Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on keeping the momentum after Real Madrid win and onto Ipswich
18/04/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
18/04/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
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00:00The euphoria of Wednesday night, were you able to celebrate it and take it in?
00:04Yeah, for a short period of time, yeah, it was a great evening.
00:07We had a lot of family and a lot of happy faces around the club,
00:12so it was a good moment, but immediately you have to switch it up
00:16and now it's Ipric and the Premier League.
00:18What can a win like that do for the confidence and belief of this young team going forward?
00:24Yeah, that we can compete in any context against any opposition
00:27and now the next step is, yeah, consistency.
00:31Do it in the Champions League at that level.
00:33Now we can go to Eastbridge against a really tough team and do it again.
00:37And you mentioned about resetting.
00:39How hard is that for you to do in such a short space of time,
00:42bottle that confidence, euphoria of the league,
00:45but also focus back on the league and there's a lot still to play for?
00:48Quite easy. Just review the Madrid game and immediately go to Eastbridge
00:52and start to do all the preparation, start to watch the games.
00:54Again, we play against them and what we learned over the last few months
00:59since we played them, how can we hurt them, their qualities
01:02and start to do all the preparation towards the game.
01:05How are the injuries looking?
01:07Eugenio and Kelly Fiore?
01:08Yeah, George is not going to be available yet.
01:11He's still struggling with that incident
01:13and Ricky as well probably is not going to be available.
01:16How would you rate Eugenio's chances of playing in that semi-final first lane?
01:20That's probably a question for the doctor.
01:23It's quite a specific and difficult matter,
01:26so I will leave that to the club to make an update.
01:29If he's not fit and obviously Thomas Partey's suspended,
01:32what are you thinking in terms of that midfield?
01:34A few options.
01:37Are you going to have to think outside the box again as we've seen you do this season?
01:40We have a few options and obviously we're not going to get anything away.
01:44Will you be confident, presumably, given what you've done already this season,
01:48how your team has adapted, your players have adapted
01:50if you had to move things around again?
01:52Yeah, for sure.
01:53Yeah, but it depends on the players as well
01:55if they are comfortable doing certain things
01:58and how we can maximise our qualities
02:00in relation to the game we expect against them.
02:05Hi, Miguel.
02:06It was a tight game, wasn't it, back in the second 1-0 win at Arsenal?
02:10Obviously, they have to win to avoid being relegated this weekend.
02:14So, how different of a game are you expecting
02:16based on the one you've played in December
02:18and how different of a game are you expecting
02:19based on the one you've played in December?
02:22Yeah, I understand where they are at the moment
02:26and they're playing at home
02:27and, as you said, it's one of the fewest chances that they have.
02:31But for us, it's a big game.
02:33We need to start to win football matches in the Premier League
02:35to at least maintain the position that we are in
02:38and to push into the last few games with some hope.
02:41And now we know how tough it's going to be.
02:43They are a really well-organised team.
02:47I think what Kieran and the staff have done is remarkable.
02:50And you see every week how they perform
02:52and the amount of issues they give to opposition.
02:54So, we expect a tough game.
02:55Liam Dillard has had a really good season.
02:58I think it's top of the goals for him.
03:00How highly do you rate him as a forward player?
03:02You know, I don't like to talk about any individuals
03:06of any opposition as a team.
03:08They are very strong individually.
03:09They have players that can win you football matches.
03:12They've done it against big opponents.
03:14So, we have to pay a lot of attention.
03:16This weekend, the Premier League title could be wrapped up
03:19dependent on results in your game
03:21and on the Liverpool game as well.
03:23If that does happen this weekend,
03:25how important is the remainder of the Premier League game
03:28to come for you,
03:29especially with the knock-on effect
03:30in terms of how your players perform in the Premier League
03:33then affects how they may well perform
03:35in that Champions League team?
03:37I'll make sure that we win the game
03:38and that doesn't happen.
03:40And finally for me,
03:40I just want to ask about Dexman, right?
03:42Obviously, you've got seven goals,
03:44nine assists in all competitions this season.
03:45That's the same as the whole of last season.
03:49How do you view him as a leader right now
03:51in your current group of players
03:52and how much more of a leadership role
03:55do you think he could take on?
