Mikel Arteta on Arsenal injury latest and title race ahead of trip to West Ham
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00:00 How is the team doing?
00:12 We have a few still in contention, they've been evolving really well. Tomorrow we have
00:16 another training session and we are hopeful that we're going to have a few back and we
00:21 can put a very competitive squad out there.
00:24 What about Saka?
00:28 Yes, again he's been recovering this week and he looks OK.
00:32 Celebration police, let's talk about them. Did it surprise you? There was such a fuss
00:38 about your celebrations at the end of that game. Did that ever surprise you?
00:42 No, because they told me today. So I didn't know anything about it.
00:47 You didn't know anything about it? You didn't hear about Jamie Carragher saying
00:51 'go back down the tunnel'?
00:52 No, but I love it because I've seen managers at the Emirates away on their knees inside the pitch.
00:58 I've seen very big managers walking into the pitch, I've seen managers going across the
01:02 touchline. I've seen that all in the Premier League. Personally, I love it because it brings
01:08 such passion and emotion to the game when it's done in a natural way and a unique way.
01:13 I think it's great, but it's my opinion and a lot of people maybe have something
01:20 very different to mine.
01:24 In terms of overguards, celebrating the photographer, Stewart's not just any photographer,
01:29 is he?
01:29 No, but that's something that again happened there because it's a relationship that they do
01:35 it every day here in the training ground as well. But people are entitled to have their opinion when
01:41 you do something publicly. There are going to be opinions, some of them positive, some of them
01:46 not so positive. That's our job, to accept all of that and then still behave like you think is the
01:53 right way to behave and don't lose that. Make sure we don't lose that.
01:57 Just finally on that point, was it the fact that it was such a big win for you that got
02:01 you back in the tie-breaker race, do you feel that's why there was so much celebration?
02:04 Yeah, but we went to last year, I see a lot of games, on Game 3, Game 6, Game 8,
02:11 managers, teams celebrating a lot, fans celebrating a lot. It's so tough to win in
02:16 this league and for sure it was a big match for us. You can tell how much it meant from the whistle
02:22 that you could sense the stadium and the atmosphere, very different already. It was a great day.
02:27 I don't know why you heard about the blue card rules, I thought we were talking about it.
02:32 I don't know where we're going to get there to be fair. I think we've got a lot going on now
02:40 with decisions, with technology, with what is coming. I don't know if we are ready for that yet.
02:49 Do you think it would be a good idea, a bad idea?
02:52 Who knows? Hopefully it's going to be tested very, very well before we introduce it at this level.
02:58 Just finally from me, we can talk about our favourite subject,
03:02 VAR. They have announced figures this week saying that 96% of their decisions are correct,
03:08 and there's been a 14% increase in correct decisions. They concede they've made 20 mistakes,
03:14 one of which was a factual error. Considering the fact that you were on the end of a mistake,
03:20 where do you think VAR are at the moment? Do you think they're in a good place or a bad place?
03:25 Well, if they've done that analysis and we see some improvements, that's a really positive
03:30 thing to hear, that's for sure. That's what we all are willing to hear and what we expect.
03:35 Do you think there will be a time when we won't have VAR? Do you think VAR is the future?
03:41 Well, that's not in my hands at the moment. It is and we have to play with those rules and
03:46 as those stats show, if that's going in the right direction, let's keep going.
03:52 West Ham this weekend, the defeat against them back in December was the beginning of those three
04:01 defeats in a row. What do you think helped you as a collective to bounce back from that
04:04 negative momentum?
04:07 First of all, see the reaction of the players, the reaction of the
04:10 staff, our supporters as well, because you want to be a certain team.
04:15 But when you lose a match, if somebody wants to be different because you lost,
04:21 then we are not who we want to be or who we say we are. What I saw is let's keep going in the same
04:28 direction, doing things better, more efficiently and a result will come and that's what we did.
04:34 I want to ask you about David Moyes. Obviously, you played for him. It's not going to be the
04:38 first time managing a game against him. What's the biggest challenge of facing a David Moyes side?
04:42 Well, a really experienced manager. He's extremely good at getting the best out of his team.
04:47 He does it in various ways. He's extremely good at managing the group. He's a really competitive
04:53 manager that understands really well where to get an edge on a game and waits for the moments in the
04:59 game to punish you. When you see his trajectory and what he's done at West Ham, it's incredible.
05:05 Eventually, you didn't play a striker in general, but if you look at the last three games,
05:08 you scored 10 goals. This is the ruthless Arsenal you want to see offensively?
05:12 For sure. I play with more and more aggression and scoring goals. The amount of goals that we
05:20 share in the squad, I think, is something very, very important, especially because we have lost
05:23 big players as well this season for long periods. We are still very competitive and that's what we
05:29 have to try to continue to. How surprised were you with the fact that he hasn't clicked for you?
05:48 I don't know. I've got enough to make sure that our players clicked and that's something for them.
05:55 Going back to the talk about blue cards and all the complications of VAR this season,
06:02 do you think we're in danger of overcomplicating football in this country?
06:06 Well, I don't know. I think everything is being done with the intention to simplify it and make
06:13 it more clear and try to cut mistakes or decisions that are extremely difficult to
06:20 make in a split of a second when he's talking about centimetres as well as millimetres sometimes.
06:25 Hopefully, everything is done to improve the game and if that's the case, let's go and try.
06:31 Do you think it's unfair some of the coverage that Arsenal get? Because
06:35 when you lose, you're criticised for losing a game that you maybe should win.
