WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.160 Hello and welcome to HYBR1D Powered by chinkseyMEDIA. 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:07.740 Media. Every word from Mikel Arteta's pre -Atletico 00:00:07.740 --> 00:00:10.300 presser. Our third Champions League game of the 00:00:10.300 --> 00:00:13.419 season sees us take on Atletico Madrid at the 00:00:13.419 --> 00:00:16.019 Emirates Stadium and Mikel Arteta has been speaking 00:00:16.019 --> 00:00:19.109 to the press ahead of the clash. We're currently 00:00:19.109 --> 00:00:21.690 unbeaten in the league phase, and Mikel previewed 00:00:21.690 --> 00:00:23.710 the showdown with the La Liga outfit, answering 00:00:23.710 --> 00:00:27.530 questions on his squad, our form, and much more. 00:00:27.769 --> 00:00:31.030 On the mentality after beating Fulham, it's very 00:00:31.030 --> 00:00:34.130 happy, obviously, and especially after international 00:00:34.130 --> 00:00:36.549 breaks when you know that you have to align and 00:00:36.549 --> 00:00:39.210 regroup everybody. You could tell that in the 00:00:39.210 --> 00:00:41.890 first 10 minutes that we were getting that rhythm 00:00:41.890 --> 00:00:44.649 together, but afterwards, watching the game back, 00:00:44.789 --> 00:00:47.280 I think that we deserved to win. There are things 00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:50.020 to improve, but we take the win and we move on 00:00:50.020 --> 00:00:52.219 now for the Champions League match. Yeah, like 00:00:52.219 --> 00:00:54.259 I said in the last press conference analysis, 00:00:54.500 --> 00:00:57.079 I felt we were quite leggy after the first 20 00:00:57.079 --> 00:01:00.979 to 30 minutes as opposed to 10 minutes. But it's 00:01:00.979 --> 00:01:02.659 a combination of factors. It's a combination 00:01:02.659 --> 00:01:06.000 of factors that Fulham fed on the crowd's energy 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:08.420 and really tried to put it on us. They ran out 00:01:08.420 --> 00:01:11.980 of energy. as the game went on, and then we took 00:01:11.980 --> 00:01:14.760 hold of the game. Also, our quality kind of shone 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:16.840 through. I mean, we kind of had to earn the right 00:01:16.840 --> 00:01:20.420 to play. We gained a foothold in the match halfway 00:01:20.420 --> 00:01:22.760 through the first half, and then after that, 00:01:22.819 --> 00:01:25.120 you could see the win was inevitable. However, 00:01:25.379 --> 00:01:27.700 against better opposition, if you start like 00:01:27.700 --> 00:01:30.819 that, they perhaps punish you, or at least give 00:01:30.819 --> 00:01:32.980 you more things to think about, let's say. On 00:01:32.980 --> 00:01:36.540 Piero Hincapia's availability, he will be available. 00:01:36.819 --> 00:01:39.439 I think the Fulham game came a... Bit too early 00:01:39.439 --> 00:01:43.159 for him. So he had another two very good sessions 00:01:43.159 --> 00:01:46.400 and now he's ready to go. Okay, interesting. 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:49.319 That's an interesting one. Like I mentioned on 00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:52.739 the last episode, Myles Lewis Skelly is unfortunate 00:01:52.739 --> 00:01:56.519 that the player that's ahead of him, arguably... 00:01:57.019 --> 00:01:59.439 our player of the season so far. He's tussling 00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:02.000 with Timba. I mean, I'm to -ing and fro -ing 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:04.519 between the two of them, Timba and Calafiori. 00:02:04.540 --> 00:02:06.260 Who's been our better? Who's been the better 00:02:06.260 --> 00:02:08.159 of the two? They've both been exceptional nines 00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:11.280 out of tens for most of the season. For tomorrow, 00:02:11.300 --> 00:02:14.139 I expect Miles to come in. I'll be shocked if 00:02:14.139 --> 00:02:16.419 he doesn't. So that begs the question, where 00:02:16.419 --> 00:02:19.860 does Piero come in? However, it means Calafiori 00:02:19.860 --> 00:02:22.280 could have a day off tomorrow and then you could 00:02:22.280 --> 00:02:26.039 play... Miles for maybe an hour to 17 minutes. 