Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta previews Chelsea clash and Miles Lewis-Skelly's England call up
14/03/2025
Sobha Realty Training Center, London, UK
14/03/2025
Sobha Realty Training Center, London, UK
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00:00Jürgen, just two questions for you today,
00:03do you regret not signing a striker and have you written off winning the league?
00:06Just kidding.
00:08LAUGHTER
00:13The England squad has been announced,
00:15and some good news around these parts,
00:17because MLS has got the nod, your reaction to that?
00:21Very proud, very proud of him, it's a huge moment for him and for the club as well.
00:26Again, one of our graduates getting the call for England,
00:29it's a massive thing, so I'm very happy.
00:32They've been saying the right things, I think, to Thomas Tuchel,
00:35about the work he's said about fast-tracking a fast-tracker,
00:39what they can offer in the right environment,
00:40have you been involved in those discussions?
00:43No, but I'm sure that that will be the case,
00:45and Thomas is a top coach, I know a few people around him and the set-up in England,
00:49and I have no doubt that they will do the right thing with him.
00:52And he's confident, that's not going to be an issue for him,
00:55he's not going to be missing in that kind of company, is he?
00:57With Miles? I don't think so, no.
01:00And obviously Ben White, not in the squad this time,
01:02because obviously he's not been playing because of injury,
01:04but the mood music is good, there's a kind of mending of the part of him,
01:10the way he's healed, he wants to be involved again, is that good news?
01:13Yeah, well, I heard that there's been some positive conversations around it,
01:16so I imagine it will be about timing more than anything else,
01:20especially with the amount of time that he's been out with injury.
01:24You don't know Ethan yet, that's probably just a step too far for him,
01:28but potentially in the future, another Arsenal youngster getting involved with England,
01:34do you get a personal pride from that, the role that you've played with Miles,
01:38and eventually maybe Ethan?
01:41Yeah, I think we all do, because obviously we are involved in their development,
01:44and we know that it's one of the biggest dreams that you can achieve as a football player,
01:49and a really proud moment, so being part of that obviously is a great thing to be.
01:55A real English core at Arsenal as well now,
01:59both in the English side and here at Arsenal, is that something that is important?
02:04Very important, I think culturally, because of our history and we are an English club,
02:10to have that DNA that represents us as a club,
02:14and then having a lot of academy players as well,
02:16I think it's something very, very positive, so very proud of it.
02:20Just quickly before we move on from England,
02:22Baka'i Osaka obviously not in the squad, injured,
02:24any update on when we might see him back training?
02:27No, he's getting closer, he's stepping up and making very good progress I would say,
02:33so let's see when we start to throw him in with the team,
02:35how he reacts and how fit he can get quickly.
02:38The supercomputer, I love a supercomputer,
02:41you said they made you third favourites to win the Champions League,
02:45behind Barcelona and PSG but ahead of Real Madrid,
02:49so you've got a say in whether Real Madrid win the Champions League or not,
02:51talk to us about that draw.
02:54Well, a fascinating draw, I think you're going to play against a club
02:57with the biggest and more history in the competition,
03:02and I'm very excited to play against them,
03:05but before that we have three big matches in the Premier League.
03:08Yeah, and talking about the Premier League,
03:09the same supercomputer gives you a 0.5% chance of winning the Premier League,
03:17a 99.5% chance of not winning the Premier League,
03:23so you're right, there is still a chance.
03:25Into the next one!
03:28Chelsea, 5-0 this time last year, you'd go for that again, wouldn't you?
03:34Well, I think it's going to be a very different game,
03:37and I think the way they develop as a team as well is very impressive,
03:40what the agency has done and the coaching staff,
03:42the amount of talent that they have in the squad,
03:46so yeah, a really tough match, but we are at our best as well,
03:49a big chance for us to win the game.
03:51Raheem obviously was found in the match mid-week,
03:55played well, looked like he was enjoying himself,
03:57that could be the start of him maybe getting back towards his best for you,
04:01but unfortunately obviously he can't be involved on Sunday
04:04because of the deal with Chelsea.
04:08Is that bad for him, would it have been good for him to carry on that momentum?
04:13I think so, but it's what it is, we knew about it, he played, he played well,
04:16he was contributing to the attacking goals that we scored as well,
04:21so very good, that's what we needed,
04:24players in good form, in good spirit, good confidence,
04:27and certainly that performance is going to help him.
04:32Your players have spoken about how effective you've been
04:35getting the team into the right state of mind mentally,
04:37how has it been for you though, mentally as a coach,
04:40to go through the seasons, develop the project,
04:43keep the boys resilient, hungry for more,
04:45and the different challenges you face,
04:47we're nearly at the end of another season, it's got to work.
04:49Yeah, day by day, try to surround yourself with the right people,
04:55that have the right expertise and can advise you to make the right decision,
04:59and after that, predictability is a big factor in this industry,
05:04and you have to adapt to it, you can have an understanding,
05:07or a way of doing things, and from there, for sure,
05:09things will happen that you're going to have to adapt,
05:12but go into the next day.
05:15Ben White, he returned to start, 122 days after his injury,
05:19and one year ago today he signed his new long-term contract,
05:22how do you think in this closing stage of the season he can really help the squad,
05:25even just being around them more in training?
05:27Very much, and he's been now involved for the last two weeks almost,
05:30and he's not reacting, so that's very positive,
05:33and we know Ben is a really important player for us,
05:35he brings something very different to the team dynamic,
05:38and I'm thrilled to have him.