03:57Well, he's earning more and more.
03:58I think performances like he had
04:01in this time against Real Madrid
04:03just puts the player in a different dimension
04:05and that's why we brought him here.
04:07That's why we demand him as well
04:09to take more steps
04:10and to be more decisive in games
04:13because he can do it.
04:14We've been talking about it for the last few weeks
04:15and to do it at this stage is not easy.
04:18He's done it two times in a row.
04:20Now he's maintaining it,
04:21maintaining that level of consistency,
04:22belief,
04:23and undoubtedly his role
04:25will be bigger and bigger.
04:26Hi, Michael.
04:29Just on the Champions League,
04:30I think sometimes there's a perception
04:35that it's better to have the second leg at home,
04:38but obviously against Real Madrid,
04:40first leg was at home
04:41and I think,
04:43from my opinion,
04:44Arsenal really kind of set the tone.
04:46With the semi-finals,
04:48the first leg's also at home,
04:49so do you kind of view that
04:51as a similar thing you want to replicate?
04:53Because,
04:54yeah,
04:54I think,
04:55I guess,
04:55the neutrals probably would say
04:56it would be better to have the second leg.
04:58Yeah,
04:59my preference has always been
05:00to play the second game at home,
05:02but it's what we have at the moment,
05:04so learn from it,
05:05see what the advantages
05:06and the opportunities
05:07where they are.
05:08I think if any of you
05:09watched any football,
05:10yesterday on European nights
05:11in the second leg,
05:12it's absolutely madness.
05:13You can go anywhere.
05:15So it's great to learn
05:17as well about these kind of scenarios
05:18and why these things happen
05:20because it can be very useful for us.
05:22And you said on the midfield
05:23you have a few options in your head.
05:25I was wondering,
05:25is Myles one of them?
05:26Because obviously we've spoken
05:28about him being a left-back this year,
05:30but he's naturally a midfielder,
05:32so would the next few weeks
05:33be a good opportunity
05:34to give him some minutes in there?
05:36It would be down
05:37to the availability of players
05:38in that moment,
05:40so who is available,
05:41who is able as well
05:43to do that for how long
05:45in games,
05:45because as well
05:46we had players
05:46that they could not play 90 minutes,
05:48so once we are closer
05:49to that game,
05:50we can decide.
05:52Hi.
05:54You mentioned
05:54you don't want to give
05:55much away
05:55about how you might
05:56replace Partey.
05:57You've got these two
05:58Premier League games
05:58before that PSG match.
06:00How do you balance
06:01perhaps practicing
06:02maybe without Partey,
06:03but at the same time
06:04not giving too much away
06:05to PSG
06:06about what you might do?
06:08As always,
06:09a balance,
06:09you know,
06:10understanding
06:10what the priorities are.
06:12The priorities are one
06:13or is another.
06:14And then as well
06:15making sure
06:15that players are comfortable
06:16and feeling the position
06:18that they have to play
06:19such a big match,
06:20but as I said,
06:21the priorities now
06:22are two winning games
06:23in the Premier League.
06:24And just bringing it back
06:25to the Premier League,
06:25the gap between yourselves
06:27and now third
06:28has closed up
06:29with Newcastle
06:30in their two games
06:30and has that played
06:32on your mind
06:33something consciously
06:34with the last two games
06:35being drawn
06:35and trying to get
06:36back that winning
06:37momentum?
06:38Yes, for sure,
06:39because obviously
06:39we're in a much better
06:41position,
06:41but the last two draws
06:42have significantly
06:43changed that perspective
06:46and as well
06:47creating Newcastle
06:48for the form
06:48that they are in
06:49and the way
06:50they've been playing
06:50as well.
06:51So we need to step up
06:52and start to win the games.
06:53James, yes, Ken?
06:54Hi, I'm Mikel.
06:56As far as parties
06:57out of contracts
06:58this summer,
06:59has there been any progress
07:00for the team?
07:02Yeah, there is progress
07:03with all the players.
07:05I leave that to Andrea
07:06and the club
07:07to decide
07:09and to talk about.