00:02:26.120 --> 00:02:29.039 Piero come on and bring his energy, vivaciousness 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:31.819 and his pace in the second half. On coming up 00:02:31.819 --> 00:02:34.800 against Diego Simeone and how highly he rates 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:37.979 him at the highest level. I think what he's done 00:02:37.979 --> 00:02:40.460 since he's got to Atletico has been outstanding. 00:02:40.819 --> 00:02:44.020 Not only what he has achieved. but the way he's 00:02:44.020 --> 00:02:46.740 done it. I think the identity that he has created 00:02:46.740 --> 00:02:49.659 for the club, for the team, the spirit, I think 00:02:49.659 --> 00:02:52.699 they are very simple and clear to identify. And 00:02:52.699 --> 00:02:55.590 that's because the manager is very much... them 00:02:55.590 --> 00:02:58.349 that's extremely difficult to achieve for a short 00:02:58.349 --> 00:03:01.770 period of time and to do it for 14 years i think 00:03:01.770 --> 00:03:04.270 he's been there now he's done something incredible 00:03:04.270 --> 00:03:07.830 so it will be a pleasure to meet him i mean yeah 00:03:07.830 --> 00:03:12.469 we played them last in 2017 i believe 2017 -18 00:03:12.469 --> 00:03:15.689 season and they had a man sent off in the first 00:03:15.689 --> 00:03:18.930 10 minutes we went one nil up so you're thinking 00:03:18.930 --> 00:03:21.430 okay europa league semi -final we're one nil 00:03:21.430 --> 00:03:24.159 up against 10 men Perhaps we'll win 2 -0 and 00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:27.120 go to Spain and kind of go from there. However, 00:03:27.340 --> 00:03:30.280 we didn't get the second killer goal. They got 00:03:30.280 --> 00:03:33.460 a late equaliser and then in Spain, we were up 00:03:33.460 --> 00:03:36.300 against it because they were pretty much impregnable 00:03:36.300 --> 00:03:39.819 in Spain at the Vifente Calderon Stadium where 00:03:39.819 --> 00:03:41.719 they used to play. Now they play at the one, 00:03:41.740 --> 00:03:44.180 the Metropolitano Stadium, should I say. Yeah, 00:03:44.199 --> 00:03:46.680 it was a tough game. So we know the identity 00:03:46.680 --> 00:03:49.939 of the team. It's not really changed much since 00:03:49.939 --> 00:03:52.539 then. However, they've got... Julian Alvarez, 00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:54.580 who's a great outlet on the break, or should 00:03:54.580 --> 00:03:57.300 I say in transition, but I don't think they have 00:03:57.300 --> 00:04:00.599 much pace and skill that we should fear. So I 00:04:00.599 --> 00:04:03.120 think if we can kind of pin them back, dominate, 00:04:03.300 --> 00:04:05.379 I don't think they've got an outlet that they 00:04:05.379 --> 00:04:08.159 can reach. So obviously I did mention Alvarez 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:10.419 is their outlet, but I don't feel like they'll 00:04:10.419 --> 00:04:13.259 be able to get the ball to him enough for them 00:04:13.259 --> 00:04:15.379 to cause us the requisite amount of problems 00:04:15.379 --> 00:04:18.079 for them to have enough chances to win the game. 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:21.120 They've obviously got... Alexander Solov as well, 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:23.079 who's another good centre -forward, but I just 00:04:23.079 --> 00:04:24.660 don't think they're going to get enough ball 00:04:24.660 --> 00:04:27.779 to cause us problems. So that begs the question 00:04:27.779 --> 00:04:32.519 now, can we make use of our ball to create enough 00:04:32.519 --> 00:04:35.259 chances to score to win the game? That's the 00:04:35.259 --> 00:04:38.040 question. On William Saliba watching Atletico 00:04:38.040 --> 00:04:41.420 Madrid after our win over Fulham, I'm very pleased 00:04:41.420 --> 00:04:44.060 because I didn't encourage it, so it came from 00:04:44.060 --> 00:04:47.129 them. That's the most powerful thing. A game 00:04:47.129 --> 00:04:50.310 finishes, the job is done, but now what's next? 00:04:50.709 --> 00:04:53.529 What's the next challenge? What's the next opportunity? 