Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta previews tomorrows match against Crystal Palace
22/04/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
22/04/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
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00:00Hello.
00:01Hello there, Mikael.
00:02Can I ask, you think we've heard already that Pukai was OK after seeing the Icelandic
00:09tackle, but can you just confirm that to us?
00:12Yeah, we'll have to wait and see now how he reacts after the session, but it's nothing
00:16too serious.
00:17By nothing too serious, do you mean a good chance, because of the percentages of involvement
00:24if selected?
00:25Yeah, if we want to, I think we'll have a good chance to play tomorrow.
00:29And with Calafiore and Jorginho, it's still too soon for them?
00:33Yeah, Ricky's out and Jorginho, unfortunately, as well, and I think Jorginho will be out for
00:37a few weeks.
00:38Given the form you're in, some great results at the weekend, if you have another good performance
00:48and good result tomorrow night, would you rather have this six days off or would you prefer
00:52to keep the momentum going and the PSG game quite a bit sooner?
00:56Well, it's what we have.
00:57Let's take the opportunity, first of all, and the right to win the game tomorrow against
01:02a really good side, and they have a really good record away from home as well, and after
01:07that we'll have time to prepare the game really well.
01:10Does that gap, that six days, play a part in the team that you select tomorrow night?
01:17If the games were tighter, would it be a different...?
01:19Yeah, we have more days, the amount of options that we have is not that many, especially because
01:25of where some of the players are coming and the amount of minutes that they can play, but
01:29it's good to have a little gap because we are really short in numbers.
01:32Obviously, at the weekend you experimented a midfield without Thomas.
01:36Is that something you would consider doing again given his suspension?
01:40Yeah, well, the reason for it was because Thomas wasn't available to start the game.
01:44At the end we decided not even to play because he wasn't feeling particularly well.
01:49So, we have some options.
01:51We have the opportunity to experiment one, but we have others as well.
01:54And while we're on here, before we move on, can I just waste another five or six seconds
01:58by asking if there's any update on his contract situation?
02:01On Thomas?
02:02You can waste many more minutes with Andrea if you want.
02:07If you lose tomorrow, we will win the title.
02:12Virgil van Dijk has said that all the players are going to watch it together,
02:15they might have a bit of champagne on ice just in case.
02:18Is that an incentive? Is that part of your team talk?
02:21Our incentive is to win our game and do our best to continue.
02:25With the round that we are in right now, the rest we cannot control.
02:28Do you like a bit of hausery? What we call hausery?
02:32What does that mean?
02:33Like trying to take a bit of a sly and darting situation so another team suffers?
02:40If another team suffers?
02:43Yeah.
02:44Well, it depends how you make him suffer.
02:46A bit cheeky.
02:47Naughty?
02:48I wouldn't describe that.
02:52I'm just thinking if you do lose tomorrow night,
02:54maybe the edge of the disappointment will be taken off
02:57because Tottenham on Sunday would have to give a guard of honour for Liverpool.
03:03I think you're going too far.
03:05I'm too focused on the match, I think.
03:07Tottenham at guard, other guard.
03:10Yeah.
03:15Come on, we go.
03:16I'm following you, don't worry.
03:18His numbers were great at the weekend.
03:20Given he's had a difficult season, how impressed are you with him at the moment?
03:24Yeah, it was great.
03:25I think he was really good in the match.
03:27I think he affected the game in the way that we want.
03:30And when you look at the numbers he provided, it was exceptional.
03:33So that's the level that we needed Martin.
03:37Jack Wilshere, there's been some bad news for a manager at Norwich.
03:40It means that Jack gets a chance to step in as head coach,
03:43at least until the end of the season.
03:45You know him well, obviously, as a coach and as a player.
03:49Are you thinking that he could do a good job?
03:52Yeah, well, wishing the best.
03:54Obviously, if he's decided to accept the role and with the games that are left.
03:59The same with Aaron as well.
04:01It's very good to see some ex-teammates taking important roles in management.
04:07So, wishing the best to both of them.
04:12Anita from the family.
04:13Hi.
04:14I'm going to do my best not to continue what Gary was doing there with jokes.
04:18Okay.
04:19You were asked about a player, Martín Alegord.
04:22I wanted to ask about another one, Gabriel Martinelli.
04:24Okay.
04:2550 goals for Arsenal.
04:26Of course, he got that crucial winner against Real Madrid
04:29and then involved in the goals at the weekend against Ipswich.
04:32Do you feel he's been a bit, I guess, overlooked?
