- 1 week ago
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on Declan Rice Injury Update, League Position & Taking It Game by Game
02/01/2026
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
02/01/2026
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
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00:00Happy New Year.
00:01Happy New Year to you as well.
00:02Any fresh injury concerns after Tuesday?
00:05No, obviously we haven't trained yet so today is going to be the first training session
00:12properly with the players that obviously started against Villa so we will know more this afternoon.
00:17You spoke about Defton Rice a couple of times this week and the swelling on his knee.
00:22Has it reduced and has he got a chance for Saturday?
00:26Not yet and we have another session today, let's see how he comes today and how that's feeling
00:31but it was too early that game for him.
00:34A couple of others in Calo Fiore and Mosquera, what chance are they going to feature?
00:39They are both out.
00:40They're both out, okay.
00:42Gabriel Jesus looking sharp, backscoring, Kai Havertz back in the squad for the first time since the opening day.
00:48How pleasing is it to finally have that selection headache and how much do you think it could help
00:54someone like Victor Jokic having those plays back?
00:57It helps the team, it helps every individual.
00:59I think that's what we want to have the option with the amount of games that we have and the schedule.
01:04So far we haven't had that option so looking forward to have everybody on it,
01:09everybody performing and being able to change profiles, to change during the game as well
01:15and to pick the best players in the best conditions every time.
01:18Is Bournemouth next, the corresponding fixture last season felt like a little bit of a turning point
01:24because it was a first defeat of the season for you but it was also a third red card of the season for you as well.
01:31Six in all last season but none so far this season. Are you pleased with the discipline and how it's gone so far on that front?
01:41Yeah, obviously we know how important it is to maintain your 11th place on the pitch as much as possible.
01:48Yeah, we fell through that last year. We lost both games against them and we know the difficulty of that.
01:56We know how good of a team they are, how they can thread you from every angle.
02:02So we know the difficulty of the game tomorrow.
02:05The transfer window is open of course. You've said that you're Arsenal and you always keep your eyes open
02:10and are alert to any potential opportunities. If there was to be any arrivals in this window,
02:16would it be with a view to a long-term view with regard to the player that potentially could come in?
02:23Or are you leaving yourself open to maybe alone as well maybe?
02:28We are open to every option. Obviously we can find a solution that is short, medium and long.
02:34It's always much better because it gives you stability and you don't have to constantly start a process with a new player.
02:41But let's see what happens. Let's see what the news are in the next few weeks and we will try to make the right decision.
02:48On potential outs, I know you've been asked this question before.
02:51Ethan Magnieri hasn't actually played since the Perugia game.
02:55He wasn't in the squad at all against Aston Villa.
02:58What's your thinking with him? Would you maybe consider a departure for him on loan perhaps just so he can get first-team football?
03:07That every player is very important. Every player has a role. That role can change throughout the season for different reasons
03:13and everybody has to be ready to play. That's it.
03:16Just finally from me, Michele, you will know that there's been a managerial departure in Enzo Moresca.
03:22What's your reaction to it? Did it surprise you?
03:25Well, I wish him all the best. I really like Enzo as a person, as a professional.
03:30I think he's done a terrific job at Chelsea and does a decision that has been made.
03:36Just wish him all the best.
03:39Good morning, Michele.
03:42Top of the table, 4 points clear second place in Manchester City.
03:46After a convincing win against Aston Villa, what is the mood like?
03:51Well, it was very good obviously after the game.
03:54I guess a really tough opposition again to perform and to win in the manner that we did.
03:59Great focus on Bournemouth. We know how tough it's going to be tomorrow's game and everybody's at it.
04:06Can you speak about the difficulties facing Bournemouth?
04:08They were actually the only team to do the double over Arsenal last season.
04:12Yeah.
04:13What lessons did you take from those encounters?
04:15We learned a lot. They were two very different games.
04:17Obviously, a game there till minute 30 when Saliba gets surprisingly sent off.
04:24After, obviously, it was a different game where we managed as well and we had some chances.
04:28But we managed losing the game against a home display at the beginning that it was very dominant.
04:35And that ended up in a really poor way for us.