00:04:53.930 --> 00:04:56.430 We know that it's going to be a really tough 00:04:56.430 --> 00:04:59.290 one. So the earlier we start to think about it 00:04:59.290 --> 00:05:02.189 and prepare, the better. I love that initiative 00:05:02.189 --> 00:05:04.550 from the players and it tells you how much they 00:05:04.550 --> 00:05:07.769 want it and how focused they are on. What is 00:05:07.769 --> 00:05:10.990 next? I mean, if we're dubbed the favourites 00:05:10.990 --> 00:05:13.269 in the Premier League, and for me, we're probably 00:05:13.269 --> 00:05:15.089 the favourites for the Champions League right 00:05:15.089 --> 00:05:16.870 now. I don't think we will be for the bookies, 00:05:16.889 --> 00:05:19.949 but on current form, just the situation of the 00:05:19.949 --> 00:05:22.930 team, you know, the kind of confidence we have, 00:05:22.970 --> 00:05:25.069 the way we're playing, I think we're going to 00:05:25.069 --> 00:05:27.670 be a hard team to stop. And bear in mind, I said 00:05:27.670 --> 00:05:30.350 at the start of the season, I placed us as third 00:05:30.350 --> 00:05:32.189 or fourth favourites for the Champions League. 00:05:32.569 --> 00:05:35.259 Now I'm placing us right at the top. That's not 00:05:35.259 --> 00:05:36.980 to say that we're going to win it, but it's to 00:05:36.980 --> 00:05:39.199 say that if anyone's going to win it, they're 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:40.980 going to have to beat us. And that was the case 00:05:40.980 --> 00:05:43.839 last season. But this is our toughest test yet 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:47.259 for me. They're going to prove a tough nut to 00:05:47.259 --> 00:05:49.959 crack like a Brazil nut. But it's one that I 00:05:49.959 --> 00:05:53.259 do think we can do. If we can replicate the performance 00:05:53.259 --> 00:05:56.560 we had against PSG last October, 12 months on. 00:05:56.959 --> 00:05:59.439 then I shouldn't see any reason why we can't 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:01.860 get the three points tomorrow. And I am actually 00:06:01.860 --> 00:06:04.399 tipping us to get the three points. On using 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:08.319 Simeone as inspiration for his longevity as Atletico 00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:10.660 boss, there is someone that I look up to and 00:06:10.660 --> 00:06:13.740 learn from in many situations. What is for me 00:06:13.740 --> 00:06:16.819 outstanding is his passion. I think for how long 00:06:16.819 --> 00:06:19.699 he's been in the game and in the same club with 00:06:19.699 --> 00:06:22.279 the same players and how you still have that 00:06:22.279 --> 00:06:24.639 handle and that capacity to transmit such an 00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:27.680 energy and willingness to win. It's a very tough 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:31.040 environment that we live in and to keep convincing 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:33.439 players you have to be extraordinary as well. 00:06:33.779 --> 00:06:36.240 I don't know him personally but everything that 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:38.779 I have heard about him is that he's good at doing 00:06:38.779 --> 00:06:41.420 that. That's one of the reasons why you are able 00:06:41.420 --> 00:06:44.420 to sustain. at that level always forget to mention 00:06:44.420 --> 00:06:47.000 that Mikel Arteta's favorite word seems to be 00:06:47.000 --> 00:06:50.160 to transmit energy and different contexts and 00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:53.620 these are the buzzwords he always uses but yeah 00:06:53.620 --> 00:06:57.040 we need to transmit the performance that we had 00:06:57.040 --> 00:07:01.399 against Newcastle and the likes of Man City where 00:07:01.399 --> 00:07:03.800 we played well but didn't really make the most 00:07:03.800 --> 00:07:07.230 of our chances but Most notably the Newcastle 00:07:07.230 --> 00:07:09.449 game. If we can kind of replicate that into this 00:07:09.449 --> 00:07:13.209 game tomorrow, then we should be able to win 00:07:13.209 --> 00:07:16.009 the game and transmit the performance into points. 