the one that is more complicated, but again, we had another test today to see
00:29where we are with them.
00:30Earlier on this week, you said a matter of days for the lives of Leandro Atrosan and
00:35William Saliba. Are you hopeful that they can play a part tomorrow?
00:39Yeah, it is a matter of days with us, for sure.
00:42Any other issues you can tell us about?
00:45No, hopefully no more. All good.
00:47Can I just ask you and follow up on something you mentioned? You spoke about the fixture schedule.
00:5463 hours, less than 63 hours between the time you left the pitch against Brentford and the
00:59time you're going to take to the pitch. Is the football calendar more generally getting
01:05a bit out of hand? Do 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. The only thing I said is whenever
01:15it is possible to help and give the players an extra day or hours to fulfil the maximum
01:23potential, let's do it. That's it. We are ready for tomorrow's game, that's for sure.
01:28Just on, this is the second weekend in a row where it's actually third against first in
01:34the Premier League. With regard to Aston Villa just at this moment in time, would you say that
01:40there's a, is there a tougher test in the Premier League just now?
01:43Well, for what they've been doing, the way they've been playing and winning matches, certainly
01:48is a team that is in great form and we know that. We know obviously the manager and the incredible
01:55job that he's done there as well, so we know the task tomorrow, but we always think it's
02:00an opportunity.
02:01You mentioned the manager and the incredible job you say he's done. Is there extra motivation
02:07for him because he managed here and maybe it didn't work out as he would have liked and
02:13does that make this game even harder?
02:15I don't know. I think when you look at Unai, his career and his motivation level everywhere
02:20there's been an impact that is done. It's always been remarkable, so I don't know. That's
02:25a question for him, but in my opinion he never needs anything extra. I think he's got enough
02:30on himself.
02:31I think the last three weeks on a Friday we've been asking you whether the following week is
02:37going to be a statement week. How important is it? We're here again, but given it is a team
02:43like Aston Villa and a team that you may have had a few problems against in the past few
02:48seasons, if a victory was to be achieved tomorrow, what kind of statement and message do you think
02:54that would send?
02:55That's consistency, again, to perform at the highest level and win another game and then
03:01we will go back to the same question through the slate in the Champions League and then at
03:05the weekend because that's the nature of the game and that's exactly how we have to take
03:09it every game.
03:16If you were to win, what do you think it does for the pressure on your side of the
03:23rivals?
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, preparing really
03:34well for tomorrow. We know the kind of game that we are going to play and be ready for
03:39it to fulfil our potential.
03:41Just going back to you, Christian Mosquera, what a nature is he?
03:45An ankle.
03:47Yeah.
03:48Last weekend we saw you take Riccardo Calafuri off against Chelsea because he was on a yellow
03:53card. I know he's got four yellows. Is that something that plays into your mind when you're
03:57looking at the starting line or is that more of an issue when the game starts?
04:01Both, but especially the other day against Brentford and especially with the situation
04:06that we had at the end of the game with the backline and the numbers that we have there.
04:10But it didn't happen, so good news.
04:13And just finally for me, talking about your backline and of course I know you've had a
04:16couple of defensive injuries. Oli Watkins has scored three Premier goals this season but
04:21two of them, of course, came against Brighton. Unai already said that the goals are coming
04:25for him. So what kind of a challenge does he hold to a defensive line up tomorrow?
04:29Yeah, I think the collective threat that they have in terms of how they generate chances
04:35and what they do so well and then obviously the individual quality that they have in front
04:40from different players.
04:41Do you see Aston Villa as being a title challenger?
04:42Do you see Aston Villa as being a title challenger?
04:43Do you see Aston Villa as being a title challenger?
04:44Do you see Aston Villa as being a title challenger?
04:45Do you see Aston Villa as being a title challenger?
04:46Do you see Aston Villa as being a title challenger?
04:50Well, if they continue, look where they are already, so if they continue what they've been doing,
04:51I think any club, any team in that position has chances for sure.
04:53You've built up a really impressive squad here.
04:54You've built up a really impressive squad here and we've seen, without a single
04:56team, you've seen a team that has a chance for the team.
04:57You've built up a really impressive squad here.
04:58With Saliba and Gabriel and Risa Wiggs, other defenders have come in almost seamlessly and
05:02still winning.
05:03I think it's a fantastic team that has a chance for the team.
05:04I think that's a great team.
05:05Do you see Aston Villa as being a title challenger?
05:08Well, if they continue, look where they are already, if they continue what they've been
05:13doing, I think any club, any team in that position has chances for sure.
05:18You've built up a really impressive squad here and we've seen, without Saliba and Gabriel
05:24and Risa Wiggs, other defenders have come in almost seamlessly and still winning.
05:28Is your squad now in exactly the place you want it to be to go on and win the Premier
05:34League and maybe the Champions League to see?
05:37Well, with that squad, I believe it 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 play has to be fit and available because that has a lot of
05:52consequences, not only during matches but as well in the way that we prepare for the week
05:56the options that we have to change and keep the freshness in the team but certainly very
06:00happy with how we deal with certain situations from the beginning.
06:03And finally, because of that obviously we're always mentioning the fixture schedule and the
06:08football calendar, are we either at a point whereby teams to facilitate NIO to play as often
06:14as they are with the quality that we want them to produce, are we going to have either teams
06:20having really big squads like 30 or 40 players or teams dropping out on one competition or another
06:26to make sure they have the space to have the rest?
