Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta reflects on the confidence the Wolves match has given Arsenal for the title race and upcoming matches against Chelsea and Tottenham this week. Arsenal have learnt a lot and are currently in a great position
Sobha Realty Training Center, London, UK
Sobha Realty Training Center, London, UK
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00:00 Have there been a need for a different message to the players this week given the teams you're
00:13 playing are Chelsea and Tottenham who of course would be very keen to stop Arsenal winning?
00:18 Same message, just keep doing what we've been doing. Focus on the game, on the task,
00:24 prepare the game really well as we have tried to do with the time that we had available.
00:28 And the boys looked ready to go again.
00:31 How much character is your team showing at the moment after the win
00:34 at the weekend, after the week you had?
00:36 It was a good test to see how we react to certain obstacles and how much we wanted basically and
00:46 what we are capable of doing when the task raises the level of demand and some people
00:53 are questioning. It's a moment that you have to step up and certainly the team did that.
00:58 Roncio Pochettino has said that Cole Palmer is a doubt for this game.
01:02 How big a boost would that be given he has been their outstanding player this season?
01:07 I don't know. We have no control on the players' availability. We have control in ours and
01:11 whatever they put out there, when you look at the squad that they have, the quality that they have,
01:16 it's great. I think they're doing very, very well. I think they're doing much better than
01:22 people talk and we'll get to talk much more for sure.
01:27 Have you been surprised given you mentioned the quality of the Chelsea team that they're
01:31 in the league position they're in? Are there any comparisons to be made in your early days?
01:36 I think the journey of those clubs are very, very different. Nothing to compare in my opinion.
01:47 It's a huge admiration for Malfoy because I've known him since 23 years ago and I really wish
01:57 him all the best. He's an incredible manager. He's a huge leader and he will inspire that club to
02:03 get where they want to get, that's for sure.
02:05 A big talking point in the last couple of days generally in the Premier League has been around
02:11 match officials, Nottingham Forest. Do you think it was right for Nottingham Forest to
02:17 question the integrity of the match officials and the way they did yesterday?
02:20 I don't know. I'm not involved in that. I've been involved in a few and
02:24 that's nothing for me to comment.
02:26 Do you think back to the Newcastle game earlier in the season when Arsenal called for an improvement
02:34 in the standard of officiating? Are there any comparisons to be made to some of yesterday's
02:40 decisions that maybe there's still work to be done?
02:42 I don't know. I think we are all trying to improve the game in the best possible way.
02:46 We are all aligned. Things are going to happen. They will happen in the future as well.
02:51 Again, when it touches you it's very difficult and you have to sympathise with that because
02:59 we've all been there.
03:00 Do you think the way the referees are selected for games, is that a fair process at the moment?
03:09 I don't know. We are not involved in that. I'm sure they are doing whatever they think is the
03:14 best solution, the best process. It's constantly in review. Everything we do is evolving and
03:19 in constant evolution. They will try to get it better and better and I'm certain that will happen.
03:26 How big was the win at Wolves after a couple of difficult results?
03:36 In terms of size it was quite good. It really meant a lot to us. We are in a great position
03:44 in the Premier League. We've been like this for nine months, nine and a half months.
03:48 We want to give it a real go and be really determined to do what is in our hands to try
03:56 to leave that trophy. Tomorrow we are going to have a very tough opponent in front of us and
04:01 we will try to overcome that opponent again.
04:04 The fact this season there are three teams involved in the title race,
04:07 it feels more challenging, more exciting and the margins are tighter. Do you agree with that?
04:13 They are because obviously you depend on another two teams as well.
04:17 You talk about, as I've always said, the best two teams in the decade of this league.
04:23 In my opinion, you are the best in the history of this league. This is where we are.
04:27 What do you make of Chelsea in the last couple of months,
04:30 despite the defeat at Wembley against City? We can clearly see the improvement.
04:34 When you face them in the league, they are going to challenge you. What do you expect tomorrow?
