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Just 48 hours before the match against Brentford at the Emirates Stadium, Mikel Arteta held a pre-match press conference at Sobha Properties Training Center to answer questions from the media.
He was asked about Aaron Ramsdale’s return in goal, our form since the trip to Dubai, rotation of players and a big weekend in the title race, among many other topics.
Here’s everything he had to say:
About the team news:
Nothing, we had some players back last Monday and then we have Martinelli and Bukayo with no issues but we are very optimistic and hope they can be part of it but we have to wait and see how they perform tomorrow how.
On Aaron Ramsdale’s game time ahead of Brentford this season:
That’s the thing, he’s well prepared and he trains well every day. He longs to play like other boys who don’t have as many opportunities, and Saturday was a great day for him.
On Aaron’s attitude this season:
He’s brilliant, brilliant, very helpful and really drives everything in training as I’d expect and it’s a pleasure to have two top goalkeepers in the squad.
Why our trip to Dubai was such a success:
It was necessary and we were going through a very difficult time before that.We played a lot of games and had some losses, especially games that were not worth losing, but I think [the trip] This may be necessary for continuous improvement and constant demands on yourself, weather, and temperature. As a team we also had time to improve some things and everything went well. We won, we played well, and that helped.
On whether this trip will be a turning point in our season:
It’s really good, it’s perfect timing for us. What we built there, the chemistry around it, the energy, we got to spend that time together and enjoy that. It was a very active trip.
On the motivation to face Brentford after last season’s home game:
Every point we left, or every point we left this season hurt, and it still does. We have a lot of games to play and the difficulty of the games is always high. We have played them twice but we always suffered against Brentford. I expect a very similar game on Saturday.
Focus on Brentford instead of thinking about Liverpool vs. Manchester City:
That’s the only thing we can control – the right to perform well, play better than them and win the game. Let’s do it and if we do it will be a great game for any football supporter on Sunday and one I will definitely be watching.
On whether he cared about the outcome of that game:
I can’t control it. I’m going to enjoy some great football between two of the best teams in Europe over the last decade and let’s see where that leads, but the focus is on us and Brentford.
On whether he has a preference for winning privately:
I think the same thing both privately and publicly [answer] Because it has nothing to do with me.
Any news on new contracts for our players:
That is not the case and I leave more to Edu and the club to announce these things in due course.
Our recent results send this message to our championship competitors:
This is great because it shows the quality and consistency the team has shown. The way we scored those goals, not just the way but the personnel, was a very positive thing to watch. We actually conceded very few goals defensively, so these factors combined are very strong in getting results and consistency and we want more.
On the pressure our move to the top will put on our competitors:
We know what we ask and what Brentford asks of us to win the game and be sure of that.we are not yet [top of the league] We want to be better than where we are now and the other two, so we have to keep winning.
On whether he secretly hopes Liverpool and Manchester City draw:
Honestly, it has nothing to do with me. I’ll sit back and enjoy the game with my kids.
On whether this was the best title race in Premier League history:
I can imagine that it’s very interesting for a lot of people and we want to make it very interesting, especially for us, so we have to keep going.
On the impact of Kai Havertz:
It also shows his personality and how he handles all these question marks. He always shows that attitude when things are not going well at certain stages of the game, but he continues to work hard and that’s why he is loved by everyone here. Then we can see his quality and intelligence on the pitch and his contribution to the team, so we are very happy with him.
On Declan Rice’s desire for more goal involvement is contagious:
This is something their team hopes to continually improve upon. They all believe they still have a gear or two to go and that’s the level we want to push them to. We are achieving this with the majority of our players and we must continue to do so.
On whether we are playing the way Mikel envisioned when he took over:
It’s hard to do that if you don’t know the players you have. You have to adapt to the players and their qualities to be able to play and achieve what you want to do. But I’m very happy with the way the team played.
Regarding the changes to the team this season:
Experience is a factor. They also played together more and understood the system better. They understand the way we have to compete and the demands we have to do better on ourselves, and then when the results go their way and we perform well, our confidence grows.
On how critical Havertz is to the way we want to play and press from the front:
Yes, and his ability to occupy space and exploit it in transition moments. His aggression under high pressure is really, really good. He’s physical enough to play in different types of games and we think that’s a very positive thing for us.
On Thierry Henry seeing similarities between Rice and Yaya Toure:
A great player to compare to because Yaya is an unbelievable player. He’s doing really well in the league and Declan wants more, so that’s a good sign.
On how big of a personality Aaron has:
One of the hardest things to deal with is for players who don’t have enough time. Not just Aaron, but a lot of those guys, we have an unbelievable group of guys. We try to explain things honestly, be close to them, give them the support we want and then, when they get the opportunity, ultimately they want to contribute to the team in the best possible way and that’s what Aaron will try to do on Saturday things to do.
On whether he prefers building momentum in the short time between games rather than taking a break:
Well, we’ve had a very strange schedule lately because we’ve got a long stretch after Newcastle and the same situation happened a week or two ago. We have adapted and we have to be able to adapt to that. It’s true that now we’re going to have two games that are very close and then after the international break against Manchester City we’re going to have a big gap again, so try to prepare in the right way to maximize the time we get.
On Eddie, Rice and Emile not playing against Sheffield United:
We discussed some things, we can’t play every player in every game. These players have played a few games against Newcastle before and they have a chance to do that. Now we have five substitutes, before we had three, so we still have two players who are happy. That’s what I think but there are always players who want to be involved and play but unfortunately it’s not possible. It’s not in our hands, it’s not possible, so they know that.
On whether he pulled them aside to discuss the minutes:
You can’t really promise anything. You never know what’s going to happen in three weeks or seven days. It’s just that I think we have to show compassion and they need to feel that we are there for them and that we understand where they are, but the reality is also that this is football. It’s a team sport and you have to understand and fulfill the role you play now, which may change a lot in three weeks.
On whether he will be with the coaching staff to watch Liverpool vs Manchester City:
I didn’t expect that you gave me an idea! But my idea is to watch it with my kids and I don’t know what I’m going to do.
On whether Aaron can adjust to the demands he places on goalies:
Not only has he been able to adapt, but he has proven that he can perform extremely well according to my and our requirements.
On whether he has any chance of retaining his spot:
We don’t have that conversation with the players, Aaron or any other player. You think if you play today, you’ll have a chance to play next week, but that’s not going to happen.
On whether he can rule out a move for Ivan Toni in the summer:
I won’t talk about any other players because if not I would have to rule out every player on the market because we are linked to a lot of players. That’s it.
On whether the way we scored has changed his mind on whether we need a striker in the summer:
No, our plans for the summer were very clear and almost done at the start of the season, understanding what we could have, our contract situation with some of the players and how we wanted to improve and maintain the level of the team. This certainly doesn’t change anything.
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