00:07:16.290 --> 00:07:18.810 On if he would want to see Simeone in the Premier 00:07:18.810 --> 00:07:21.660 League, it's going to get tougher. We have enough 00:07:21.660 --> 00:07:24.500 super good managers here, so I don't know. That 00:07:24.500 --> 00:07:26.920 will be completely up to him. If one day he wants 00:07:26.920 --> 00:07:29.740 to experience that, what I can say is that from 00:07:29.740 --> 00:07:32.000 what I've seen and after analysing the team, 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:34.720 how well they are coached. OK, so who are the 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:36.980 super good managers? Because right now, Arnaz 00:07:36.980 --> 00:07:40.319 Slot is toiling. Four defeats in a row. Pep Guardiola 00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:44.019 has kind of become the dark horse, which is a 00:07:44.019 --> 00:07:46.879 bizarre thing to say. But, you know, Man City 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:50.139 are kind of hiding away. In the shadows, no one's 00:07:50.139 --> 00:07:52.800 really expecting much of them. Haaland's scoring 00:07:52.800 --> 00:07:55.519 goals for fun, and they appear to be our biggest 00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:57.860 threat to stop us winning our first league title 00:07:57.860 --> 00:08:00.420 in 21 years. But other than that, who are the 00:08:00.420 --> 00:08:03.740 super good managers? Because, yeah. On getting 00:08:03.740 --> 00:08:06.620 nine points in the last three games in the league, 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:09.579 we have to get as much information as we can 00:08:09.579 --> 00:08:11.819 and understand the reasons why we drop certain 00:08:11.819 --> 00:08:15.199 points and then try to implement them. He's talking 00:08:15.199 --> 00:08:18.040 about last season. To be fair... Sometimes from 00:08:18.040 --> 00:08:20.279 a draw to a win, there are details and things 00:08:20.279 --> 00:08:22.680 that have to go your way. But it's true that 00:08:22.680 --> 00:08:24.540 the team shows a different kind of maturity, 00:08:24.839 --> 00:08:26.980 threat and probably conviction at this stage. 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:29.819 But it's still very early. We have to do it now 00:08:29.819 --> 00:08:32.820 for another 30 games and that's going to be the 00:08:32.820 --> 00:08:36.220 objective. OK. Yeah, I mean, last season we had 00:08:36.220 --> 00:08:39.960 a lot of draws and a lot of things that contributed 00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:43.399 to those drop points were the red cards, injuries, 00:08:43.860 --> 00:08:46.970 missed chances. not having a strong rough squad. 00:08:47.370 --> 00:08:50.669 We've obviously alleviated a lot of the issues 00:08:50.669 --> 00:08:53.690 with the summer we've had, with the experiences 00:08:53.690 --> 00:08:57.029 we've gained and garnered, and with our improved 00:08:57.029 --> 00:09:00.230 performances. So obviously, we've come through 00:09:00.230 --> 00:09:02.809 a tough start to the season where we had to play 00:09:02.809 --> 00:09:06.129 Man Utd, Man City, Liverpool, Newcastle, to name 00:09:06.129 --> 00:09:09.289 but a few. And now we're coming in... to a little 00:09:09.289 --> 00:09:12.450 batch of games where we're playing mid -table 00:09:12.450 --> 00:09:15.850 promoted sides where we should really be expecting 00:09:15.850 --> 00:09:18.570 to pick up maximum points. We're currently situated 00:09:18.570 --> 00:09:21.230 at the top three points clear and we have two 00:09:21.230 --> 00:09:23.970 tough games this week, namely tomorrow against 00:09:23.970 --> 00:09:27.169 Atletico Madrid and culminating against Crystal 00:09:27.169 --> 00:09:28.789 Palace, which I think is going to be a tough 00:09:28.789 --> 00:09:32.830 game and an emotional game for Ebreche Eze, who, 00:09:32.990 --> 00:09:35.519 incidentally, I wouldn't be surprised. If he's 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:38.299 on the bench tomorrow, I think he'll go Marino, 00:09:38.440 --> 00:09:42.960 centre midfield, alongside Zubimendi and Declan 00:09:42.960 --> 00:09:45.679 Rice. And I believe he'll go with Martinelli 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:48.320 on the wing. So I think Eze will be on the bench. 