- 3 months ago
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on Declan Rice’s Rise, Saliba’s Injury & How Arsenal Will Adapt
02/12/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
02/12/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
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00:00Injury updates.
00:01Yeah.
00:02William Saliba, what have you got for us?
00:04I'm not going to be able to help you much today
00:06because we have another training session later on.
00:09Until that happens, we won't know what's going to happen
00:12with a few of the doubts that we have.
00:13Did he have any testing yesterday?
00:15What is the nature of his injury?
00:17Yeah, he had a little niggle,
00:19but I think it's going to be a matter of days,
00:21so let's see if he's able to do that tomorrow.
00:24It's a matter of days for William.
00:27Leandro?
00:28Matter of days as well.
00:29Can I have it?
00:31Matter of weeks.
00:33Matter of weeks.
00:34I think so, yeah.
00:35So do you think end of the month?
00:37I don't know.
00:39Let's see how it evolves in the next few weeks.
00:42He's doing really well, he's doing stuff on the pitch,
00:45but I think he needs some time.
00:47And how's Gabby doing?
00:49Which Gabby?
00:51We have a lot.
00:53We have one on the staff now.
00:55The one on the treatment table right now?
00:57Big Gabby.
00:58Big Gabby is doing very well as well.
01:00But I mean, that's weeks as well.
01:02That's weeks.
01:03Okay, let's focus on Brentford.
01:05It's a busy week, it's a busy period for you.
01:08Is this an opportunity to rotate the squad,
01:11or is it a necessity to rotate the squad?
01:14That's an opportunity tomorrow at 7.30pm, everybody at 7.30pm kick-off,
01:20to be at the Emirates bouncing and putting energy to win the game.
01:24That's the opportunity that we'll have tomorrow.
01:267.30pm.
01:28Like animals, everybody at the Emirates to go again and beat Brentford.
01:32That's the opportunity.
01:34So you see this Brentford game as...
01:36Vital, massive, yes.
01:39In a busy week, is that a challenge for you as a coach,
01:43to make sure players are motivated,
01:45knowing that what you've got to come Saturday lunch time,
01:48the trip to Villa Park then back to Champions League the week after?
01:51No, because our motivation comes from preparation,
01:54and how we prepare for every game to try to be better than the opposition.
01:57And where we are in the league and what we are doing,
02:01I mean, I don't think we need any more motivation than that.
02:06It's a vital fixture, but I've talked about rotation,
02:09you've seen a lot of minutes for Declan Rice having a really busy week,
02:13full-on week during Timber, exactly the same.
02:17Are they the plans that potentially you could rest them a little bit against Brentford?
02:23We try to manage every case, every individual,
02:26in relation to how they feel in the context of the matches,
02:29but just with the only purpose to have the best options on the pitch
02:34and to come to be better than the opponent, that's it.
02:38Opportunity for Ben White tomorrow?
02:40Opportunity for everybody, as I said.
02:42Let's talk about Brentford and their physicality.
02:45Physicality seems to have been maybe a bit more of a challenge for your side this year
02:49when we think about stadium-like and Sunderland, a very physical side.
02:53Certainly what happened at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
02:56How prepared are you for the challenge at Brentford?
02:59Particularly that incredibly long throw of Michael Chiodi.
03:03Yeah.
03:04Well, that physicality comes from different areas in relation to the pitch,
03:07but I think every game that we play, when you look at intensity in the Premier League
03:10against any opponent, what is needed is incredible.
03:14Brentford brings different threats, different challenges, as we all know,
03:20and you need to dominate that if you want to win again.
03:24A follow-up for me, Michael.
03:25Danny Farke had some comments after his game against Manchester City
03:29about Donnarumma holding the ball, going down injured,
03:32taking a couple of minutes out of the game while Pep Guardiola was giving instructions on the sideline.
03:36He felt like it wasn't something that he likes to see.
03:40What's your opinion? Are we seeing that more?
03:43And not necessarily just from goalkeepers, but from output players going down at certain times of the game
03:48to kill time and maybe take the momentum out of games.
