WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.740 Hello and welcome to HYBR1D Powered by chinkseyMEDIA. 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:09.619 Now, it's that time of the week again. 00:00:09.720 --> 00:00:12.380 We're here for Mikel Arteta's pre -Crystal Palace 00:00:12.380 --> 00:00:15.599 press conference. Mikel Arteta has been speaking 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:18.539 to the press ahead of our clash against Crystal 00:00:18.539 --> 00:00:21.460 Palace in the Premier League this Sunday. We 00:00:21.460 --> 00:00:24.280 go into the fixture having won our last six in 00:00:24.280 --> 00:00:26.839 all competitions. And our manager spoke about 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:30.059 our form, this weekend's opponents and much more. 00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:32.820 On the latest team news following our win over 00:00:32.820 --> 00:00:36.479 Atletico Madrid. Not much. Big Gabi had to leave 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:38.659 the pitch with an issue and he hasn't been able 00:00:38.659 --> 00:00:41.299 to train yet. So let's see how he evolves in 00:00:41.299 --> 00:00:43.460 the next 24 hours to see whether he's available 00:00:43.460 --> 00:00:47.789 or not for the weekend. Mind games. Mikel does 00:00:47.789 --> 00:00:49.530 this thing a lot. I always talk about at press 00:00:49.530 --> 00:00:51.530 conferences where the fact that we've got another 00:00:51.530 --> 00:00:54.929 training session or two between the press conference 00:00:54.929 --> 00:01:00.280 and the match means that obviously... he won't 00:01:00.280 --> 00:01:02.359 be able to feed back the information as to whether 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:04.680 he'll be fit or not. So now that's got Oliver 00:01:04.680 --> 00:01:07.959 Glasner scratching his head whether to think 00:01:07.959 --> 00:01:10.719 Gabriel will be playing or not. I mean, I'm even 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:12.780 bamboozled by it. But if you were to ask me, 00:01:12.780 --> 00:01:15.099 I think he will probably play and I think it's 00:01:15.099 --> 00:01:18.900 just a ploy by Arteta to keep his opposition 00:01:18.900 --> 00:01:21.879 manager guessing. However, even if he's not fit, 00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:24.780 Christian Mosquera is waiting in the wings and 00:01:24.780 --> 00:01:28.780 he's a more than able deputy if necessary. On 00:01:28.780 --> 00:01:32.480 longer -term injuries to Madueke, Odegaard, Havertz 00:01:32.480 --> 00:01:35.579 and Jesus. They are progressing really well. 00:01:35.719 --> 00:01:38.500 They are starting to do certain activities. They 00:01:38.500 --> 00:01:40.879 are all super willing to be available as quickly 00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:43.500 as possible. But at the moment, none of them 00:01:43.500 --> 00:01:46.819 are in contention in the next week or so. Well, 00:01:46.939 --> 00:01:49.519 I've seen Jesus looking really fit and ready 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:52.780 to go. Probably you're looking at next month 00:01:52.780 --> 00:01:55.879 for a return. to the squad, to a matchday squad 00:01:55.879 --> 00:01:58.700 perhaps. Brighton probably come a bit too soon 00:01:58.700 --> 00:02:02.379 for him. However, if we get past Brighton, which 00:02:02.379 --> 00:02:05.239 will be a tough game, I won't be surprised if 00:02:05.239 --> 00:02:07.420 he does feature in the next round, if we get 00:02:07.420 --> 00:02:11.280 there. As for Noni Madweke, a fit and raring 00:02:11.280 --> 00:02:14.560 to go Noni Madweke is an unbelievable player, 00:02:14.740 --> 00:02:17.039 whether it be from the bench or starting. So 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:20.020 that's a great proposition to have waiting in 00:02:20.020 --> 00:02:23.340 the wings. In terms of Martin Odegaard, Like 00:02:23.340 --> 00:02:26.419 I said in the previous podcasts, he needs to 00:02:26.419 --> 00:02:30.500 take time out and get himself fit because there's 00:02:30.500 --> 00:02:33.759 no point coming back, cutting short your injury 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:36.460 layoff and breaking down again. Whether it be 00:02:36.460 --> 00:02:38.460 you need to take another two weeks, three weeks, 00:02:38.460 --> 00:02:41.639 a month off more to make sure your fitness is 00:02:41.639 --> 00:02:44.219 on point because to get back in this squad now 00:02:44.219 --> 00:02:48.979 is going to take you at your best. So my recommendation 00:02:48.979 --> 00:02:54.250 is hold tight. Get yourself fit, fit, fit, fit. 00:02:54.430 --> 00:02:58.659 And when you are, tell the boss, I'm ready. On 00:02:58.659 --> 00:03:01.759 conceding just three goals in our first 12 games, 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:04.699 and if there's a motivation to beat Chelsea's 00:03:04.699 --> 00:03:07.740 record. We want these kind of records. We have 00:03:07.740 --> 00:03:10.439 been getting a lot of them. At the end, we want 00:03:10.439 --> 00:03:12.759 it to bring the silverware and the trophies. 