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:51.139 That's just a prediction. On being favourites 00:09:51.139 --> 00:09:53.559 for the Premier League title, the only thing 00:09:53.559 --> 00:09:56.480 that I embrace is when I see the team, the energy, 00:09:56.620 --> 00:09:58.740 the temperature, the commitment and the quality 00:09:58.740 --> 00:10:01.820 that they can deliver, that it gives me that 00:10:01.820 --> 00:10:04.559 conviction that we can go all the way. But that's 00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:07.289 it. That's just a feeling. Then the next day, 00:10:07.370 --> 00:10:09.610 you have to prove it. The next training session, 00:10:09.830 --> 00:10:12.389 you have to prove it and nothing else. We cannot 00:10:12.389 --> 00:10:15.169 be busy thinking about those topics. I mean, 00:10:15.210 --> 00:10:17.149 everything is there for us to go and win it. 00:10:17.210 --> 00:10:20.309 The experience we've had, the games that we have 00:10:20.309 --> 00:10:23.470 coming up, the games that we've already come 00:10:23.470 --> 00:10:26.710 through, the games our competitors have to play. 00:10:26.809 --> 00:10:29.049 So, for instance, Liverpool have to play Man 00:10:29.049 --> 00:10:31.730 City. Liverpool got tough games coming up. Liverpool 00:10:31.730 --> 00:10:34.590 have lost the last four. We're in a good moment 00:10:34.590 --> 00:10:37.169 now, as they say. We're confident. We've got 00:10:37.169 --> 00:10:39.350 a strong squad. We're winning games. We're playing 00:10:39.350 --> 00:10:43.149 well. We look impregnable. We're not giving away 00:10:43.149 --> 00:10:45.730 chances. Teams ain't having shots against us, 00:10:45.750 --> 00:10:48.850 but it's early. So we want to be where we are 00:10:48.850 --> 00:10:53.350 come February, March, April. If we are in a similar 00:10:53.350 --> 00:10:55.970 situation, then we're talking. We've been here 00:10:55.970 --> 00:10:59.289 in a similar situation two years ago where we 00:10:59.289 --> 00:11:01.419 started the season really well. but obviously 00:11:01.419 --> 00:11:04.039 came up short. So hopefully we can use that experience 00:11:04.039 --> 00:11:06.960 and that heartache to really get us over the 00:11:06.960 --> 00:11:09.799 line because the best is yet to come, for sure. 00:11:09.960 --> 00:11:12.639 On whether he has been inspired by Simeone's 00:11:12.639 --> 00:11:16.500 culture at Atletico, no, I think I've got that 00:11:16.500 --> 00:11:19.240 done more through my experiences and my beliefs. 00:11:20.039 --> 00:11:22.220 and especially my understanding of Arsenal and 00:11:22.220 --> 00:11:24.500 this football club and my experience here. I 00:11:24.500 --> 00:11:26.460 think to put a different context to this one 00:11:26.460 --> 00:11:29.240 is extremely difficult, and at the end, I think 00:11:29.240 --> 00:11:32.200 you have to be authentic to your beliefs, your 00:11:32.200 --> 00:11:34.500 way of dealing with people, especially which 00:11:34.500 --> 00:11:37.259 is the most important thing when you talk about 00:11:37.259 --> 00:11:40.059 culture. Slowly, you have an idea, and after 00:11:40.059 --> 00:11:43.200 that, sometimes you change the trajectory a little 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:45.460 bit to understand what is best for the club. 00:11:46.080 --> 00:11:48.500 Yeah, obviously he doesn't need to replicate 00:11:48.500 --> 00:11:51.700 what they're doing at Atletico. Arsenal and Atletico 00:11:51.700 --> 00:11:54.279 have different ideals, different ideologies, 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:57.519 different culture. We're more of a club of class 00:11:57.519 --> 00:12:00.299 for the people. The football we're supposed to 00:12:00.299 --> 00:12:03.440 play is supposed to be, you know, aesthetically 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:06.840 pleasing. Whereas Atletico is more grit, hard 00:12:06.840 --> 00:12:11.320 work from Simeone, which obviously is a reflection 00:12:11.320 --> 00:12:14.919 of how he was as a player. A hard working, tough, 00:12:15.740 --> 00:12:19.279 hard -tackling defensive midfielder. So, yeah, 00:12:19.340 --> 00:12:22.019 obviously you want to take certain elements from 00:12:22.019 --> 00:12:25.299 Diego Simeone, like, for instance, the defensive 00:12:25.299 --> 00:12:28.580 rigidity and defensive structure are well -organised 00:12:28.580 --> 00:12:32.519 and dogmatic, in a way, sense of play that we 00:12:32.519 --> 00:12:35.000 do have. But obviously you want to add that to 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:37.580 what Arsenal Football Club represents, which 00:12:37.580 --> 00:12:40.879 is what I mentioned already, the good football, 00:12:40.980 --> 00:12:43.500 the aesthetically pleasing football that Arsene 00:12:43.500 --> 00:12:47.309 Wenger has. obviously become synonymous with. 00:12:47.470 --> 00:12:50.309 On what Gabriel