03:52Have we seen it more?
03:53And is it something that maybe we should look at eradicating from the game in some way possible?
03:58The game evolves, the rules evolve, and that's going to be constant.
04:01And you look in the Premier League now how many minutes are we playing,
04:05actually the effective time that we are playing, the effective time that we played on Sunday.
04:10There is a lot of things to look at and evolve, so that's an example.
04:15But there are many others that constantly, the game and the rules,
04:19have to be evolving because everybody tries to take an edge.
04:22Can you understand Danny Farke's frustration now?
04:25Yeah, especially when you are on the other side, yeah.
04:28Thanks, James.
04:29We'll go to Niv from the Premier League.
04:31Good to see you.
04:32Declan Rice won the FSA Men's Player of the Year Award,
04:37voted by the supporters across the UK.
04:39Can you imagine when Declan joined just over two years ago,
04:42you had certain expectations of him.
04:44How much he exceeded those expectations?
04:48I think he's very close to what we believe that he could bring to the club, to the team,
04:54and the way he could grow personally as well.
04:58I think he fully deserves it.
05:00I think he's been incredibly consistent throughout the last two years, last season again.
05:06Again, in big matches, in big moments, he's stepping up, which is a massive thing.
05:11If you want to fulfil that role at a big club, I'm delighted that he got it.
05:16Can I ask you about another, Mikel, Mikel Marino?
05:19When he joined Arsenal, he already played over 200 games in the La Liga,
05:23a well-established midfielder.
05:26In your wildest dreams, did you ever imagine him become such a good striker?
05:30And as a manager as well, how much flexibility did you give him?
05:34Yeah, as a striker said, certainly not.
05:36But that's the thing as well, that you learn when you sign a player.
05:41I knew that he could offer much more than what he had,
05:44and especially after I met him for the first time,
05:47because a player that has that amount of curiosity
05:52and the amount of questions that is asked, how will he is to learn constantly,
05:56the way he loves his profession and football.
05:59Yeah, it's difficult to put limits to that,
06:02because when someone wants to grow every single day,
06:05it's that determined, that hungry to win and evolve
06:08and to be part of something.
06:10That's very powerful, and Mikel certainly has this.
06:13Can I please ask you about Christian Norbert?
06:15The last time Grenfell managed to beat Arsenal, he scored that second goal.
06:19What made you decide if Christian is the right fit for Arsenal,
06:22and what are the chances of him being the Baltimore against his former side?
06:26Well, what I saw on the pitch,
06:28and then everything that I heard about him as a leader
06:31and the role that he can fulfil and the role that he was going to have here.
06:35And the moment I picked up the phone and spoke to him,
06:37he was super excited to join us.
06:40He brings something that we don't have in the squad,
06:43and I'm very happy to have him.
06:45Goalkeepers, you've been speaking about how things are evolution regarding rules around goalkeepers.
06:56Your goalkeeper you brought in over two years ago now is approaching 100 Premier League games.
07:01He's not a bad goalkeeper.
07:03He's an amazing goalkeeper.
07:05And yeah, it's a great story as well, and how it happened.
07:10Because as well we tried to sign David much earlier,
07:13I think he was as soon as I arrived almost,
07:16and he had to wait for another two years.
07:18And the start that he had, and the journey that we had together,
07:22I think it's been phenomenal for us and I'm very happy to have him.
07:25He'll be playing against his old team tomorrow.
07:28In terms of signings you've made,
07:30because you've spent £100 million on Declan Rice,
07:32a lot of money on other players,
07:33pound for pound is he the best signing you've made?
07:36I don't know.
07:38Very difficult question to answer,
07:41but he's certainly one that is taking us to a different level,
07:47and he's certainly a player that has brought something different to our way of playing.
07:52Both teams like to score from set-pieces.
07:55Does that mean that we're not going to see too many goals from open play tomorrow?
08:00I don't know.
08:01But I don't know what team in the Premier League doesn't like to score from set-pieces.