00:03:12.780 --> 00:03:15.560 But obviously, the more we can produce, I think 00:03:15.560 --> 00:03:18.120 the closer we are going to be to achieving what 00:03:18.120 --> 00:03:21.360 we want to do. And that defensive record is very 00:03:21.360 --> 00:03:24.419 good, but we need to be consistent. It's only 00:03:24.419 --> 00:03:26.840 just the start of the season. The aim is to continue 00:03:26.840 --> 00:03:29.259 improving things, which we can still do a lot 00:03:29.259 --> 00:03:31.719 of to do even better. I'll put it this way. If 00:03:31.719 --> 00:03:34.240 we beat Chelsea's defensive record, we win the 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:36.780 league. Simple as that. There's no way you concede 00:03:36.780 --> 00:03:39.680 14 or 15 goals and not win the league, especially 00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:42.639 if you're a good team. However, previously we've 00:03:42.639 --> 00:03:45.979 scored 89 goals, 91 goals or so, which was our 00:03:45.979 --> 00:03:52.520 best season two seasons ago under Arteta, and 00:03:52.520 --> 00:03:54.650 we didn't win the league. Therefore, it tells 00:03:54.650 --> 00:03:57.969 you there's a certain standard. So if you can, 00:03:58.090 --> 00:04:01.590 I think it's... Equally correlated, the fact 00:04:01.590 --> 00:04:03.930 that you're a good team and if you can have that 00:04:03.930 --> 00:04:06.349 type of defensive record, you're going to consequently 00:04:06.349 --> 00:04:08.509 score goals at the other end. Therefore, you're 00:04:08.509 --> 00:04:10.129 going to win the title. You're going to amass 00:04:10.129 --> 00:04:13.210 enough points that will be more than your direct 00:04:13.210 --> 00:04:15.550 opponent in second and third, which is likely 00:04:15.550 --> 00:04:18.490 to be Liverpool, Man City or Chelsea. Therefore, 00:04:18.670 --> 00:04:21.230 to summarise that, if Arsenal concede 14, 15 00:04:21.230 --> 00:04:23.009 goals in the Premier League, they will be lifting 00:04:23.009 --> 00:04:25.959 the trophy. Guaranteed. On Eze coming up against 00:04:25.959 --> 00:04:28.980 his former side this weekend. It's a big game 00:04:28.980 --> 00:04:31.240 for us. Especially last season we dropped some 00:04:31.240 --> 00:04:33.560 points. And it's the fourth game in a row that 00:04:33.560 --> 00:04:36.259 we're going to play against opponents that we 00:04:36.259 --> 00:04:39.060 dropped points against. And this season we've 00:04:39.060 --> 00:04:42.199 been able to beat them. So our focus is on that. 00:04:42.300 --> 00:04:44.319 We know that for Eze it's going to be a very 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:47.360 special match. With the history and what he did 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:50.720 for Palace. But the focus is on the team. Yeah, 00:04:50.740 --> 00:04:53.579 it's going to be an important game for Eze. Hopefully 00:04:53.579 --> 00:04:55.660 he starts him. I mean, I don't want no weird 00:04:55.660 --> 00:04:57.939 mind games where you put him on the bench. I 00:04:57.939 --> 00:05:00.279 think it's essential that Eze starts because 00:05:00.279 --> 00:05:02.259 he's the type of character that would love to 00:05:02.259 --> 00:05:05.980 start that game and to kind of prove to his previous 00:05:05.980 --> 00:05:09.259 employers that he still is the guy. He has obviously 00:05:09.259 --> 00:05:11.759 had quite a few games, but I believe in him to 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:13.360 play this game and play it right and probably 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:16.019 score or get an assist. On if our previous games 00:05:16.019 --> 00:05:18.519 against Palace forms part of our messaging for 00:05:18.519 --> 00:05:21.029 this one. If we want a very different outcome, 00:05:21.250 --> 00:05:23.370 we better do very different things than we did 00:05:23.370 --> 00:05:26.430 last year, especially in these fixtures. We know 00:05:26.430 --> 00:05:28.670 what Palace are doing, what Oliver Glasner is 00:05:28.670 --> 00:05:30.529 doing for the football club, and the way they 00:05:30.529 --> 00:05:33.110 are getting results. So it's going to be a really 00:05:33.110 --> 00:05:35.329 tough match, but we're going to play again in 00:05:35.329 --> 00:05:37.149 front of