Hense has brought to our defence, 00:12:50.750 --> 00:12:53.090 I think that's something very collective with 00:12:53.090 --> 00:12:55.370 all the coaches, with the players, with their 00:12:55.370 --> 00:12:57.750 commitments as well and Gabriel added something 00:12:57.750 --> 00:13:00.970 different, that willingness to win. We've seen 00:13:00.970 --> 00:13:03.669 that through his career, that experience to win 00:13:03.669 --> 00:13:06.370 and to elevate somebody's level, ambition and 00:13:06.370 --> 00:13:09.029 drive to the highest limit. And he's extraordinary 00:13:09.029 --> 00:13:12.490 at that. Yeah, I mean, Gabriel Hentze is a Man 00:13:12.490 --> 00:13:16.230 United boy, unfortunately, but he's coming and 00:13:16.230 --> 00:13:18.590 obviously we're looking actually better than 00:13:18.590 --> 00:13:20.610 we've ever been defensively. I don't think I've 00:13:20.610 --> 00:13:23.970 ever seen a defensive unit at Arsenal this rigid, 00:13:24.169 --> 00:13:28.000 this solid, this good. Well, certainly since 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:30.940 the Invincible days, but obviously now we're 00:13:30.940 --> 00:13:33.679 looking proper. Teams aren't even having shots 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:35.840 against us. The stat from the other day where 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:39.740 we've gone two consecutive games without conceding 00:13:39.740 --> 00:13:43.600 a shot for the first time since 2003 was alarming. 00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:46.120 That's an unbelievable stat and as long may that 00:13:46.120 --> 00:13:48.340 continue. If that continues tomorrow, then I'm 00:13:48.340 --> 00:13:50.000 sure we win the game because I feel like we're 00:13:50.000 --> 00:14:10.250 going to score at least. Well, he's never going 00:14:10.250 --> 00:14:13.809 to say yes, but I'll say it for him. Yes, definitely. 00:14:13.909 --> 00:14:17.090 I mean, Liverpool dropping further points is 00:14:17.090 --> 00:14:19.710 great news for us because, you know, we know 00:14:19.710 --> 00:14:22.080 now we... can really stick the knife in them 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:24.600 and start to build a lead. We've got a three 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:27.000 -point buffer up there and we know that if we 00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:30.039 keep winning, especially up until the point where 00:14:30.039 --> 00:14:32.919 Liverpool play Man City... then we know that 00:14:32.919 --> 00:14:35.519 we have a very good opportunity to extend that 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:38.200 lead to more than three points. On whether it's 00:14:38.200 --> 00:14:40.940 harder to prepare for a game against a long -serving 00:14:40.940 --> 00:14:43.600 manager. On this one, I think the hardest thing 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:46.860 is the time that you have. It's basically a day 00:14:46.860 --> 00:14:50.200 when you can't really do much to prepare. So 00:14:50.200 --> 00:14:52.720 it's understanding the time that we have to spend 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:55.960 to analyse and understand that. They have evolved 00:14:55.960 --> 00:14:58.360 as a team from where they were probably a year 00:14:58.360 --> 00:15:01.179 ago to now. and how they can change in relation 00:15:01.179 --> 00:15:03.440 to the context of the match, which is something 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:06.100 very specific for this team. In order to prepare 00:15:06.100 --> 00:15:08.820 in the best way, you have to give the players 00:15:08.820 --> 00:15:12.139 everything, but to be able to simplify the information 00:15:12.139 --> 00:15:14.820 and make it as concrete and as clear as possible 00:15:14.820 --> 00:15:17.000 for us being in the best position to implement 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:20.100 what we want to do tomorrow. Yeah, it's true. 00:15:20.919 --> 00:15:23.259 Atletico have actually lost a number of players 00:15:23.259 --> 00:15:26.480 that have been with the club for a number of 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:29.559 years. People like Rodrigo de Paul have left, 00:15:29.740 --> 00:15:33.360 Witzel, Thomas Lemar, Angel Correra, to name 