- 6 minutes ago
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta previews their Premier League clash at home to Chelsea.
Sobha Realty Training Centre, London, UK
27/02/2026
Sobha Realty Training Centre, London, UK
27/02/2026
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SportsTranscript
00:07Hello everyone, how's it going as well?
00:09We'll kick off on the normal slides and then we'll go into 10.30, 10.30 tonight.
00:14If you're ready in the room? If you're ready, we'll go with Dharmesh from Sky.
00:18Hello.
00:19A few days after your last picture, you probably aren't used to that.
00:21Any fresh injury concerns after Sunday?
00:24No so far. We're waiting for tomorrow as well as the last training session
00:28to understand whether we have one or two available from last week.
00:32Yeah, on those ones, Kai Havertz, Ben White and Max Dallman
00:36didn't make the North London derby.
00:37Are you hopeful some or all of them can be there?
00:40Yeah, we are hopeful.
00:41Max will play some minutes tonight with under-21s.
00:45Kai will train tomorrow and then let's see.
00:49Champions League draw has been made, I'm sure you're aware, by Leverkusen next.
00:53Are you pleased with that draw and do you see this potentially
00:56as a big opportunity for this club to do something that they've not done before
01:01and just go all the way?
01:02Well, we are very excited to play the next round.
01:05We have the right to be in a strong position,
01:07what we've done in the group stage and that's it.
01:10And now we need to start to analyse them
01:13and find ways to be better than them to try to go through the time.
01:17Michael, can you compare the mood and how you've been in the days following Wolves
01:23and the days following Son of Moxford?
01:26Not too high, not too low.
01:28I try to be as stable as possible,
01:31try to have perspectives always about what a result or a performance brings outside
01:37or within the group and always try to be positive about it.
01:41When you say you try to stay like that, is that something that you've developed consciously
01:45over the years that you've been here?
01:46Yeah, something that I need to know, it becomes insane.
01:49I mean, you are like this every single day, I'm happy and sad like this.
01:52You cannot be like this, you cannot give your best with that.
01:56Obviously, you have to be very critical with yourself,
01:58very analytical with what we do and try to be always as good as we possibly can.
02:03I want to ask you about Victor Dioparez.
02:06Eight goals in his last 12, previously it was one in the previous 10.
02:11Can you give us an insight into what has brought about this turnaround
02:15and the conversations that you might have had with him?
02:19Well, I think one thing leads to another.
02:22You know, when you score the first one and the performances are good,
02:25you have more time with your teammates,
02:27you understand the games, the opponent, the league better, everything helps.
02:31We know his qualities, he's undoubtedly an incredible striker.
02:36We need to fit to his qualities, we need to understand him better,
02:39he needs to understand the team, the league better,
02:42and I think we are in the right trajectory.
02:45You've consistently been asked about Victor Dioparez and his form
02:47throughout this season and since he signed at Arsenal,
02:51and you've backed him, you've never doubted him.
02:53Has he had any kind of self-doubt about how it's going for him
02:57and any confidence issues?
02:59I don't know, that's a question for him.
03:00Obviously, I know the demands that he put himself,
03:04the expectations that he has to help the team.
03:07And I'm confident because I ask a lot of times our defenders
03:10when they have to train against our players,
03:12how do you feel when...? It's a nightmare.
03:14And that's a really good way to understand the quality of a player
03:19or how it is to defend him.
03:21Final one for me, Mikel.
03:23It's seven wins and three draws in your last ten against Chelsea,
03:28which looks like an extraordinary record given the two teams
03:30that we're talking about here.
03:32Is there anything in, oh, we've got a psychological advantage?
03:37Does that exist when you're playing the team
03:39and you get good results against them?
03:41No, I think what it is is about the preparation
03:43and the preparation gives you confidence
03:45and the right emotional state to get to the game
03:51with the belief and the conviction that you're going to win it.
03:53And after that, you have to have the right to do it.
03:56Thank you, good luck.
04:01You've got seven games coming up in March.
04:03Does it feel like a month that could define Arsenal's season?
04:07I don't think March we will,
04:08but I think it will be very important for what is going to be happening
04:11in April and May, that's for sure,
04:13because there are competitions and no cast stages
04:16and then you are in or you are out.
04:19Your side scored 19 goals in the past month or so.
04:23The record under you in this season is 113 goals.
04:27How pleased are you with Arsenal's attacking play at the moment?