our crowd, and we are confident that 00:05:37.149 --> 00:05:39.269 if we hit our level, we have a big chance to 00:05:39.269 --> 00:05:41.350 win it. So it's essentially saying if we play 00:05:41.350 --> 00:05:43.629 well, we'll win. Which is right, because if we 00:05:43.629 --> 00:05:47.240 play well... We beat 99 % of teams in world football 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:49.300 because we're in the top three teams in world 00:05:49.300 --> 00:05:51.360 football right now, if not first or second. But 00:05:51.360 --> 00:05:52.759 that's for another day. Palace, they're not in 00:05:52.759 --> 00:05:54.920 the greatest form right now. They lost yesterday 00:05:54.920 --> 00:05:58.459 to AEK Lanarka at home. They did put out a strong 00:05:58.459 --> 00:06:03.019 side. The likes of Maxence Lacroix, Marc Gueye 00:06:03.019 --> 00:06:07.980 played, Ismail Assar, Jeremy Pino, Jean -Philippe 00:06:07.980 --> 00:06:12.000 Mateta played as well. So, you know... They played 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:14.399 five or six of their first team and there's only 00:06:14.399 --> 00:06:17.220 a three -day turnaround. So essentially, we've 00:06:17.220 --> 00:06:19.480 had five days to prepare for this game. We're 00:06:19.480 --> 00:06:22.019 in a rich vein of form. We're at home in front 00:06:22.019 --> 00:06:26.319 of our fans. We are conceding zilch. We're hardly 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:29.180 conceding shots on goal. Everything's pointing 00:06:29.180 --> 00:06:31.800 towards a home win. However, however, football 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:33.879 doesn't always work out like that. On the challenge 00:06:33.879 --> 00:06:36.339 of leaving players out of the team, given the 00:06:36.339 --> 00:06:38.879 strength of the squad, there are two sides to 00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:42.180 it. One, the emotional part. and my attachment 00:06:42.180 --> 00:06:45.279 with the individual, with the person, and I would 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:47.920 love to play all of them. But the second one, 00:06:47.959 --> 00:06:50.540 obviously, without a question of doubt, I'd rather 00:06:50.540 --> 00:06:53.120 have this situation than the situation we had 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:55.839 in the last few years when, at some point, we 00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:58.579 were very short in numbers. So we have created 00:06:58.579 --> 00:07:01.500 a very strong environment. a really competitive 00:07:01.500 --> 00:07:03.819 and supportive environment that hopefully can 00:07:03.819 --> 00:07:07.379 challenge to be a very competitive team in every 00:07:07.379 --> 00:07:09.579 game. That's the aim. And that's what we want 00:07:09.579 --> 00:07:12.519 to achieve. And we just all go towards that direction. 00:07:12.899 --> 00:07:16.740 Yeah, so Arteta's essentially comparing the dynamics 00:07:16.740 --> 00:07:20.459 of this season and this squad compared to squads 00:07:20.459 --> 00:07:23.100 in recent seasons, like last season, especially 00:07:23.100 --> 00:07:26.040 where we were short in numbers. We had left -back 00:07:26.040 --> 00:07:28.399 upon left -back on the bench. We had youth academy 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:31.990 prospects on the bench. in Champions League semi 00:07:31.990 --> 00:07:35.129 -finals, which is absurd. However, this season, 00:07:35.170 --> 00:07:38.930 we've got a strong roster of about 25, 26 players, 00:07:39.149 --> 00:07:41.769 and that's not even including people like Gabriel 00:07:41.769 --> 00:07:45.209 Jesus and Max Dahlman, who are probably the joker 00:07:45.209 --> 00:07:48.930 in the packs because people are acting like Jesus 00:07:48.930 --> 00:07:51.850 doesn't exist anymore. When they mention Arsenal's 00:07:51.850 --> 00:07:54.449 second string XI, they put Havertz in there and 00:07:54.449 --> 00:07:57.209 not Jesus. But Jesus looks like he's fit and 00:07:57.209 --> 00:08:00.579 almost back in contention. With Max Dahlman, 00:08:00.680 --> 00:08:03.920 he's 15 years old, so every time he gets in a 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:06.740 matchday squad, it's an absolute achievement 00:08:06.740 --> 00:08:10.199 for me. So, yeah, the squad is very strong, to 00:08:10.199 --> 00:08:13.540 summarise that. But, yeah, like Arteta said, 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:16.300 you'd rather have a strong squad with people 00:08:16.300 --> 00:08:20.500 in the stands than have a weak squad with youth 00:08:20.500 --> 00:08:23.240 players on the bench. On Arteta's form and how 00:08:23.240 --> 00:08:26.189 to stop