05:41Your players have also spoken about how meticulous and knowledgeable you are
05:44when you do your analysis against opponents,
05:46very, very detailed apparently,
05:48very similar to Enzo Maresco, who likes to be very analytical,
05:51Chelsea next, big loads of derby at home,
05:53what sort of match-up do you expect, like you said,
05:55it will be different to the 5-0,
05:56there's not a lot of change in their squad, injuries both sides?
06:00Well, let's see, I think two teams that want to be very dominant in the way of playing,
06:04very aggressive on the high press and the way we have to have the ball,
06:07a lot of individual quality on that pitch,
06:09so it's about imposing what you want and the direction that you want to take the game,
06:14and keep them very far from their strengths,
06:16I think that's going to be a key thing as well.
06:18Thank you, good luck.
06:19Thanks, Chris.
06:20Simon for the Standard.
06:21Pique, you touched a bit there on having a sort of British draw,
06:24I think you were here in 2012 when there was that famous photo,
06:28I think it might even have been here when Arsene was there with Aaron, with Alex...
06:32Oh, the new signings.
06:33Yeah, when the five of you were together.
06:34I just wonder what your memories are of that
06:37and why the importance of having that British draw is in the club?
06:40I think that's great, I think it attaches people to the football club,
06:44it makes them proud, I think everybody wants to see academy players and English players
06:48driving and being the face of the football club, I think it's really important,
06:53I think it has to happen organically, you cannot force it, especially with those two.
06:58Now it's really good news because they deserve to be where they are,
07:02they are doing great and there's a bright future ahead of them.
07:05And I know you'd like to recreate, are there more behind Ethan Marles
07:09that we maybe don't know about yet, is there excitement for what's to come in the future?
07:12Hopefully there are many more, but again, it's something that time will tell,
07:17and as Gary used the word, fast-tracking players,
07:21if they are good enough there is no problem with that,
07:24but at the same time they really have to earn it to play at this level.
07:28OK, Tom, Football London.
07:29Jürgen, ahead of the Youth Cup game, you spoke to Adam Birchall
07:33and he talked about the importance of keeping Ethan and Marles separate,
07:37not four of us as a pair, because they come from the same time
07:40and we naturally tend to think about them as a pair.
07:42Marles has obviously got a senior call-up, Ethan hasn't,
07:45do you think that in some ways will help them individually develop
07:48apart from one another in two separate teams?
07:51Yeah, any comparison there I don't think is right,
07:54I think they have a very similar pathway,
07:57because obviously they've played so many years together,
08:00but after that they're going to have different moments
08:03and each career will be unique and individual for them,
08:07and they're going to have to earn it,
08:09and what one does is not going to reflect or affect the other one
08:12in a positive or negative way, so that needs to be totally independent.
08:16It's great, it's a luxury to have someone that you spend so much time,
08:20trust and love next to you on that journey,
08:23use it in that way, that's it, and the rest, throw it away.
08:28And ahead of the weekend, it could be an opportunity
08:30for Gabriel Martinelli to get his first Premier League start
08:32since coming back,
08:34you've seen with the absence of a number of forwards,
08:36Nicol Marino used as a centre-forward,
08:38with Martinelli back it gives you more options to change the front line,
08:42do you see that front-line structure returning to something more
08:45that we've seen in the past, or do you still see Mikel very much
08:47as a centre-forward option?
08:49No, now we have more options, but it's true that we have to really
08:53manage the load and he's been a little bit ahead of schedule
08:57and that's what we didn't want to take,
08:59and we don't want to take any more risks with him loading in with more minutes.
09:03OK, last couple in the live section, firstly Art.
09:05Hi, Mikel, I know you said you weren't involved in Mars' call-up,
09:09but I was just wondering, because Thomas Tuchel said he felt
09:12the vibe was very parental around how he was selected,
09:16I was wondering, throughout this season have you felt a similar vibe
09:20of being almost a parental figure, with not just Mars but Ethan as well,
09:24as young men coming into this environment?
09:27Well, they have almost the age of my oldest son, so yeah,
09:30just for that factor I can see a lot of similarities,
09:34but both of them have great family, their environment,
09:37and they are in charge of that part of education,
09:40obviously we have a big responsibility and a lot of things
09:43that are related to that as well, but they are in good hands,
09:47we are here just to support and guide in many other aspects,
09:50and if they need something they know they can knock on the door
09:55and have that conversation.
09:57And when we were in Spain, the Girona game,
10:00obviously that was big news when Mars' red card got rescinded,
10:03and he was asleep at the time, so you didn't have a chance to speak to him,
10:07I was wondering have you had a chance to speak to him today about the call-up?
10:11Yeah, I had, and we all had, and we were all really, really happy
10:14because it's a really nice story, and a story that gives a lot of hope
10:18to a lot of young players, and that in six, seven months
10:23your career can change dramatically, drastically, for the good.
10:27So it's something for people to be inspired,
10:30I think it hasn't happened because he was lucky,
10:35I think he pushed for every chance to happen and the way he's done it,
10:38so yeah, good example.
10:41OK, finally we'll go to Mel, a question in Spanish.
10:43Hello, Miguel, this morning you called for Maradona to be on your team,
10:48is that what you're going to do this morning, and how do you feel about it?
10:53I'm very happy and proud of him,
10:55because for any player to represent his country,
10:58especially if he's not that young, it's incredible,
11:01and we've congratulated him among all of us,
11:04let him enjoy it, have fun,
11:07feet on the ground, and compete tomorrow.
11:10Thank you very much.
11:11OK, guys, that finishes the live section.