04:38So, a lot to learn. Huge respect for them.
04:41I know Andoni really well and why he's doing. I think it's incredible.
04:45And I'm watching all the games that they played this season and against the top sides,
04:50how difficult they made it and how they haven't got results against them as well.
04:54Difficult to understand.
04:55There was a mention, of course, of the likes of Gabriel Jesus coming back and how that's in the squad.
05:00Someone who's obviously done well up front for you is Leandro Trossard, the most goal involvement.
05:06How pleased have you been with his performance of the season so far?
05:10Well, I think he's been very consistent and very stable.
05:13But all of the front players, I would say, because they all contributed through the season so far in a great way,
05:20whether he's starting or whether as an impact players as well.
05:23So, that's what we need.
05:25Whoever we put him there, they will bring different qualities to the team.
05:28But I think they're in a great moment.
05:31Do you sense a real hunger then from those attacking players to want to start?
05:35Yeah, to want to start but as well fulfilling their role when they have to come in in an extraordinary way.
05:42That's something that we have improved a lot.
05:44So, every time we bring in players on the pitch, they're really deciding games and that's what we need.
05:51Ian talks more.
05:52Hi, Michael.
05:53How are you?
05:54Very good, thank you.
05:55Four points here at the top.
05:56Would you have signed up for that right at the beginning of the season to go into the second half of the year with a lead of four points?
06:02And has it already been in your mind that that game that you had to be the title decided?
06:09Well, it's where we are and we are really happy in the position that we are.
06:13It can always be better.
06:14There are things to improve obviously and the only thing we look at is at Bournemouth the next game.
06:19And we know how tough it is for every opponent to beat them.
06:23You've already lost two games this season.
06:25That kind of consistency though is what wins your titles, right?
06:30Yes, but we are still in early January so we have another five months to go and so far we have to do much more.
06:38The club's discipline, players' discipline has been mentioned already.
06:41No dismissals yet this season.
06:44How much of that is down to you?
06:46How much did you take it aside at the beginning of the season and say we have to keep 11 players on the pitch?
06:51And your behaviour on the top side, you're still passionate and junky up and down but it also has improved.
06:58Well, I think we can talk about it but at the end it's players' decisions and sometimes not even their decisions.
07:05So, yeah, we had periods since I've been here that we had quite a lot of red cards then none so that has fluctuated.
07:12We know how important it is to have that stability in that discipline as well.
07:17So, having the possibility to play constantly with 11 players, we try to do that as much as possible.
07:23And finally, Declan Myers, we spoke before, I asked you whether you think he might be a ballon d'Or in the future.
07:29Sometimes it's seen as being a negative for a player to be good in lots of positions, i.e. not a master of one position but just good in quite a lot.
07:38He seems to be a master of every position he plays in and therefore for him it's a positive rather than a negative.
07:44Well, I think it's a very positive thing for him, for the team, for the club and in general in football.
07:51A player that has that mindset, that capacity to adapt and that has attributes that can fulfil different roles, it makes us much better as a team.
08:00Tom, Rich.
08:02Hi.
08:03Can I ask you about expected goals?
08:05Because it seemed for many weeks that you were underperforming what the expected goals were showing and how many goals you should have.
08:10How much do you kind of place on that algorithm, that statistic, in informing what is encouraging about your team in those weeks?
08:17It's another one but as I said before, it's the stats that fluctuates so much.
08:22There are all the teams that were overperforming it for big time, so is it sustainable?
08:27No, it's not, but it will change the dynamic and then you see throughout the game how that changes as well.
08:34So for 60 minutes, 70 or 80 minutes, what you've done on the last 10.
08:37So it's a stat, you can use it in the manner that you want.
08:42For us there are many other things more important than that.
08:46Can I ask you on Declan as well?
08:48Because you mentioned that he took a bit of a bad kick in the game against Brighton.
08:51He completed that game and I think he was seen kind of struggling a little bit with his knee throughout the game.
08:56Now knowing kind of more about the injury, is it a case where in hindsight he should have come off in the game
09:01or in fact he completed the game is a little bit regretful?