04:30Can we now officially call Arsenal an exciting side to watch?
04:35Well, I think we have scored more goals in a single season
04:38than ever in the history of Arsenal Football Club.
04:41So you can put any name or any adjective that you want.
04:46It's up to you.
04:47Just finally for me, looking back on the Chelsea game
04:50earlier this month, what did you learn about them
04:54and do you expect a different approach from them this time around?
04:58We don't know.
04:59I mean, they've done different things.
05:01They can change throughout the game.
05:03They have the players and they have a manager
05:04that it's very comfortable doing that.
05:07So we are prepared.
05:08We can now be prepared in the possible scenarios
05:11that we can face throughout the game
05:13and try to be better than them.
05:15Ian Toto.
05:16Hi, Mikel. How are you?
05:18Hi, Ian.
05:18A lot has been made this season about the fact that Arsenal
05:22finished second in the last three years.
05:24In terms of that, how much is that going to be a driving force
05:27for your team in the last three months of the season?
05:30Well, when you finish like this, you only want to be first.
05:33That's it, no?
05:33So imagine how the rest of the teams are.
05:35So that's the aim.
05:37Always get better.
05:37Always try to excel the possibilities of the team,
05:43whether it's individual or collectively.
05:44And that's what we are trying to do.
05:46Get to the last stage of the competitions
05:48and in April and May see what we are able to do.
05:51Do you also ever show any signs of nerves?
05:54I mean, because as we get closer towards the finishing line,
05:58we're almost at the finishing line in the League Cup,
06:00we're getting closer to the finishing line in the Champions League
06:03at the Cup, permanently.
06:05Do you expect your team to show signs of nerves
06:07or are there players that are nervous?
06:11I want to see signs of confidence, enthusiasm
06:15and an honor of will to win what is in front of us.
06:19And that's what I see every single day from the team.
06:22In terms of your record against Chelsea,
06:23it's already been pointed out it's a great record.
06:25There's indeed your record against Spurs,
06:27one they had in the North London Derby last weekend.
06:30Does that give you yourself as a manager confidence
06:32when you go into the game,
06:34knowing that generally this is opposition
06:36whereby you've had a good experience?
06:38That doesn't change the preparation.
06:40We know the importance of the game.
06:41We know the team that we're going to have in front of us
06:44and we just have to prepare in the best way
06:46to earn the right to win it.
06:48As I always said, there's nothing else that you can do
06:50than what we've done two weeks ago or two years ago.
06:53It's irrelevant because every game and every context is different
06:56because the players might change,
06:58the mood of the teams can be in a different state
07:00or what is at stake is different and we are prepared.
07:04The stats now suggest he's a good signing, scoring goals.
07:08But you've known that since day one.
07:11Do you wait for the stats to come out and say he's a good signing
07:14before you're really foolish about him?
07:18I want to start to show that with him we are a better team
07:22and we have achieved what we want
07:24and he can be a huge contributor to our success,
07:29scoring goals or doing many other things
07:30that he does really well throughout the games.
07:45After the Spurs game, you mentioned that your understanding is better.
07:52Yeah, I think I might be wrong.
07:55Could you explain what you meant by that?
07:58You see how players react, you know,
08:01in relation to certain decisions that you take,
08:04when they have better games,
08:06when they have certain difficulties throughout the games
08:08and his role has been modified a few times throughout the season.
08:13His reaction has always been top,
08:15but he's been top after to perform.
08:17That's what we need, you know,
08:19because he's been exceptional in the manner that he's behaving every single day.
08:24But what we need is that those manners now are transformed
08:26in huge performances that decide full of matches.
08:30That's the reason why we brought him.
08:32Would you say it's more understanding him emotionally?
08:34Yes, I think so.
08:36I think tactically as well,
08:37because you have to understand how he connects with other players.
08:42One of the best connections that we can build in and around in the spaces
08:45is that he's more comfortable to use.
08:48There are certain behaviours that he's changed dramatically
08:52into really positive things.
08:54And at the end, you don't know if you're going to see them in a week
08:57or in two or in a month.
08:59But they're coming.
09:01Matt from Standard.
09:02Hi.
09:03Can I ask you about Piero?
09:04It feels like the last few weeks he's all gone at another level.
09:06What do you think the difference has been in making that position?
09:10I fully agree.
09:12Well, again, a bit more time with the team,
09:15a sequence of games where probably physically
09:18he's in a much better place.