04:35Especially when you feel the role he played when the vats of Bukayo Saka was out injured?
04:41Certainly not by us.
04:43But, you know, when you look at the consistency he's shown over the last few years,
04:47the amount of goals he scored at his age and the contribution to a big club like Arsenal
04:52is not easy at all.
04:54So, I think he's in the right path.
04:56He's a fantastic player to work with.
04:58His work ethic, his understanding, his desire to play every minute of every competition.
05:04That's the kind of characters and leaders that we want in the team.
05:08I'm very, very happy with him.
05:10Looking ahead to the game tomorrow, Oliver Glassman is now his first full season in charge at the club.
05:15Palace are currently 12 at the table and have semi-finals in the other cup coming up for them.
05:20How do you feel he's doing now that he's managed to adjust to the pace and what is a demanding league here?
05:27Unbelievable job.
05:28I think what is taking the team and the club and to be in the position they are right now,
05:34I think they fully deserve it.
05:35I think it's giving the team a very clear identity.
05:38I think it's maximising the squad and the ability of that squad.
05:41And they are a really tough opponent.
05:44They are really well coached.
05:45I think he's got a very clear mentality how he wants to approach games.
05:49And they are very competitive to reach their position there on the table and where we are in the FA Cup.
05:56Certainly it's not a coincidence and I think they deserve it.
05:59You said a very tough opposition but you've beaten them home in a way in the last six meetings.
06:04The last meeting this season was one of the best results for the club 5-1 in what we've seen in this campaign.
06:11What did you like in particular about that performance on Christmas Eve?
06:16Well, a lot of things.
06:18I mean, to get a result like this in the Premier League you have to get a lot of things right.
06:21We have to try to replicate those but again, as I said, it's a really difficult opponent.
06:28When you look at the games and what they've done away from home especially as well,
06:32against certain opposition, impressive.
06:35So, tomorrow we're going to have to be really good.
06:38Ian, talk to all.
06:40Hi, Mikel.
06:41Listen, you've got a big game next week with Paris Saint-Germain.
06:45We saw that Kairosaka got kicked on Sunday.
06:48Is there any temptation from you?
06:50I know mathematically you could still win the league but it's looking very unlikely.
06:55Is there any temptation from you just to wrap everybody you desperately need for the Paris game up in cotton wool
07:00and not play with tomorrow and just let them have a week?
07:05We cannot think in those terms.
07:07I think when the players are fit and they are available and they want to play, they have to play.
07:12They are at their best when they are playing and they have consistency in their performances.
07:17Physically they are good, emotionally they are good.
07:20Their understanding and their rhythm and the way they make decisions is at their best.
07:25And that's why we need the players.
07:27If they are not available, there is no discussion.
07:29And if they are not in good condition to perform…
07:32It's one of those funny, difficult games, isn't it?
07:35It is.
07:36And there is always a balance.
07:37Obviously you want to balance the risk and make sure that you are sensible with your decision-making.
07:41But that's what we have as well, a very top staff to guide us and to tell us what we should be doing
07:49and what there is when we do that.
07:51But unfortunately in football, anything can happen.
07:54And the game starts when the game finishes to write the story of what should have happened.
08:00You know, and that's easy.
08:02So do it before.
08:04Last one, you've already mentioned Jack Rocher and Aaron Ramsey.
08:09But firstly, is your phone on if they want to ring you for advice?
08:13Secondly, did you really…
08:15I mean, we've known for Jack for ages who wanted to go into management.
08:18But how many current players do you think want to go into management when they finish?
08:22Is it still something that players want to do when they finish in football?
08:26Is test themselves in management like you have?
08:29Well, I hope so.
08:30That means that they retain their passion for the game and they want to be in different roles.
08:35It has to be in management.
08:36It can be in any other role.
08:37But that means that it's something ignited within them and the game.
08:41And it's great.
08:42I've been so happy to see those two doing that.
08:45And I hope that it goes really, really well for them.
08:48Simon, even a standard?
08:49Just on Jorginho, are you confident and hopeful the season isn't over?
08:54Sorry?
08:55Are you confident that Jorginho will be back before the end of the season?
08:57I hope so, but I'm not certain.
08:59So we have to see how he evolves in the next few days, I would say a few weeks.
09:03So the doctor was quite cautious still about talking about any dates.
09:08So let's see.
09:09The good news is that he's improving, he's feeling much better.
09:12It was a quite scary situation and he's in a good place now.
09:16Just on Riccardo, he's had quite a few injuries this season.