him... First of all, it's what they do 00:08:26.189 --> 00:08:28.629 as a team, their level of organization. They 00:08:28.629 --> 00:08:30.709 have very clear intentions of how they want to 00:08:30.709 --> 00:08:33.190 attack and which moment they use to attack and 00:08:33.190 --> 00:08:35.669 hurt opponents. So stopping the source is probably 00:08:35.669 --> 00:08:38.990 the best way. When you get into certain situations 00:08:38.990 --> 00:08:42.429 with them or with him, 1v1, you know that he's 00:08:42.429 --> 00:08:45.049 very prolific and he's been very, very successful, 00:08:45.289 --> 00:08:48.330 especially recently. So trying to avoid that. 00:08:48.450 --> 00:08:51.789 Well, two things. I think his main source to 00:08:51.789 --> 00:08:55.110 goal or main sources to goal are through Adam 00:08:55.110 --> 00:08:58.950 Wharton and Daniel Munoz on the right wing. So 00:08:58.950 --> 00:09:01.289 we need to stop Palace getting the ball, essentially. 00:09:01.490 --> 00:09:04.590 So if we dominate the game and kind of have a 00:09:04.590 --> 00:09:09.210 good shape to kind of, you know, neutralise the 00:09:09.210 --> 00:09:11.289 possible transitions they may create because 00:09:11.289 --> 00:09:13.610 they're going to have to play on the break. I 00:09:13.610 --> 00:09:15.649 think we're going to obviously stop him getting 00:09:15.649 --> 00:09:17.429 a ball. Another thing is the fact that William 00:09:17.429 --> 00:09:21.330 Saliba is Mateta's teammate, so he'll know how 00:09:21.330 --> 00:09:23.129 he is having trained with him, but we'll know 00:09:23.129 --> 00:09:25.049 how he is anyway because we've played against 00:09:25.049 --> 00:09:28.149 him over the years. So I think if we can kind 00:09:28.149 --> 00:09:30.929 of dominate them, he will essentially be starved 00:09:30.929 --> 00:09:34.870 of the ball, just like Julian Alvarez was in 00:09:34.870 --> 00:09:38.230 previous weeks. So therefore... I don't really 00:09:38.230 --> 00:09:40.669 expect him to be much of a threat if we play 00:09:40.669 --> 00:09:43.690 properly and kind of dominate the game. And when 00:09:43.690 --> 00:09:46.649 we don't have the ball, be in a shape where he 00:09:46.649 --> 00:09:50.110 doesn't have an angle to receive a pass. Because 00:09:50.110 --> 00:09:52.730 I think he will be a threat in the air if Munoz 00:09:52.730 --> 00:09:54.789 has an opportunity to cross the ball in. On what 00:09:54.789 --> 00:09:56.970 the conversation with Jokeres was like after 00:09:56.970 --> 00:10:00.090 his two goals on Tuesday, it didn't need a conversation. 00:10:00.370 --> 00:10:04.480 He just needed a hug and just look at him. and 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:07.200 enjoy how happy he was after the game. And I 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:09.519 think we were all very happy because he fully 00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:11.559 deserves that. Yeah, I mean, I've been assessing 00:10:11.559 --> 00:10:13.840 Jokeres. I feel like he's a kind of unassuming 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:16.519 character. Behind the scenes, he probably talks. 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:19.059 But on the pitch, he's single -minded. He doesn't 00:10:19.059 --> 00:10:21.779 really talk. He's like a robot, you know, shoot 00:10:21.779 --> 00:10:23.879 to kill. Doesn't really do dialogue on the pitch. 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:26.519 But I feel like I've noticed he's got a kind 00:10:26.519 --> 00:10:31.779 of respect with people like Gabriel, Luis Skelly. 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:35.600 And obviously you've got the Nordic region players 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:38.580 with Norgaard, Odegaard. I'm sure there's probably 00:10:38.580 --> 00:10:41.460 a friendship there. But on the pitch, he's single 00:10:41.460 --> 00:10:43.960 -minded and just wants to score. You know, he's 00:10:43.960 --> 00:10:46.279 kind of in the zone on the pitch. So he's not 00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:49.840 one for hugs and talks and chats and small talk 00:10:49.840 --> 00:10:51.799 on the pitch. Doesn't really talk, you know, 00:10:51.820 --> 00:10:54.019 it's focused. But off the pitch, as I saw his 00:10:54.019 --> 00:10:56.620 interview with Michael Richards and Thierry Henry, 00:10:56.759 --> 00:10:59.059 different person. So that's probably where his 00:10:59.059 --> 00:11:02.360 personality is. But when the game is on, when 00:11:02.360 --> 00:11:04.919 he's in game mode, the personality switches off 00:11:04.919 --> 00:11:08.019 and it's just score, win, get off the pitch. 