06:29But hopefully we don't get to that point and everything is manageable, we all learn from
06:34it and we carry on doing what we're doing.
06:37Alex from BBC.
06:38Hi, Mikel.
06:39Just to clarify, Trossard and Saliba, are they going to be available for tomorrow?
06:44A question of dates, so as I said before, after the training session we will know more.
06:49Mikel Moreno has done such a good job playing as a striker for you, is there a possibility
06:56that even when everyone is fit he could be an option as another nine?
07:01I think he has earned at least the thinking behind it for the way he is performing and
07:09the impact that he is bringing to the team, so that's a yes.
07:12Does it make you feel that he could excel even further there, we've seen it with Kai Havertz,
07:19who when he joined wasn't a traditional number nine but has grown into the position?
07:23Yeah, and then playing together, those two, even with Victor or it can be with Gabi,
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.
07:34Tom and Mikel.
07:36You rested some players in midweek and I think some of them that came in did really well,
07:41meanwhile we 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 with the players clearly done well and find themselves
07:51back on the bench once again?
07:53Well, we haven't had this situation too many times, I think the problem will be the other
07:59one, that you bring somebody in and he doesn't perform and then the decision is so easy,
08:04not to play him again and 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, whether it's to start the game or to finish the game
08:14or to play whenever the team needs his qualities and that's what we have at the moment with every player.
08:19The injury situation is hopefully improving gradually and you might be getting some other players back soon.
08:25It might get to a point in touchwood where you actually have to leave senior players out of the match day score entirely.
08:31What challenge does that pose as a manager and those conversations that you have to have over with those players that they might not miss out again?
08:37Well, I hope that we are in that position and then again we can maintain and decide for the freshness of the team
08:44and what is required on that day, what is the best squad to take. A problem that obviously a lot of clubs in this country are very familiar with.
08:52Simon Standard?
08:54He said it's complicated. Are 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 we need to corroborate with what happens
09:07with all the testing that we do today.
09:09Just to ask you on the injuries, how has the rate of injuries changed how you look at the January window?
09:16Does it make you open to bringing someone in because of the injuries you had?
09:21No, we always have to be prepared. The moment that we have an option to touch the squad, to improve the squad
09:28or to protect the squad, depending on what happens, I think we need to be open for a time from what is going to happen
09:33from here until the window is closed as well. We don't know, but we are certainly going to be alert
09:40and we know where the risk can come in terms of the squad and be ready just in case we have to do something.
09:46In the same way, can you afford to let anyone go?
09:48Because you look at someone like Evelyn who had minutes in that game the other week,
09:52someone like Gabby Jave behind to Kajic to Mikel, but can you afford to let players leave in January when you have injuries?
09:59At the moment, obviously, we haven't had a situation, as we mentioned before,
10:03that players are out of the squad for three or four weeks in a row.
10:08At the moment, we know that the squad we have is fulfilling it with the players that are fit,
10:12so at the moment it's very clear that there is no option to do that.
10:16James, Athletic?
10:17Hi, Mikel.
10:18Every week we come and we ask you about different players, different injuries,
10:21and yet it hasn't been a core defining narrative of Arsenal's season
10:26because of the quality of the results and the performances.
10:28Last season was a very difficult season in respect of injuries as well.
10:33We lost a lot of big players for long periods of time.
10:35I just wonder now, do you reflect on that period as a time where you, the squad, the staff,
10:42learnt a lot about how to cope with that situation?
10:44Is that helping you to be stable?
10:47Yeah, well, you certainly learn from those situations and I think looking for solutions
10:55and being positive and transmitting that positivity and belief to it is the main thing
11:00because you cannot do anything about it.
11:02We had injuries that are totally uncontrollable, especially the ones that were long-term last season,
11:07and this season a lot of the things happen as well.
11:10Learn from the things that we can control as well and the areas that we can improve,
11:14first of all myself, and then take it as it comes and enjoy the ride. That's it.
11:21Martin, obviously he's one of the players who came back in midweek into the start of XI.
11:26What do you think of his performance and do you think he's in a position now where he's
11:29ready to be playing every three days like the calendar demands?
11:33Yeah, I think he's certainly capable of doing that once the injury is resolved. I mean,
11:37you see his stats, what he did on midweek after six, seven weeks out. It's incredible.
11:43So, we just have another player, another top player that gives us a lot, gives us something
11:48different to what we have in those positions. So, I'm very happy to have him.
11:52Finally, I think that's all right to Harry.
11:54Hi.
11:55With the fixture schedule the way it is, we always talk about rotation. That seems to be
11:59a really common conversation. You haven't been able to rotate in recent seasons,
12:02how have you adapted to having obviously more options available given the biggest squad?
12:08And how have you changed as a manager in terms of just being more maybe open-minded to that
12:13now that it's an option?
12:14Well, great. I think it's something that I haven't experienced much, especially through
12:21long periods of time since I've been here and it's great before the game. It's great because
12:27you can think about different ways, different relationships, you can accommodate players for the
12:31game that you expect to play. And what is great is that when you look at the bench and you
12:36said, now we can change the game, or last year when we were from February to May, look there,
12:41and we had two players really. So, that's a huge difference.
12:45Okay, that finishes you as a audience.
12:48Let's see.
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