09:04How do you assess that injury?
09:06No, no, no.
09:07He managed to do it.
09:08That's normal.
09:09Sometimes you get a hit and throughout the game you are able with adrenaline and because you are warm,
09:14you are able to sustain that and then the body reacts and it reacted probably more than we expected unfortunately.
09:20And that's where we are.
09:22Hi.
09:23In terms of the injuries, the last 18 months has obviously been really hard luck for Arsenal.
09:29I'm just wondering when you find out about a new one, what goes through your head and has that changed?
09:35With the new?
09:36So when you find out about new injuries to players, what goes through your head, what's your reaction and has that changed over time?
09:42Well, first thing, what we can do better and the second thing, that is the reality of the sport that we played in.
09:48But looking back in the last three seasons, we have less days of injuries than before.
09:54So, yeah, it's how you look at it.
09:57We had injuries that you have to separate, the traumatic ones and the ones that are like muscle injuries.
10:03And we have to improve, but we are better than some other years.
10:09And in terms of players coming back, I know a lot of people may talk about rotation and maybe one player coming in for another,
10:16but does it also give you, I guess, the ability to be much more flexible and how you can maybe put some players together?
10:25Yeah. At the end, I think we have to talk about performance, not rotation.
10:29We want performance and the highest performance every three days or throughout the game.
10:33And that's what we have to look at.
10:35And in order to achieve that, what are the best players in the best condition with a better relationship to fulfill that?
10:41I was going to ask another one about Trossard.
10:44Yeah.
10:45Do you think he's gone up a level this season?
10:47Yeah.
10:48Is this sort of the best you've seen him in Arsenal?
10:49Yeah.
10:50I think he's gone up every season a level.
10:53He's such an intelligent player.
10:55He's a player that really wants it.
10:57I think he's finding his role.
10:59He's finding his maturity here.
11:02And then I think his confidence level is higher.
11:06He's a player that can create magic moments.
11:09And, yeah, very important player for us.
11:12It's a bit of an unusual deal in the Celtic pay rise but not the contract extension.
11:16I think he's into the final 18 months of his deal now.
11:18Would you be keeping him to extend beyond that?
11:20We are very happy with him.
11:22He knows that we talked about it many times.
11:25And I think he's very happy here as well.
11:26Okay, last couple of years live.
11:27I see Aaron from Dublin.
11:28Hi, Miguel.
11:29Hi.
11:30The term finishers used there a lot last season, last year even.
11:33And I think I was just wondering, especially when you saw with Gabriel,
11:37you say Ethan still has a role to play.
11:39Every player has a role to play.
11:40How important when approaching a game plan are those finishes towards the end of the game?
11:46Well, very important.
11:47And the thing is that you don't know if you're going to be a finisher, a starter,
11:51or sometimes you have to come in because a player gets injured in the warm-up.
11:55So that's how ready you have to be.
11:57And again, as I said, it's a joy because the players are really committed,
12:02really willing to participate in whatever role they have on the day.
12:06That's what we need.
12:07Phil from here.
12:08There's a bit of a strange statistic with Arsenal being at the top of the table
12:13New Year's Day for the past five times.
12:15They haven't won the league.
12:16I just wanted to know if you were aware of that statistic.
12:19No.
12:20Let's break it.
12:21I mean, that's obviously the goal, I guess, to change.
12:25What's that?
12:26That's obviously the goal, I guess, isn't it?
12:28To change that statistic.
12:29Yeah.
12:30For sure.
12:31Give me some good ones next time.
12:34But I guess as for the players, how do they feel in terms of how desperate they
12:39to not just prove that statistic wrong but to go on and win this league?
12:44Are you really sensing that?
12:45Well, I think that's what they transmit every single day,
12:48whether they are with us training on every match.
12:50You can see their desire.
12:52You can see the energy that they put in, how much they want it.
12:55And that's what we need.
12:56That's still five months to go and take it day by day.
12:59Enjoy that process of being where we are and go for it.
13:04Okay, guys.
13:05That finishes guys live.
13:06You can go for it.
13:07Okay, guys.
13:08That finishes guys live.
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