On Tuesday evening, the Gunners secured their second win in two Champions League group-stage matches, beating Lille 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium. After the game, Mikel Arteta answered the following questions from the press:
— on the passing of Ken Friar: “Before we start, I would like to say a few words about Ken Friar, our Life President. It is a really sad day for everyone who loves Arsenal Football Club, for everyone who loves football, and for everyone who had the opportunity to spend time with him. I had the privilege of meeting him, spending time with him and learning from him. In football clubs, there are people who fulfil their roles, and then there are those who create the identity, values and vision for the future of a football club. The legacy Ken leaves to all of us, to our football club and to everyone who was close to him will last forever. I want to send all our love to his relatives and family, so they know that our feelings towards him could not be warmer.”
“His legacy is enormous, and for me, it was a real pleasure to spend time with him. We will miss him, but the good thing is that he leaves behind such a legacy. He will forever remain in the memory of this football club and everyone who came into contact with him. He never sought to take credit for other people’s achievements. He was incredibly focused and meticulous in so many things. He had a great sense of humour, and the energy he had at his age was incredible. That is what made him so special and unique.”
— on the impressive second-half performance, which was a tribute of sorts: “I am sure he would have been really happy to see the way the boys played and how we won. This victory is for him. But there is more to it than that: I know he was proud of what we have achieved, and especially of the group of players we have.”
— on the impact of the substitutions: “There were moments in the game, especially in the first half, when we found ourselves in really dangerous positions with a significant advantage. Our technical quality was not high enough to create real threats, particularly to sustain our attacks in certain transition situations. Once we made the substitutions at half-time, our technical level improved, and we started attacking the areas where we felt we could threaten their goal. All three goals were incredible, and it was a pleasure to watch the combinations, timing and quality demonstrated by my players. Three different players scored, and even more were involved in those goals, so overall I am very, very pleased.”
— on whether he is ready to make triple substitutions more often: “I will be doing it more often now! I felt it was the right moment, considering how the game was developing, how the opposition were playing and the fact that we needed different players in those moments and positions. But credit goes both to the starting players and those coming off the bench for creating those moments. It is all about momentum.”
— on his team often scoring after lengthy passing sequences this season: “First of all, it depends on the opposition’s style. If they behave differently, the number of consecutive passes we make will be lower, and we will not have those situations. We work a lot on this aspect in training because it is a phase of play we encounter frequently. Our players are developing, understanding the game better, and our level of understanding between each other is improving. We need that because we cannot rely on other aspects. When other things are not working, we have to make sure we have different ways of winning football matches.”
— on the fitness of Hincapié and Zubimendi: “Zubi is feeling much, much better. Piero is also recovering, but it looks like his recovery period will be longer. I think it will take a few weeks, although the exact timeframe is unknown. We need to see how Zubi copes with the pain on the pitch and the emotions he will have to deal with.”
— on Myles returning to the left-back position: “Coaches always love him, and he deserves enormous credit because changing positions is not just a tactical necessity; there is also a physical aspect and the effort required. But I thought he was magnificent in the way he competed and conducted himself. He was very consistent, apart from one moment in the game, and that is exactly what we need. Myles is a player who has a huge impact on the team.”
— on Bayern Munich player Michael Olise being suspended for next week’s match: “I think we have a difficult away game against Nottingham Forest first. We have faced that challenge over the last few years, so our priority is to make sure we are ready for that match.”
— on the contribution of Saka, who came on as a substitute: “I am really pleased, and I welcome that, if that is the case. Yesterday and today he was not feeling very well because of an illness. He was not ready to start, but he really wanted to help the team if needed. He came on as a substitute, made a real impact and produced a really high-quality performance.”
— on winning 14 consecutive Champions League group-stage matches: “It shows our level of consistency. We keep playing the way we do and maintain the same level throughout the competition. I am sure we can achieve more, but we have to earn it because it is very important.”
— on Madueke’s performance: “I said that when you talk about players who ‘score with remarkable accuracy’, sometimes that means scoring five goals from 100 chances. It is about creating more attacks, getting more actions and putting him in favourable positions, because he is the one who decides matches. A few days ago, he made a really big contribution, and today he also played his part with the decisive final pass. We need our players to reach a level where, if possible, they make a decisive contribution in every game.”
— on his conversations with Saka about his mentality: “After the press conference, I went over to him. He was lying on the massage table, and I said: ‘Bukayo, I absolutely destroyed you at the press conference. Good luck tomorrow!’ He laughed because he knows me. He knows that we have these kinds of moments, and he accepts them because he wants to become the best version of himself. To do that, you have to set yourself big goals and challenges and try to overcome them through hard work and consistency. He has the ability to do that.”
Source: arsenal.com
Author: MissingHenry