00:11:08.570 --> 00:11:10.610 And that's that. And if he's concerned that we 00:11:10.610 --> 00:11:13.889 have only five goals from open play so far, damn. 00:11:14.070 --> 00:11:16.649 No, not at all. Because I don't see football 00:11:16.649 --> 00:11:20.610 like open play and set pieces. I see the game 00:11:20.610 --> 00:11:24.529 in a different way. Okay, so I've noticed whenever 00:11:24.529 --> 00:11:27.710 Arteta's vague and blunt, he doesn't like the 00:11:27.710 --> 00:11:34.149 question. This is a two -sentence response. No, 00:11:34.210 --> 00:11:36.970 not at all. I see the game in a different way. 00:11:37.250 --> 00:11:39.929 All right. He didn't like that question. On how 00:11:39.929 --> 00:11:42.830 we've performed our set pieces, or should I say 00:11:42.830 --> 00:11:45.929 how we've perfected our set pieces, with work. 00:11:46.110 --> 00:11:49.110 First of all, creating the culture, giving that 00:11:49.110 --> 00:11:51.149 part of the game the importance that it has. 00:11:51.750 --> 00:11:53.929 Understanding that, again, football is evolving 00:11:53.929 --> 00:11:57.809 and the opponents are behaving against us. We 00:11:57.809 --> 00:12:00.169 have to maximise certain things that happen very 00:12:00.169 --> 00:12:03.370 frequently. So something that happens very frequently 00:12:03.370 --> 00:12:06.450 has a lot of value to us. So trying to maximise 00:12:06.450 --> 00:12:09.080 that and be effective. So when he's saying frequently, 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:12.220 he's obviously often said that a team that has 00:12:12.220 --> 00:12:13.879 loads of corners are a team that's dominating 00:12:13.879 --> 00:12:15.940 the game, which is actually a good point. So 00:12:15.940 --> 00:12:18.340 therefore, if you're obviously probing and pressing, 00:12:18.600 --> 00:12:21.600 having shots which are taking deflections, it's 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:23.720 going to consequently lead to more corners. So 00:12:23.720 --> 00:12:25.340 the more corners you have, the more opportunity 00:12:25.340 --> 00:12:29.039 that we have for people like Declan Rice and 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:31.919 Kai Osaka, their ball specialists, to put it 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:34.980 in accurate, unbelievable positions for our great 00:12:34.980 --> 00:12:37.700 headers of the ball. Julian Timber, Gabriel, 00:12:37.960 --> 00:12:40.519 William Saliba, to be able to try and connect 00:12:40.519 --> 00:12:42.240 with it. And we've also got people like Ebreche 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:44.860 Eze on the edge of the box ready to strike like 00:12:44.860 --> 00:12:48.019 he did against us. From a corner, right in front 00:12:48.019 --> 00:12:52.639 of me, in March -April time, to strike. And hopefully 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:54.539 he has the opportunity to do that. I fancy him 00:12:54.539 --> 00:12:56.419 to get a goal and assist on Sunday, by the way. 00:12:56.480 --> 00:12:58.500 All right. On the point when he thought it would 00:12:58.500 --> 00:13:01.740 be smart to home in on set pieces. Ten years 00:13:01.740 --> 00:13:04.850 ago. I think it has to be. I wasn't here, but 00:13:04.850 --> 00:13:06.750 10 years ago, I said it's a massive thing to 00:13:06.750 --> 00:13:09.429 do that. And I have started to have a vision. 00:13:09.570 --> 00:13:13.730 He's a visionary, guys. He's a visionary. And 00:13:13.730 --> 00:13:16.570 try to implement a method and try to be surrounded 00:13:16.570 --> 00:13:19.710 by the best people to deliver that. Wow, okay. 00:13:20.110 --> 00:13:22.250 10 years ago, I'm pretty sure it was at Man City. 00:13:22.409 --> 00:13:25.789 So I don't really recall Man City being deadbolt 00:13:25.789 --> 00:13:28.470 experts, but that's an interesting statement 00:13:28.470 --> 00:13:31.480 there. on if we're trying to replicate Wenger's 00:13:31.480 --> 00:13:34.399 success with a tight back four. I go back through 00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:36.259 the history of football in general and the teams 00:13:36.259 --> 00:13:38.279 that have had the best defensive record most 00:13:38.279 --> 00:13:41.639 of the time, except for the last three seasons 00:13:41.639 --> 00:13:44.080 in the Premier League, which we did. Normally, 00:13:44.200 --> 00:13:47.259 you win the league, but just go against those 00:13:47.259 --> 00:13:49.720 stats. But the bigger, stronger we are in that 00:13:49.720 --> 00:13:51.899 foundation, the bigger the probability of winning 00:13:51.899 --> 00:13:54.379 games is. Yeah, I think I touched on this already. 00:13:54.580 --> 00:13:58.000 If you concede 14, 15 goals, you win the league. 