09:21I think this is the fifth spell he's had out of the team.
09:24How much of a concern is that?
09:26And how much next season are there things you can do to try and prevent that?
09:29Do you think it's been bad?
09:30What do you think has been the issue where he's had a kind of stop start this season?
09:33Well, three of the injuries.
09:34Obviously, there are impact injuries.
09:36One is a really bad twist that it could have been worse, to be fair.
09:41And he's managing the player as well.
09:44So now we learn many more things about the player
09:46and how we can be much more on top of certain situations
09:49to try to prevent them.
09:51But it's true that the two main ones,
09:53they've been really unlucky and very little
09:55that we could have done differently.
09:57Just another one on Jack and Aaron.
10:01I was wondering, because they're managing against each other
10:05on the final day of the season,
10:07I think with Jack you've probably seen that progression as a coach here.
10:10But with Aaron, was it something that surprised you
10:13when you saw the news about him taking charge as interim?
10:18Well, yes, because I don't have the close contact like I have with Jack
10:22and I was very clear with Jack's intentions.
10:25But with Aaron, no.
10:27And it hasn't surprised me,
10:29because obviously with his experience, where he's been
10:31and what he's done in the game,
10:33if he wants to, he's able to do it.
10:35We all have different characters and he's decided to do it.
10:39It's a very brave decision.
10:40I think a lot of people within football talk about disciples and managers.
10:44So people talk about yourself, Chaddy, Vince and company as like Pep.
10:49But with Arsene, can you kind of see that now with yourself, Jack and Aaron?
10:55Well, hopefully.
10:57I think Arsene should be very proud that he had three players under him
11:02that I think he inspired and he helped us to ignite again this love for the game
11:07that we want to continue what he did in the past.
11:10Can I just ask something about corners?
11:13Because I noticed against Brent that there are a lot of short corners
11:16and you've scored from two at the weekend against Ipswich.
11:19So I was just wondering, was there like a reason for,
11:22I guess, more variation in these last couple of weeks?
11:25Because it felt like a very kind of quick change.
11:29Yes.
11:30I mean, when the team arrives to do something,
11:32the weaknesses will be somewhere else.
11:34That's our job to try to analyse that and exploit it as good as we can.
11:39Okay, last couple in the live section.
11:41First, Nick at the back.
11:42Hi.
11:43Can I ask you about Miles Lewis-Skelly?
11:45Yes.
11:46A lot of us thought he'd be a midfielder.
11:48He's playing so well on the left side of the fence.
11:50Is that now his best position for the rest of his career?
11:54I wouldn't go that far.
11:56I think for now and what he's provided to the team
11:59and the needs that we have and the role that we ask for that full-back,
12:03probably yes, but he stepped in in midfield the other day
12:06and he looked very, very comfortable.
12:08He's played his whole career and he's good.
12:11Another player that can play different positions at the highest level,
12:15so very good news.
12:17When you were talking about experimenting with replacements for Thomas,
12:21could he be one of those players who fits into that role?
12:24Yes, he can play as an eight, he can play as a six.
12:26He's played eight before many times and he has the qualities to do that.
12:30Yes.
12:31And finally to Phil.
12:32Hi, Michael.
12:33Just going back to the player, obviously he's been so impressive
12:36since he's returned.
12:37Has he surprised you at all how quickly he's got up to school?
12:39That's what you are hoping for and the way he's prepared,
12:45he was giving good signs that he could impact the game,
12:49like he normally does, but obviously to be playing at that level
12:52after missing three, three and a half months is not easy at all.
12:56So credit to him and all the staff that work with him.
12:59Just on his future, he has left,
13:01but would you like to see that new deal signed this summer?
13:05With who?
13:06With Maguire and his new deal?
13:08Yeah, when the time comes and we will have those conversations
13:12and I'm sure the club is very on top of it.
13:14I think Maguire has been very clear what his intentions are as well,
13:17so I think everything is in the right place.
13:22But with Maguire and his new the day and you are like,
13:25I'm happy she didn't need it!
13:26Because I look back with him and I like it all the time and
13:28the love from him is that all the time I предっぱり
13:30did so the time he attitude and then naturizing came in and
13:32helped me feel.
13:33Okay, so I'm sure you!
13:34You've got a unity with family,
13:35you've got their interest,
13:36and married family,
13:38you've got to come as little too many of them.
13:41Let me just do look atpos Stress.
13:44And then,
13:45that's great interesting...
13:47Let's see if we've got some nice things that need
13:49to come as soon as a locatorя hopefully.
13:52You