Every word from Mikel Arteta's pre-Fulham presser | Press ...
Forty-eight hours before we take on Fulham in Premier League action, Mikel Arteta was at the Sobha Realty Training Centre taking questions from the media about our latest London derby.
The boss was quizzed about the availability of Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori, the ex-Arsenal contingent at Craven Cottage, our set-piece prowess and much more.
Here is everything he had to say:
on injuries:
We have a few, obviously it’s matchday-2 so we have to monitor a few players. We have a training session tomorrow so we will see how everybody is for Sunday.
on how he would rate Gabriel’s chances of playing:
Until we see tomorrow’s training session it’s very difficult to say something. Calafiori is the same.
on whether Calafiori’s injury is slightly longer term:
Let’s see how they evolve in the next few days.
on being the Premier League’s corner kings:
We want to be the kings of everything - at set pieces, the best in the world, at high press, the best in the world, attacking open spaces, the best in the world. We want the best atmosphere in the stadium, and be the best at everything. Before it was about we didn’t score enough, we were so defensive in our mentality, we were not physical enough and could not challenge the top teams and going 22, 17, 20 years without winning away from home in big matches. We want to be the best at everything, we want to have the best academy, the best individual development for players, recruit the best players and have the best coaches. That’s the aim and now we have to go and do something else.
on how hard Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka work on corners:
They work like it’s any other kind of finishing. We constantly want to be a threat from everything that we do and we have to take every opportunity to make it count and be a threat.
on how he identified Declan as a corner taker:
We adapt the player’s qualities to what the team needs to exploit the qualities we have in the squad in the best possible way. It’s all about the players, every tactic, decision and position on the pitch is towards that.
on being compared to Stoke City:
I understand very well what Roberto [Martinez] said, it was in the best possible way so we will take it as a big compliment because they were so good at it.
on Martin Odegaard’s importance:
He’s a massive player, he showed again in big matches what he can deliver, the spirit that he brings to the team and the quality that he has to play in the way we have to play, so I’m really happy.
on Fulham:
It’s going to be a big challenge which we experienced last year when we lost five points against them. I have been very complimentary about them, the coach and what they do, so it’s always a really tough place to go.
on Fulham’s ex-Arsenal contingent:
I’m really happy for them. Reiss is still one of our own but the rest as well, and it will be great to see them.
on whether he’s still in touch with Emile Smith Rowe:
Once they leave, you have to leave them to do their own thing. Obviously once in a while we speak to them but I’m very grateful for what they did for us and I wish them the best for now.
on whether we’ve done things differently this season to avoid a poor run:
It is a bit different with the period that we are in and what we were coming from, but that’s the demands of this league, every game is so difficult. At that time as well we lost a few games so it was even harder, so things to do much better than last year, that’s for sure.
on Jurrien Timber’s growth:
I'm really impressed. He’s coming from a long-term injury after his ACL. We knew the talent, the leadership, the skill he has, it’s been in great form, he gives us something very different to any other full-back we have in the team and his impact has been tremendous, I think.
on the set-piece record and attention on his coaching staff:
It is great, we are very good at a lot of things. We take it as a compliment and fuel to be better because we are not perfect, even in that department or defending set pieces. We conceded three chances [vs Man Utd], the three of them coming from that kind of situation. There is a lot to improve and the margins are always there for us to explore and try to get better.
on how people now view set pieces:
I think it is something that changed 10-11 years ago, not only what is related to set pieces but also other styles of play. Remember that a lot of big teams have won a lot of games, a lot of important games and a lot of last-minute games in these kinds of scenarios. If you look at the Champions League, all of the data, it’s there. It hasn’t changed that much, the importance of it because the margins are smaller and smaller because the competition is harder. Probably, people put more attention into that but, you have to dominate everything.
on keeping his backroom staff with new deals:
We all tried to do it at the same time. It’s difficult because it’s always four of five people that have to commit at the same time, it’s not easy to do it but I’m so happy with them. I value them at the highest level and we want to continue together so hopefully, it will be resolved very soon.
on when he started valuing a set-piece coach:
Probably when I was a player because I was at Everton and I understood how important they were, how difficult it was for the opposition as well. When I came here, we had a period in some big matches as well we suffered, then we were out. Then I went to [Manchester] City and I immediately realised that we have to do something about it and I continue to do that.
on the development of the set-piece coach:
In relation to that and individual development, I think it was an area that was not explored enough. It was another evolution that, in my opinion, the game was going to have and we tried to be always ahead to try and maximise those opportunities.
on being reunited with Smith Rowe this weekend:
It was a very tough decision, obviously, to let Emile go, especially because personally, I feel really grateful for what he did for the club and for me. In that period of time, I think he was instrumental in changing some things around it but in the end, players have to play. He had a lot of difficult moments as well. A lot of struggles with injuries when we were together and he needed that fresh start. It’s normal. We understood that and we let him go.
on the depth in the 10 position:
We allowed Fabio [Vieira] to go as well because we wanted to create the room and the space for Ethan [Nwaneri]. He has given us every reason to trust him. He's shown that he's ready to make the next step and it’s great to have him.
on Martin’s combination of performance and character:
Everybody is unique. Martin is unique - his character, his personality, the way he's been raised and educated is at the highest level. He is everything that we want to have to represent our club and the team in the best possible way.
on specific improvements for Martin:
There are a few targets at the start of the season. Obviously, not to shake here, but all the players have that and he is moving in the right direction.
on being the team being “trailblazers” when it comes to set pieces:
We just want to get better, and whatever we do, I repeat myself, is not good enough. We can still improve a lot in that sense. But last year, we were the team in the history of this club that scored the most goals. We want more, we have more margins, we can do things better. With the defence, exactly the same thing. With the environment, the same thing. Everything - we're going to try to improve it.
on the success we’ve had on set pieces:
Success at the end of the day is we win what we want to win. That's success. If that allows you to win a game, great, and another game, great but it’s a lot of elements. To do what we did against Manchester United, to limit them to what they did, big credit to the team. It’s never happened in the history of Manchester United so I have to put a lot of emphasis on what a lot of players did.
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