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:36.279 but a few, have all left. So obviously, there's 00:15:36.279 --> 00:15:38.799 kind of an evolution of how the team is. I've 00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:41.350 looked at the kind of... team squad starting 00:15:41.350 --> 00:15:43.909 lineup. They don't really have much pace. They 00:15:43.909 --> 00:15:47.029 usually play a narrow 4 -2 formation with Solov 00:15:47.029 --> 00:15:49.929 and Alvarez up there. They've got Antoine Griezmann, 00:15:49.950 --> 00:15:53.029 who's Asian, but obviously still capable of many 00:15:53.029 --> 00:15:57.330 things. Scored his 200th goal for Atletico recently. 00:15:57.629 --> 00:16:00.389 So there's a squad with amazing players, top 00:16:00.389 --> 00:16:02.789 quality players, Asian squad, not much pace, 00:16:02.970 --> 00:16:06.129 but it's... It's a good team. I just expect us 00:16:06.129 --> 00:16:08.090 to win the game. It's not going to be easy. It's 00:16:08.090 --> 00:16:10.269 probably going to be a bruising encounter. I 00:16:10.269 --> 00:16:13.750 would say Atletico Madrid are probably Newcastle 00:16:13.750 --> 00:16:16.610 on steroids in a way. on why Simeone's team is 00:16:16.610 --> 00:16:19.590 so difficult to play against. First of all, the 00:16:19.590 --> 00:16:22.169 willingness to win. You can sense that in every 00:16:22.169 --> 00:16:24.490 single ball, in every single yard, the way they 00:16:24.490 --> 00:16:27.350 play. So it's about how they compete and then 00:16:27.350 --> 00:16:30.370 after how they play. I think there are two very 00:16:30.370 --> 00:16:32.669 different things. And in order to have to analyse 00:16:32.669 --> 00:16:35.889 what they are, the level of organisation is really 00:16:35.889 --> 00:16:38.419 high. The level of discipline is really high. 00:16:38.519 --> 00:16:41.000 And then they have acquired a lot of talent throughout 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:43.519 the years that they are very specific for the 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:45.759 needs and the way they want to play. And they 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:49.019 are very good at exploiting those opportunities. 00:16:49.399 --> 00:16:51.899 Yeah, don't forget, I think what he's referring 00:16:51.899 --> 00:16:54.620 to is people like Conor Gallagher. Yeah, he may 00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:58.460 not start every game, but... His kind of pugnacious, 00:16:58.460 --> 00:17:02.799 dogmatic approach to the game where he just has 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:06.500 legs for days, energy, energetic, you know, runs 00:17:06.500 --> 00:17:09.319 his heart out, plays his heart out. That's the 00:17:09.319 --> 00:17:13.339 kind of attitude that Diego Simeone sought, seeks 00:17:13.339 --> 00:17:18.319 from a player. I expect his players to be well 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:21.019 up for it, obviously. It's a game they probably 00:17:21.019 --> 00:17:23.119 need to get something from, considering they 00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:26.259 lost to Liverpool in the first game, especially 00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:28.079 if they want to qualify from the league phase. 00:17:28.279 --> 00:17:30.559 And if Simeone could be successful in the Premier 00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:33.440 League, if he works in the Champions League, 00:17:33.619 --> 00:17:36.220 which is the highest competition in Europe, he 00:17:36.220 --> 00:17:38.640 can do it anywhere. I don't know. You have to 00:17:38.640 --> 00:17:41.099 come here and try it and feel it. But I'm very 00:17:41.099 --> 00:17:44.099 sure that his know -how is unbelievable and his 00:17:44.099 --> 00:17:46.759 character and willingness will take him anywhere. 00:17:47.099 --> 00:17:49.180 OK, he's kind of swerved the question, but I 00:17:49.180 --> 00:17:51.900 think he's essentially saying if he can do it 00:17:51.900 --> 00:17:54.420 in the Champions League, which he has, then why 00:17:54.420 --> 00:17:56.480 can't he do it in the Premier League? And that's 00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:58.900 a good question. on why we're so effective at 00:17:58.900 --> 00:18:01.559 set pieces. We keep evolving and keep improving. 