04:39 Huge improvements. I think they deserve to be in a much higher position in the league when you look
04:45 at what they've done and what they've produced in games. They have reached a final, they have
04:50 reached a semi-final, they could have gone through. I think what Mauricio is doing is
04:56 really impressive and I'm sure he's going to get them there.
05:03 Do you enjoy playing against Mauricio Pochettino?
05:10 Enjoy? I have to play against him, he needs to play against me. It's two huge clubs,
05:18 a London derby, it's a massive game for us and we have prepared in the best possible way.
05:23 In terms of officials, you said you think things will change in the future.
05:30 Do you think things need to change in the future? Do you think that we have a great product on the
05:34 pitch, loads of goals, great type of race, there's just one little thing letting it all down at the
05:40 moment. Do you think it needs to change? No, I think it will evolve because the game is evolving
05:44 and the official team will evolve in direction with the game probably and the technology as well.
05:51 There will be new rules for sure and they will implement new rules in the future.
05:55 We have to be open to that.
05:57 It seemed last week in the Champions League, Bale's decisions were made a lot quicker.
06:01 Is that your perception, that things are different in Europe compared to here at home?
06:06 It was super fast. I was fascinated.
06:08 Are you happy with that?
06:11 Well, I don't know. You can really see in two seconds, five different screens.
06:14 So I would like to review that process.
06:16 Finally, after the game on Saturday, Pep Guardiola brought up the schedule again.
06:24 The fact that City had to play Wednesday and then FA Cup semi-final on Saturday,
06:28 you're playing Saturday and now on Tuesday.
06:30 I just wanted your idea about whether or not the schedule, the calendar needs to be looked at.
06:37 Maybe managers need to be spoken to by not only those putting the games on, but also by the Chief
06:43 Executive, signing the things that say not only these games are happy for them to play, but also
06:48 that the tours before and after the season can go ahead.
06:52 Yeah, but I already gave my opinion last week about it. I understand that it's a really
06:58 important topic, but I said what I think. Let's see. There are some improvements and we'll look
07:03 after the players as well as we possibly can between all of us. It's not just an individual
07:08 responsibility. It's all the factors. The clubs are involved heavily as well, with the broadcaster,
07:13 with the FA. It's a lot of decisions to be made and I think we really need to sit down and rethink
07:20 what we are doing.
07:22 George, special day, happy birthday!
07:24 Thank you very much. Happy birthday.
07:25 Thank you. Got a nice cake here for us.
07:28 For all of us.
07:29 I just wondered on Saka and Declan Rice and their scheduling, a lot of your players,
07:38 some of them are close to playing 50 games now. Arsene Wenger used to say they have this red zone
07:44 and I know Arsenal do a lot of work on stats. How close are your players to being burnt out
07:51 with scheduling and what they're going for at the moment? Are they almost like they can't wait
07:55 for the season to end just to get a couple of weeks off?
07:57 I don't know. When I see them this morning, I have to stop them because winning as well is
08:02 a big boost of energy and after the performance against Wolves and winning and having to play
08:08 a London derby tomorrow, everybody is ready for it. Something else is the amount and the volume
08:15 of those games. It's not the moment for us to look at that. We have to think in a positive way and
08:20 feel and think that we are fresh to perform in the best possible way.
08:23 When you talk about officiating the Volga, would you be open to looking at
08:28 the best dresses from other countries coming to the Premier League? Do you think that would help?
08:32 No, we have to be open to everything. We have owners from everywhere, we have sporting directors
08:46 from everywhere, managers, players. I don't know. I think we have to look in-house. I think there is
08:52 already a very strong programme to develop referees because it was
08:55 something that was already explained that it would take some time to process.
08:59 But they are on it so we're not going to make that decision. That's a decision for them to
09:04 understand who is the best to take charge of that.
09:08 Was there much to do with Man City when he was probably broken?
09:13 No, he was too young at the time.
09:17 For years Arsenal have been a red pot against the big six teams in the country. You used to
09:24 let them down at this point in the season. Last year I think you took 19 from 30. This year with
09:29 three games to go I think you can still take 22 maximum. What has changed there in psychology
09:34 when it comes to these big games?
09:37 Whether it's psychology, whether it's performance, whether it's getting better as a team.