00:13:58.700 --> 00:14:02.080 I think in terms of the fact that the teams with 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:04.700 the best defensive record usually win the league, 00:14:04.700 --> 00:14:06.159 with the exception of the last three seasons, 00:14:06.440 --> 00:14:09.139 well, they probably almost invariably have the 00:14:09.139 --> 00:14:13.059 best attacking record as well. So as a consequence, 00:14:13.139 --> 00:14:15.460 as a team, they probably have the best attacking, 00:14:15.659 --> 00:14:18.500 score the most goals and concede the least goals 00:14:18.500 --> 00:14:21.559 because they're probably by far the best team 00:14:21.559 --> 00:14:23.840 in the league and that's probably... you know, 00:14:23.860 --> 00:14:26.600 reflected in the stats. You know, Man City, for 00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:29.399 instance, probably scoring like things like 90 00:14:29.399 --> 00:14:32.100 to 100 goals and conceding like 20 goals because 00:14:32.100 --> 00:14:34.620 they've just been by far and away the best team. 00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:37.379 I think that's what it is usually. On if it's 00:14:37.379 --> 00:14:40.080 tempting not to change too much when things are 00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:42.759 going well. They are far from perfect and there 00:14:42.759 --> 00:14:45.720 are a lot of things we must do better. Obviously, 00:14:45.720 --> 00:14:48.039 there are a lot of things that we're doing very, 00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:50.980 very well and we need to maintain that. So it's 00:14:50.980 --> 00:14:52.840 just about understanding that the margins to 00:14:52.840 --> 00:14:55.379 win football games at this level are very small. 00:14:55.539 --> 00:14:58.000 In certain moments, we have lost. In certain 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:00.100 moments, we have fully deserved to win them. 00:15:00.179 --> 00:15:02.399 But that's not going to be the same trajectory 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:05.320 all the way in the season and we need to be prepared 00:15:05.320 --> 00:15:07.899 for that. So the more alert we are, the more 00:15:07.899 --> 00:15:10.240 urgency we have, the more desire we have for 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:12.159 the next game, we're going to be in a better 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:16.720 place to win the game. Yeah, I mean, Arteta doesn't 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:19.179 really tend to tinker much with things, and I 00:15:19.179 --> 00:15:21.919 don't really envisage he will for Sunday. If 00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:25.100 he was to or is to, I think he makes a few changes, 00:15:25.179 --> 00:15:28.460 one or two max. Ricardo Calafiori coming in at 00:15:28.460 --> 00:15:30.759 left -back. He's going to have to be alert because 00:15:30.759 --> 00:15:32.940 he's going to be up against Sara Munoz, who are 00:15:32.940 --> 00:15:36.659 probably, you know, that's the side of the pitch 00:15:36.659 --> 00:15:38.639 where Palace are probably at their most potent, 00:15:38.820 --> 00:15:41.600 and that's obviously the source to go for Arteta. 00:15:41.779 --> 00:15:44.529 One or two changes, a few tweaks. And then we 00:15:44.529 --> 00:15:46.669 should be alright for me. Because we can make 00:15:46.669 --> 00:15:48.549 the changes against Brighton in midweek. On the 00:15:48.549 --> 00:15:50.730 importance of the Emirates Stadium atmosphere 00:15:50.730 --> 00:15:54.789 in the title race. Key. Capital. One of the most 00:15:54.789 --> 00:15:57.210 important things. And I love that because we 00:15:57.210 --> 00:15:59.210 don't expect supporters to turn up to the stadium. 00:15:59.549 --> 00:16:02.970 We want them just to play the game with us. Which 00:16:02.970 --> 00:16:06.049 is very different. In order to do that, you have 00:16:06.049 --> 00:16:07.850 to be in your seat with a certain behaviour. 00:16:08.169 --> 00:16:10.529 With a certain body language. And it's a good 00:16:10.529 --> 00:16:13.659 test. Sunday at 2pm. how we're going to turn 00:16:13.659 --> 00:16:16.240 up for a big Champions League game. If we're 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:18.080 going to go another step and do something that 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:20.559 we didn't do last year, everybody has to turn 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:22.960 up to the stadium with that mindset. So that's 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:25.720 what I want to see. Yeah, I mean, it's important 00:16:25.720 --> 00:16:28.200 that we do provide a great atmosphere. For me, 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:31.179 actually, looking back, being in the stadium 00:16:31.179 --> 00:16:34.879 on Tuesday, I didn't realise at the time that 00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:37.580 this is the best atmosphere I've been in present 00:16:37.580 --> 00:16:40.100 at Arsenal. But coming out of it and assessing 00:16:40.100 --> 00:16:43.100 it, I realised, yeah, that was a proper atmosphere. 