08:05Do you see that as a badge of honour then, rather than a criticism?
08:09Well, we just conceded a goal against Chelsea on a set-piece,
08:12and they scored seven corners, we scored eight, no?
08:15So I think we should all be set-piece teams,
08:18because we all score and concede from set-pieces, unfortunately.
08:21Finally, just quickly about the fans.
08:23You said to make sure that they're on time for the game against Brentford.
08:27Before the game, not on time, just before.
08:30Absolutely.
08:31A lot of managers this week have had to answer questions
08:35about maybe their fans being a bit more positive towards their team.
08:38Your fans at the moment are just ultra-positive towards your team.
08:42They couldn't be any more positive, would they?
08:44Yeah, you can always be more, and especially when you play a different type of game,
08:50that's where you have to lift the standards and the team, the first,
08:53and ourselves as well with the way we're going to play tomorrow,
08:57to lift everybody and make sure that we produce the same energy, atmosphere,
09:02and positivity around the place.
09:04Thank you very much.
09:05Alex, BBC.
09:06Hi, Mikel.
09:07I wanted to ask you about the injuries.
09:09You got big to your careers in Gabriel, which is back into the squad on Sunday,
09:12but at the same time you lost William Saliba,
09:15kind of being a theme of the season,
09:17the key players picking up in you.
09:19How frustrating has that been for you throughout the season so far?
09:23Yeah, especially how we lost them with Leo as well because Leo was in a great moment
09:27and Gaby Martinelli was just coming back and we had to manage his minutes.
09:31He wasn't able to play more than what he did on Sunday.
09:35So managing that, the fact that obviously Willy trained the day before
09:39and then he wasn't uncomfortable.
09:40Players not trained in certain positions having to play there.
09:43But again, the attitude towards it and the way the players are performing
09:49and giving absolutely everything they can to fulfil those absences
09:53has been the key of the season because we have to deal with a lot already.
09:58Last season, those injury problems were the worst you've experienced in your managerial career.
10:05Did that prepare you for the season?
10:07Obviously you have a better squad there, but what you learned last season,
10:10has that helped you to get through this tricky period?
10:14Yes, because this season has been worse in some areas,
10:18especially on the front line and now what's happening with the back line.
10:21But yeah, we learned and we were able to put that together,
10:26a squad that is much more reliable and have more options.
10:30We learned from the past as well that we have to use players in different positions
10:34and they have to be able to fulfil different roles if we want to compete at this level.
10:40An example of Mikel I was discussing before is just the best one probably.
10:45Mikel, just on Kai, Julian said a few weeks ago that he suffered a setback.
10:52Is that why he's not going to be back until January? Is that what the issue is?
10:57Yeah, so he was doing everything and he could not go to the next level.
11:02And now it's looking like we have unlocked that, you know, and we're all desperate to have him.
11:07I mean, it's a player that personally I love so much for what he brings to the team,
11:13but his character, his personality, I see him suffer being outside, you know.
11:17He's playing record, he's phenomenal, he's been always available
11:20and I can't wait to have him back around the team playing
11:24because I think it's going to be a massive boost for the team.
11:27Just on Declan, when he joined you described him as a lighthouse.
11:32I just wonder how you would describe him now and also you made a big point
11:36in the past six months tying down all these key players, Gabriel, Saliba, Ethan Miles.
11:41Is he someone else on your list that you're looking at and thinking
11:44I'd like to tie him down for five or six years?
11:49That's the way I perceived him that he could potentially be in a lighthouse
11:53and now he's become a lighthouse, which is very difficult to do a big club like Arsenal,
12:00but he fully deserves that he's done it with every step in the way,
12:05first of all behaving, acting, and with performance and attitudes
12:11that are at the highest level.
12:13And yeah, he's one that I'm sure myself for sure, the club for sure,
12:18I'm going to have him here for many years.
12:20Tom.
12:21Hi, Mikel.
12:22You just got the Chelsea game as a learning match.