07:10So the intention
07:11is to keep it?
07:13The intention
07:13is very clear.
07:14I leave that to Andrea
07:16and the club
07:16to take steps forward.
07:18Just on
07:20Ipswich,
07:21obviously they're not
07:22relegated yet,
07:23but it does look like
07:24the second season in a row
07:25all three
07:26promoted teams
07:27came up
07:28and they're going
07:28straight back down.
07:29I just wondered
07:30what you thought
07:31that said about
07:32the Premier League
07:32if anything.
07:34I mean,
07:35the level,
07:36the difficulty
07:37of staying in this league
07:38and as well,
07:40but I mean,
07:41whatever happens,
07:42the way those three teams
07:43have performed
07:44and have created
07:46a lot of issues
07:46to any of the other teams
07:48tells you the level
07:50and the steps
07:51that everybody has to take
07:52because next season
07:53will be harder
07:54for sure.
07:55Part of it,
07:56Gary Neville was talking
07:56about this
07:57and talking about
07:57how part of it
07:58is these teams
07:59want to play out
07:59from the back
08:00and want to kind of
08:00imitate the Pep Guardiola
08:02style
08:03as if Guardiola's
08:04impact on the league
08:06as a whole
08:06and has a kind of
08:07negative side
08:08as well as a positive.
08:09I just wonder
08:10what you thought
08:10about that?
08:11Nothing.
08:12I haven't reflected
08:13on that.
08:13Okay, Simon,
08:15stand up.
08:16Can I just check
08:17with Jorginho
08:18that it's the rib issue
08:19that you had?
08:20Yeah.
08:20And with Ricky,
08:21are you more hopeful
08:23he might be back
08:23to that PSG?
08:25If everything goes well,
08:27I think so.
08:28Maybe a little bit earlier.
08:29So let's see.
08:30He's on the pitch already.
08:31He's doing quite a lot
08:32of his stuff
08:32and we just need
08:34to make the right steps
08:35now to make sure
08:36that when he's back
08:37he's in a good place
08:40to perform.
08:41I just asked you
08:41about Andrea
08:42coming in.
08:43Obviously,
08:43when we spoke to you
08:44before,
08:45you were very clear
08:46on what you wanted
08:47to do this summer.
08:48I just wonder,
08:49has he coming in
08:50sort of changed plans
08:51at all?
08:52I'm sure he's got ideas
08:53about different players.
08:54What's his impact
08:54being on what you want
08:55to do this summer?
08:56Has it changed much
08:56with Andrea?
08:57Yeah, those things
08:58already were discussed
08:59with him.
09:00But yes,
09:01I hope that he has
09:02many more ideas,
09:04plans,
09:05surprises,
09:06positive ones
09:07and use as well
09:08his experience,
09:09his creativity,
09:10his intuition
09:11as well
09:12to help us
09:13make the right calls.
09:14Is that a benefit
09:15sometimes getting
09:16a fresh voice
09:17and a different outlook
09:18on the market
09:18for what you may have
09:19in general?
09:20Yeah,
09:20I think it's an opportunity
09:21somebody else comes in
09:22with different ideas,
09:24different methods,
09:25different ways of working
09:27and other priorities
09:28as well
09:29in the way
09:29that they work
09:30and I think
09:31this makes us better.
09:32semi-finals?
09:44I think that's too close
09:47but if I have to bet
09:49on him earlier
09:51than expected
09:52I would say yes.
09:53The way he works
09:53every day
09:54is in that gym
09:55pushing everybody.
09:56I don't think
09:57you can hold in
09:57much longer.
10:02clap back
10:03on the map
10:04but personally
10:05for you
10:05does it feel
10:06like it's elevating
10:07your home profile
10:08that you're now
10:08on the top
10:09managers in Europe?
10:12I think it was a night
10:13for the club
10:14that it was great
10:15and that's it
10:16and the best ones
10:17are still ahead
10:19and to come
10:19and we all
10:21have a big ambition
10:23and big objectives
10:24and we are
10:26in the right direction
10:27but the next step
10:28I'm going to be tough
10:29and we're going to have
10:30to be at our best.
10:31Okay guys,
10:32that's finished.