00:18:01.859 --> 00:18:04.380 It's a system that when you put it in place, 00:18:04.460 --> 00:18:07.079 the system has to learn every single day, every 00:18:07.079 --> 00:18:09.599 single game to become better. That's in relation 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:12.019 to the players that we have and what we learn 00:18:12.019 --> 00:18:14.480 from ourselves and as well what we learn from 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:16.980 the opposition and try to be as consistent as 00:18:16.980 --> 00:18:19.759 possible. In order to do that, you have to give 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:22.440 importance to certain topics to become really 00:18:22.440 --> 00:18:25.460 important and we try to do that in a way that 00:18:25.460 --> 00:18:28.730 we share the time, and the focus in game preparation. 00:18:29.089 --> 00:18:32.009 And then it's the delivery. Yeah, I mean, two 00:18:32.009 --> 00:18:34.809 factors. We've got exceptional crosses of the 00:18:34.809 --> 00:18:39.549 ball in Bakayo Saka and Declan Rice. Unbelievable 00:18:39.549 --> 00:18:42.930 A1 quality crosses of the ball. And then we've 00:18:42.930 --> 00:18:46.430 got unbelievable headers of the ball. None other 00:18:46.430 --> 00:18:48.990 than Gabriel Magales, who's probably the best 00:18:48.990 --> 00:18:51.720 header of the ball. especially from dead ball 00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:54.200 situation in world football. So when you couple 00:18:54.200 --> 00:18:56.279 those two together, it causes carnage in the 00:18:56.279 --> 00:18:59.960 box. And obviously it's been a route for us to 00:18:59.960 --> 00:19:03.759 get ahead in games and as a consequence, pick 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:06.839 up three points. On how Gabriel Ence's one -on 00:19:06.839 --> 00:19:09.640 -one sessions help the players. That experience, 00:19:09.740 --> 00:19:12.619 if somebody tells you, if you do that, you're 00:19:12.619 --> 00:19:14.920 going to be successful and you know that he's 00:19:14.920 --> 00:19:17.900 done it and he's been successful. That's a lot 00:19:17.900 --> 00:19:20.500 of credibility there. Yeah, I mean, Gabriel Hentze 00:19:20.500 --> 00:19:24.420 had a very, very successful career at both Manchester 00:19:24.420 --> 00:19:28.359 United and Real Madrid. And he won things there. 00:19:28.500 --> 00:19:31.640 So when he talks, you listen. I've noticed he's 00:19:31.640 --> 00:19:35.109 done a lot of work with Myles Lewis Skelly. Obviously, 00:19:35.109 --> 00:19:37.289 Hentze was a left -back -come -centre -back, 00:19:37.450 --> 00:19:39.730 and we've got a few of those. We've got, obviously, 00:19:39.849 --> 00:19:41.769 Lewis Skelly is kind of a left -back -come -centre 00:19:41.769 --> 00:19:44.990 -midfielder, but we've got Riccardo Calafiori, 00:19:45.029 --> 00:19:47.990 who's been unbelievable this season, and then 00:19:47.990 --> 00:19:50.829 we've got Piero Hincapié, who I'm hoping will 00:19:50.829 --> 00:19:53.609 get some minutes tomorrow. So, obviously, now, 00:19:53.710 --> 00:19:55.349 if you've got someone that used to play that 00:19:55.349 --> 00:19:58.410 exact position, you can only learn from him. 00:19:58.650 --> 00:20:01.430 on how the players have reacted to Ence's arrival. 00:20:01.789 --> 00:20:04.769 It's a question for me. My feeling is that they 00:20:04.769 --> 00:20:07.210 really love him, which is normal, but the rest 00:20:07.210 --> 00:20:09.569 of the coaches are the same. They are all very 00:20:09.569 --> 00:20:11.789 different characters, but the relationship and 00:20:11.789 --> 00:20:14.329 the bond that we have with the players, I think 00:20:14.329 --> 00:20:16.609 it's unique and I think that's something very 00:20:16.609 --> 00:20:19.809 powerful in a team. Yeah, it's just a shame that 00:20:19.809 --> 00:20:22.490 I used to play for Manchester United, but obviously 00:20:22.490 --> 00:20:25.670 the team defensively is looking really good and 00:20:25.670 --> 00:20:28.849 just hopefully we can kind of continue the way 00:20:28.849 --> 00:20:31.789 we've been going this season, have a solid, rigid 00:20:31.789 --> 00:20:35.470 structure, but improve in the attacking sense 00:20:35.470 --> 00:20:38.950 of things. Just take it up a notch. and I'm sure 00:20:38.950 --> 00:20:40.730 we'll be successful in the game tomorrow.