12:24With the wins over Bayern and Spurs,
12:27you could almost describe the week as a learning week
12:29and I'm curious what lessons you did learn from a week of really tough games
12:32where you nearly got three wins from three.
12:36Yeah.
12:37Well, starting from Spurs, I'm learning because I learned a lot as well
12:40about international break again and what happened.
12:42For example, what happened with Gabi and how can we correct that
12:45and never happening again.
12:47Then we played a team, a game, in a way that, again, we have to learn
12:52and watching them, you always learn from it.
12:54Bayern Munich brought different qualities, players that you don't see weekly,
12:59but we need the potential of it and obviously what they were doing
13:03and we took a lot from them.
13:05And the last weekend, the same.
13:08And the amount of games that you have to play within a game
13:11and what happened at Stamford Bridge in that sense.
13:13It's enormous because I think it's the perception of what happened
13:16and after it's actually what happened and why it happened.
13:20So it was a huge learning.
13:22James touched on this earlier, but the aggressiveness that Chelsea showed on Sunday,
13:27it was similar.
13:28It was compared almost to the aggressiveness that Sunderland also showed
13:31in their two games where Arsenal did drop points.
13:33I think teams are going to look at that and see a blueprint.
13:35Maybe if we're aggressive, we can maybe get something from Arsenal.
13:38So how do you have to cope with perhaps the future aggressiveness
13:41that you might face from other teams?
13:43I think every team in the Premier League,
13:45the first thing that they do is be aggressive.
13:47I mean, I don't think that's going to be something that teams are going to change at all.
13:53You take it to certain extremes.
13:55Hopefully that will be looked after,
13:57like it should have been in the first action of the game on kick-off with Mosquera.
14:01But we have to deal.
14:03Again, learn from it and use it in a better way
14:06because we should have explored what we had for a period of time.
14:10It wasn't 60 minutes from because from 33 to 39 we didn't play
14:14and then it was Piero and I played on the floor
14:16and the next four minutes we didn't play.
14:18So almost a part of the second half.
14:21I think around this time last year you mentioned
14:26with all these kind of games around the festive period
14:29it's kind of hard to even get training sessions regularly.
14:33And I was just wondering, in those periods
14:35do you have to kind of alter the way you prepare for games
14:38and how does that work?
14:40Do you have to focus on something that's maybe a bit more mental than physical?
14:44And how do you work around it?
14:46Yeah, there is a balance to it obviously.
14:48And depending, sometimes we play three days after,
14:50sometimes four days after.
14:52Obviously the schedule brings now a scenario that is three and three.
14:55So yeah, we are used to it.
14:57We alter the preparation probably in the physical part a little bit more.
15:02But just rely much more on principles and what we have to do
15:07and then tweak what we have to do in relation to the opponent's strengths and weaknesses.
15:12You spoke about sequences as well, sequences of games
15:15and how you can kind of build a consistency
15:18with I guess different types of formations and stuff like that.
15:21Is that something you can see in terms of kind of seeing games as blocks
15:26and kind of mapping it out like that?
15:29Yeah, sometimes you play against back four or teams that are very direct
15:35and rely or want to take the game everything to a restart or a set piece.
15:39All the teams that are completely different.
15:41We face for a period of time a lot of backfights and low blocks.
15:44Then this block of three games has been different.
15:48So yeah, depending.
15:50Sometimes you are luckier so you say,
15:52OK, now for this period this is going to help us for the next few games
15:56and sometimes you just have to alter game by game.
15:58And just on Saliba, with his injuries this season,
16:01I think they've been quite random it seems.
16:04Is that how you see it?
16:05Because I think with the Anfield one,
16:08it was a twisted ankle.
16:10Yeah.
16:11And then how is this one coming back?
16:13Eventually he was uncomfortable in training.
16:15Well, the ankle one was a really random and very unlucky action
16:19that kept him out for a few weeks.
16:21He tried at Anfield, he wasn't comfortable
16:23and he had to stay away.
16:26And this one as well, very bizarre,
16:29but hopefully it will be a matter of days.
16:31OK, that finishes the live section.
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