00:16:43.100 --> 00:16:45.759 That was amazing. Probably the best we played 00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:49.879 maybe this season. Best result anyway. But yeah, 00:16:49.940 --> 00:16:52.440 for me, that atmosphere was the best I've been 00:16:52.440 --> 00:16:55.019 at present. I mean, I've never felt so good at 00:16:55.019 --> 00:17:00.059 a game. So hopefully we can kind of, you know, 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:03.340 replicate at least 10 % of that. And if we do, 00:17:03.480 --> 00:17:05.839 it'll be a good atmosphere again. On what it's 00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:08.700 like to play against a former club. There is 00:17:08.700 --> 00:17:11.319 something in your tummy. There is history. There 00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:14.200 are a lot of emotions. There are very close relationships. 00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:16.880 You might think once you step in there and go. 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:19.880 With that mindset, someday you have even more 00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:21.960 will to win because you made that decision to 00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:24.539 be successful and achieve something else in your 00:17:24.539 --> 00:17:27.079 career. And I'm sure Ebbs is going to be ready 00:17:27.079 --> 00:17:29.480 for that. Yeah, the type of character Eberechi 00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:32.740 Eze is, I think he's just focused, you know. 00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:35.619 He's ready to do what he needs to do on the pitch. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:38.380 And everything else after that will be after 00:17:38.380 --> 00:17:40.279 the 90 minutes where you can reacquaint yourself 00:17:40.279 --> 00:17:43.279 with former colleagues, friends like Mark Gueye. 00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:46.299 And, you know, he might have a word with Steve 00:17:46.299 --> 00:17:49.250 Parrish. and things like that. But during the 00:17:49.250 --> 00:17:51.890 game, it's work. You need to win the game for 00:17:51.890 --> 00:17:54.210 your childhood club, for the club that's paying 00:17:54.210 --> 00:17:57.289 your wages. And you have a duty to us to improve 00:17:57.289 --> 00:18:00.069 because the last few performances haven't been 00:18:00.069 --> 00:18:02.549 your best. But like I said already, I trust you 00:18:02.549 --> 00:18:05.930 to return to your best form and do the job against 00:18:05.930 --> 00:18:09.829 Palace. on if he saw where the game was going 00:18:09.829 --> 00:18:13.450 regarding set pieces 10 years ago i went to city 00:18:13.450 --> 00:18:15.430 with the best manager in the world and i could 00:18:15.430 --> 00:18:17.609 see where we could have improvements and it was 00:18:17.609 --> 00:18:19.609 clear because at some point i was doing that 00:18:19.609 --> 00:18:21.769 and i wasn't the best person in the world to 00:18:21.769 --> 00:18:23.789 do it so if i'm not the best person in the world 00:18:23.789 --> 00:18:27.470 to do it and the best method to do it there are 00:18:27.470 --> 00:18:30.769 ways to improve it and you can see straight afterwards 00:18:30.769 --> 00:18:34.009 when it started to happen but it's not only obsessed 00:18:34.009 --> 00:18:36.299 with that I'm the same with the defensive part 00:18:36.299 --> 00:18:38.980 in every transition. I want to be the best. When 00:18:38.980 --> 00:18:41.400 it comes to chaos, I want to be the best. When 00:18:41.400 --> 00:18:43.539 it comes to positional attack, the best. When 00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:45.759 it comes to low blocks, the best. And that's 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:49.259 the eagerness to constantly find ways to develop 00:18:49.259 --> 00:18:51.759 your team, to evolve your team, and to give your 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:54.240 players more tools to be unpredictable and especially 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:57.440 more efficient. It's funny because up until about 00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:00.259 two, three years ago, Mikel Arteta used to always 00:19:00.259 --> 00:19:04.109 say City was the best team. Liverpool are the 00:19:04.109 --> 00:19:08.029 best team or one of the best teams or Pep Guardiola 00:19:08.029 --> 00:19:10.369 is the best manager. He stopped saying that about 00:19:10.369 --> 00:19:13.710 two years ago because we've probably been the 00:19:13.710 --> 00:19:16.690 best team over those few years in the last two. 00:19:16.809 --> 00:19:18.869 But for whatever reason, we've fallen short. 