Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on preparing for PSG and Saka's challenge
22/04/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
22/04/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
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00:00He played really well, probably one of his best games in midfield.
00:03How much do you think he's going to improve because of this role as a striker as a midfielder?
00:12I think it's giving him a different perspective as well about the position
00:17and how we link the attacking midfield role with our nines.
00:22He has spent certainly much more time in the last few weeks in training around the box,
00:27so probably that's going to give him as well another taste, another smell
00:31and a really good sense of timing of how he can hurt the opposition
00:35and that's something very, very positive.
00:38I agree with you that he played a really good game in midfield that weekend
00:42and again, now he feels really comfortable in both of them which is good
00:47and on the right as well because I think he can play on the right as well.
00:50In the past you've spoken about specificity of players being designed for certain positions.
00:56How beneficial is that and how important is it for players to have that experience?
01:08Yeah, well, if you don't have the numbers, you need to have something else
01:13and having the capacity for a lot of players not only to understand the position
01:18but actually to execute it at the level that they are doing,
01:21be credit to them and very much needed for the team,
01:24especially with the numbers that we have at the moment.
01:27Two years ago you spoke about Saka being targeted by other players
01:32in terms of rough tackles and you called on referees to kind of protect him more.
01:38It was a nasty challenge out on the weekend and the referee was quite quick in the decision.
01:43Do you think that he is now being picked more,
01:47that referees see challenges like that and act quicker on it
01:50because they want to kind of get both of the tackles out again?
01:55I don't know, I think he made a really quick call.
01:57It was very far from me to see it but he looked really decisive
02:01and after looking at it I think it was the right decision.
02:03And just afterwards he got off stick from the fans who had been booed and jeered
02:09but he seemed to kind of show a lot with a smile.
02:12Just how hard have you worked with him on that maturity and that reacting
02:17to being tackled, getting up and ignoring the outside noise
02:21and being able to focus on his game?
02:24Very difficult to work on that.
02:25We cannot really replicate it.
02:27I think he needs to stay focused and present in the moment
02:30and make sure that the noise doesn't affect his game,
02:34his decision-making especially.
02:36It is tricky sometimes but I think he handled it really well
02:40because the worst thing that you can do is start reacting to that,
02:43start to pay attention to that and he needs to stay focused on the game.
02:47That's it.
02:48But for someone so young, emotionally,
02:50you wouldn't be surprised if he did react to that.
02:52Yeah.
02:53So what makes him different?
02:55That's in his nature really.
02:56It's not something that we have coached
02:58or something that we can take credit from.
03:00That's him.
03:01He's really calm.
03:02He's very rational.
03:03He's very intelligent
03:05and the way he manages his emotions.
03:07So that's down to him.
03:09OK.
03:10What are you going to do now after tomorrow's game
03:13before the semi-final?
03:15Are you giving the players time off?
03:17What's that six days going to look like?
03:19Yeah, they will have a day or two off
03:21and then a full preparation.
03:23Three, four days about what we have to do to beat PSG.
03:27So we're going to have some time to recover as well.
03:30Some players are going to need that
03:31and then full focus on what's coming.
03:33What were you doing different over that time?
03:36A few years ago,
03:38Poch had these players walking over coals.
03:40He had them walking over hot coals before the Champions League final.
03:45Yeah, literally.
03:46To try to get their mentality right from the biggest game that they had.
03:50I would think it was the best approach.
03:52Whatever we do is what we feel is what the team needs,
03:57what the players need.
03:59And if they need more tension, less tension,
04:02be more emotional, more tactical.
04:04We will try to manage to get the levels in the right way
04:09to be as prepared as possible and ready to win.
04:12Will you take any advice from anyone before this game?
04:14Would you speak to any managers about playing PSG?
04:16Obviously, is there anyone you would talk to?
04:19Orson, for example?
04:21I will think about it and do what I feel, yes.
04:26How beneficial is the schedule?
04:28Obviously, it's because of the FA Cup for seven months.
04:30The PSG previous round had a fixture moved between the Athens and the Leagues.
04:35So, to have that planning,
04:36how much does it benefit from the coaching staff?
04:39Yeah, it's going to give us more time to prepare the game.
04:42Very unusual.
04:43So, it's fine.
04:45We take it.
04:47We are very short in numbers at the moment.
04:49So, that little break, I think, is going to be good for us.
04:51In terms of the flexibility of your players positioning-wise,
04:54the bigger picture of football,
04:56how far do you think that's going to trend?
04:59And is it something that's coming from academies in the past decade?
05:04Probably.
05:05A better understanding of game dynamics and the spacing and a lot of things.
05:11But, as well, you have to develop those players
05:13because it's not just the acknowledgement or understanding the positions.
05:17I think the different positions, one of the trickiest things,
05:20is that it brings different physical challenges.
05:23I think the game is very different.
05:24You play as a full-back or as a centre-back,
05:26as a holding midfielder, as an eight or as a nine.
05:29And you have to be very prepared for that
05:31because the demands are very, very different.
05:33Okay, final quick to John first.
05:36Hi.
05:37Has the Champions League run made up for maybe a little bit of a disappointment in the Premier League season?
05:43Sorry, sorry?
05:44Has the Champions League gone great nights like Real Madrid?
05:48Yeah.
05:49Does that make you make up for the disappointment in the Premier League?
05:52It's not about making up.
05:54I think we are very, very clear about what we are doing in the Premier League
05:59and how much we are doing in the Premier League with everything that happened.
06:02So I don't think we have to make up anything.
06:04We mentioned earlier that Liverpool players will be watching the match tomorrow night
06:15and potentially celebrating.
06:16Is that a motivation for BU and the squad to try and delay their title celebrations?
06:22I don't need any motivation to win a football match in the Premier League.
06:26It's super motivating for tomorrow to go out there and try to be better than Palace and beat them.
06:32Okay, thanks guys.