06:39 And then when you do win a game, like you did last week, you get criticised for maybe
06:43 over-celebrating and for maybe people saying that Liverpool weren't at their best.
06:49 I don't agree with that because in my life, what I heard in the last five days is all positive.
06:55 So, do you want to hear more of the negative part or the very positive part? And I think
07:01 there was this much of positiveness and maybe a little bit of criticism.
07:05 If you focus here, you only see that. It depends on the perspective that you look at it. But I
07:09 think it was an extremely positive reaction from our people, media staff, other managers.
07:15 I got so many texts every time I walk in the streets. It's pride and there is a lot of
07:20 compliments to the team for what they did. So, I don't have that impression at all.
07:25 And focusing on the positives in the last week, Gabriel Martinelli was 16 in that win,
07:29 still only 22. Are you excited about what more there is to come from him as well?
07:35 Yeah, especially because he wants more. He's not satisfied. He's not satisfied when he does
07:39 really well. He's not satisfied when you put him on the bench. He's not satisfied after every
07:44 training session. So, only good things are going to happen to him.
07:48 And lastly, on to Eugenio, who was so impressive last week as well. His contract's up at the end
07:52 of the season. Are you hopeful that he might extend that and stay here for a little bit longer?
07:56 Well, I'm really happy with him. That's all I can say. The contract situation is
08:00 more for Edu and the board to manage. But his implication and the capacity that he has in big
08:09 matches to affect the game is tremendous. And he was great against Liverpool again.
08:14 Just on Martin Erdogan, I think in the past few months he's been playing really well from a
08:22 playmaking perspective, but he's not been getting assists. Do you think even though
08:27 he hasn't been getting the output of assists, it's quite nice that he's still being able to be
08:33 appreciated as a playmaker? Because I guess his stats for creating chances and stuff like that
08:40 are still very high.
08:41 Absolutely. And not only that, but his overall performance, his aggression with the ball,
08:46 the influence he has in our team every time we get to certain areas, the leadership skills that
08:55 he's developing day in, day out, and his attitude. And he's always available. So,
09:00 I think he's having a great season.
09:01 When you were a midfielder, do you think those parts of the game from the outside would have
09:07 been appreciated as much as they are being done now? Because I guess stats and stuff like that
09:13 are more readily available for us.
09:16 Well, you know a lot about the players now and what they do, and probably much more than before.
09:23 But as well, I think it's a very good source,
09:27 but it's not the only source to judge the performance of a player, I think.
09:33 Last week you said Thomas' injury was just going to be a minor one. Is there any more
09:37 of an update on that? And is West Ham going to be too soon for him to...
09:40 No, he's progressing really well, but it's a bit too soon to tell you exactly when we're
09:46 going to have him back.
09:47 Similar to Jesus, again you said it was a minor injury.
09:50 Yeah.
09:50 Do you have an update on that?
09:53 No, no update.
09:54 And just finally on Jorginho, I know you said the actual contract negotiation stuff is done
09:59 by Edin, but just on a personal level, would you like to keep him during the fourth period?
10:02 I'm really happy with him, that's all I can say. And we imagined what he could bring to the team
10:11 and how he could make us better. He's doing exactly that, or even better. That's it.
10:16 Your side are amongst the best in away form this season,
10:23 but have found it harder than at London Stadium. Is there a specific reason or way to get around
10:27 that this time on Sunday?
10:29 There are certain reasons. First of all, they are a really good side and they are a really good
10:33 side to beat at home as well. We're going to have to be at our best to give ourselves the best chance
10:38 to win the game.
10:40 On this celebration stuff, do you think there's any relationship at all between the way that
10:48 a team celebrates at full-time and their ability to go on, their maturity to go on and win a title?
10:55 Sorry, can you repeat?
10:58 So all this chat has been about, because some people feel that Arsenal over-celebrated
11:04 one win and that it somehow shows this kind of immaturity that they've not got the bigger picture
11:09 in their lives. I guess I'm asking you, do you think there's any correlation between any team
11:13 and how they celebrate one game at full-time versus their ability to go and win a 38-game title?
11:18 If I think when I have won Premier League somewhere else, then I would say it would be big no.
11:27 Why?
11:28 Because I have experienced it. That's it.
11:30 So there is no correlation?
11:34 I don't know. I'm not saying there isn't. I'm saying my experience says no, but maybe someone
11:39 says mine says yes. Mine says no because I've seen how to celebrate.
11:43 Just on Declan Rice, he obviously didn't get a great reception at West Ham when he went back
11:50 last year. I'm just wondering if you were surprised by that given everything he did for the club?
11:57 Well, it depends. I always say that when you come back there it's very difficult because
12:04 the opponents are focused on giving support to their own team. But as well, I've seen so much
12:10 appreciation starting from the club when he left, what they did for him, the way people
12:14 talked about him. That's very important as well.
12:17 Can you tell us anything about Prince William or Tom Cruise?
12:23 What do you want to know? I can tell you about the Dear Ambrose charity and the work that they
12:31 do and the amount of lives that they save and the amount of support and commitment that needs
12:36 from all of us as well to continue to have that service. Unfortunately, the government
12:40 cannot provide today and we want to have a better city and a safer city because this can happen to
12:47 any of us in any moment. And I just feel the skin like this because I've seen videos that
12:52 you cannot believe. Just support them as much as possible because they are a life changer.
12:58 And in these moments you need someone with that expertise and what they do is incredible.
13:02 Okay we'll go to 10.30 tonight, pick up with Jack.