09:41 Obviously the more you win against big teams the more belief you have that you can do it
09:46 consistently. We prepare every game to beat them and tomorrow definitely it will be the same. We
09:53 have to prove on the pitch whether we are capable or not.
09:56 You were a player even when you first took over as manager, Chelsea, but probably more
10:00 established, had the pedigree of the top team. Do you think that's now switched, that Arsenal
10:05 are now going into the game as the dominant side?
10:08 I don't know. When you look at the history of what they've done in the last 20 years,
10:12 there is a big difference and we need to do that and we haven't done any of that yet.
10:18 You look at the right-hand side, Saka, White, Odegaard, it's pretty much fixed and has been
10:25 there for two or three years now. The left side has been a lot more changed, the left-back,
10:28 Havertz moving back to midfield. Martinelli, Trosser, it feels like you've not quite settled
10:34 on a formula on that side yet. Was that something you thought you would have got by this stage?
10:38 Well, the fact is as well that we had a lot of injuries in that side. Obviously,
10:44 the fact that we haven't had Thomas for six, seven months has affected us in a way to play
10:50 Declan as well in a different position. But I look at it as something really positive as well,
10:54 that we have the possibility to change players and find different dynamics and units within the side.
11:03 As a manager, what do you make of the Chelsea project, spending £1 billion for two years
11:09 and trying to build the team?
11:10 I'm not the person to talk about what we have done, but what the clubs do is entirely up to them.
11:21 They will have their vision and it's very clear how they are going to get where they want to get.
11:27 Would you like £1 billion to spend?
11:29 Sorry?
11:30 Would you like £1 billion to spend?
11:32 Depends. I like a lot what I have and I'm very pleased with that.
11:37 I guess the point I'm trying to get to is that spending money is not necessarily
11:43 guaranteed success, is it? What else have you done in the last year?
11:48 Well, that's I think a very short sample because if you look at the history of the Premier League
11:53 in the last 20 years, the ones that they have spent the most and what has happened,
11:58 I think there is a big relation. So, depending on how you look at it.
12:04 Do you think they will come good eventually?
12:05 I'm convinced they will. With that squad, yes. And with the manager they have, yes.
12:10 Jürgen Tinder is going to be involved for the other 20 months tonight against Blackburn.
12:16 If he comes through that, is there a chance he could be involved against Spurs over the weekend?
12:20 That's a quick step. Let's see how he feels today. He's been training really good. He looks
12:27 ready. He needs that exposure and after that we'll assess whether that game comes
12:32 in the right time or too fast and try to get him with us for the final games.
12:38 It might be another quick step. Obviously, the Euros are coming up in the summer and
12:41 then a whole lot of people want to look at it but maybe take it. Would you say that would be
12:44 too soon for him and maybe that would be a bit of a risk for him to go to that tournament?
12:48 At the moment it looks really far because he hasn't played any football. So,
12:52 let's see how he goes tonight. Let's see if he can contribute
12:55 in an impactful way in our season and then we'll see what happens in the summer.
13:01 Football has seen plenty of younger kids that have failed to live up to their potential.
13:08 But do you think Martin Algarve did it?
13:10 Fulfil his potential? Hopefully not. Hopefully there is still a lot more to come. He's still
13:17 very young and he's made huge strides in the last few seasons. He's got a massive role at the club
13:26 and hopefully he can keep growing.
13:28 But the Wunderkid brand can be heavy to wear and we have seen many fail to deliver after that.
13:36 How do you think Martin has proved that wrong?
13:39 Especially because he had to wear that kit since he was 14, 15. That's not easy but I think he has
13:48 handled that in a great way. I think the steps that he made as well to progress and to have
13:54 minutes and develop his career, especially when he went to re-associate, I think it was a really
14:01 intelligent move. From there I think he took off and now we have the player that we have.
14:06 And how important has he been in building this team that now is challenging for the
14:11 Premier League title for the second year in a row?
14:13 He's our captain, he's one of our main players and when you look at the impact that he has
14:17 with us daily, it's amazing. So we are really happy to have him.