09:20He's been extremely dominant in all the defensive actions.
09:23He understands what we want in the attacking part as well.
09:25Much better.
09:26All the set pieces, all the aspects that are relative
09:28to the game model that we have.
09:30And yeah, it's very much liked amongst the players.
09:36You can see that the way they interact and react with him.
09:38So I'm very pleased that he's showing that level.
09:40And he's on loan at the moment.
09:42Is that already a deal you're thinking?
09:44I think that's something you'd like to make fun with.
09:45We would see that.
09:46So let's go through the season.
09:48We have already discussed the possible outcomes that we have
09:51after that period.
09:53But so far we are very, very happy with him.
09:55James, here again.
09:56Hi.
09:57You obviously focus on the next game, but with this Champions League draw
10:01showing you the room, now you've got that sort of clarity
10:04about the rest of that competition.
10:05Does it give you more excitement for that?
10:08Because it feels like a real opportunity for you.
10:10Yeah, we are really excited, obviously.
10:12Being in the forefront and the way the team is consistently performing,
10:17the performance gives you a lot of hope and positive thoughts
10:21about what can be coming.
10:23But we can only focus in the present.
10:26That's where we're going to put our energy and that's on Sunday.
10:29You mentioned the four competitions.
10:31I mean, just in your own words, how hard do you think the quadruple is to do?
10:36To do?
10:37Has it been done?
10:39So that's how difficult it is.
10:41So let's go game by game.
10:43Let's try to end the ride to continue to be there
10:45until the last stage of every competition and then we'll see what happens.
10:49Do you allow yourself to think about it?
10:52Not really.
10:53Not so much on the outcome.
10:54I focus a lot on what we have to do to continue in the manner
10:58and the trajectory that we are as a team and come from there.
11:02Obviously, try to improve it.
11:04OK, last couple of minutes live.
11:05Charles from Goal.
11:06Hi.
11:07Just going back to Eze quickly.
11:09I've seen Mark was not on the bench on the weekend.
11:11You said in the past that what happened to Villa and the Matthew Casca
11:14wasn't sort of directly mean to us
11:15and not really seeing Eze playing on the left since that game.
11:18So is there sort of still in your head
11:21that the option of him playing on the left
11:24if you want to maybe get him and Martin on that pitch together at times?
11:27There is a possibility to that for sure.
11:30I think we've only done one once
11:32and it was for a very short period of time
11:34because Martin had his shoulder injury
11:37as well obviously because we had players out now in midfield.
11:41Martin was out, Mikel was out, Kai was out as well.
11:44Ethan was sent on loan so we had less options
11:47and that's the reason as well that he's been playing more regularly there.
11:50And just on, you mentioned Piero there.
11:53Do you look at Piero as a sort of left-back behind Eze?
11:56If Eze would play on the left-hand side,
11:58you see sort of because Piero maybe played that left-back role more
12:01as a sort of touch-line left-back rather than drifting inside,
12:04leaving space behind maybe in the centre area.
12:06If you look at that partnership,
12:08him potentially with Eze on the left is working better than other left-back options.
12:12Yeah, these are combinations that we can do.
12:14When we talk about connection,
12:15that's a connection that I think will work really well,
12:18especially against a certain type of opponent.
12:21So that's another option that we have.
12:23Hi, Ali.
12:24Good afternoon, Nicole.
12:25I'm here from Ventures.
12:26A few of your players have praised you in the media this year.
12:29You said that you've been crucial for the development
12:32and that you've become a better player under your guidance.
12:35Declan himself just said that everybody at Arsenal
12:37is going to use what they need to do.
12:39We as people lack confidence.
12:41But does it feel extra special when you're going to be honest,
12:43speaking highly of you, especially in the season
12:45where Arsenal can achieve so much success?
12:47Well, I always said that the difficulty of being so long
12:50at a football club is probably that relationship
12:52or that belief that you need to have from the players
12:57because at the end, when you look at them and you're talking
13:00or you're proposing to do something,
13:02you need to inspire them and they need to be on board immediately.
13:05You have that feeling.
13:06I think it's a really bad thing for the club in general.
13:12I'm very pleased that the boys are feeling that way,
13:14that they want to continue to work with us
13:16and with all the coaches and the staff.
13:18That means that they enjoy as well what they do.
13:21Thanks, Abby.
13:22That finishes the as live section.
13:24We're going to 10.30 tonight.
13:25Again, if you do over there,
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