00:19:19.049 --> 00:19:23.009 Last season was a shame. This season, once again, 00:19:23.190 --> 00:19:27.190 we're probably the best team. But we need to 00:19:27.190 --> 00:19:30.450 show it. And the only way to prove it is with 00:19:30.450 --> 00:19:33.430 stats. Otherwise... You can't say you're the 00:19:33.430 --> 00:19:36.809 best team if you're not emerging as victors because 00:19:36.809 --> 00:19:41.269 history only remembers the winners. On Rice's 00:19:41.269 --> 00:19:44.490 set -piece taking ability, again, I heard some 00:19:44.490 --> 00:19:48.009 quotes that he made that this season his position 00:19:48.009 --> 00:19:50.230 has changed a little bit and I disagree with 00:19:50.230 --> 00:19:53.230 that because his position has evolved. Okay, 00:19:53.349 --> 00:19:57.990 okay, okay. So, well, it depends what you class 00:19:57.990 --> 00:20:01.579 a change in evolution as because... You can argue 00:20:01.579 --> 00:20:03.980 it's the same thing. And he is becoming a total 00:20:03.980 --> 00:20:07.480 player. A total player has to be able to do as 00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:10.900 many things as possible, and he has the capacity 00:20:10.900 --> 00:20:14.039 to do that. So that's to evolve a player, to 00:20:14.039 --> 00:20:16.259 start to bring something else to the team, and 00:20:16.259 --> 00:20:18.180 especially when you talk about scoring goals, 00:20:18.339 --> 00:20:21.519 expecting the opposition goal, even better. And 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:24.369 he's been instrumental in our improvement. in 00:20:24.369 --> 00:20:26.250 that part of the game. I wonder what it means. 00:20:26.349 --> 00:20:29.349 I think maybe it's a sense that Rice is probably 00:20:29.349 --> 00:20:31.450 playing slightly more withdrawn, probably slightly 00:20:31.450 --> 00:20:35.150 more next to Zubimendi, in a sense, with obviously 00:20:35.150 --> 00:20:40.950 Eze playing more centrally, as opposed to Rice 00:20:40.950 --> 00:20:44.529 being a box crusher, playing box to box as a 00:20:44.529 --> 00:20:47.079 number eight. where he can score more goals, 00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:49.240 especially he was doing towards the end of last 00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:51.440 season, probably where you probably want to see 00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:54.000 Declan Rice. However, there's a school of thought 00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:57.980 to say that his best position is either as a 00:20:57.980 --> 00:21:02.079 lone six or next to one, which I disagree with. 00:21:02.119 --> 00:21:04.440 I think his best position is where he was playing 00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:08.359 last season, which consequently got him the Gunner 00:21:08.359 --> 00:21:13.130 of the Year award. On what Zubimendi has added 00:21:13.130 --> 00:21:16.130 to the midfield. Well, every player is different. 00:21:16.369 --> 00:21:19.230 We have some terrific midfielders here. He brings 00:21:19.230 --> 00:21:22.740 certain hierarchy, certain composure. That is 00:21:22.740 --> 00:21:25.079 very difficult to understand. And then the way 00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:27.019 he perceives information and learns from the 00:21:27.019 --> 00:21:29.359 game and what is actually happening in the game 00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:31.980 at the speed is remarkable. And I think again 00:21:31.980 --> 00:21:34.880 about him. It was about unlocking certain spaces 00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:37.740 and his capacity to look further and hold a position 00:21:37.740 --> 00:21:40.000 when his teammates are further from the ball 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:43.140 than himself. And then, yeah, if you can add 00:21:43.140 --> 00:21:45.779 goals to it, even better. Well, put it this way, 00:21:45.880 --> 00:21:48.700 he's scored or he probably will end up scoring 00:21:48.700 --> 00:21:50.940 more goals than I would have anticipated he would. 00:21:51.450 --> 00:21:53.029 in the whole season. I think he's got two or 00:21:53.029 --> 00:21:56.670 three already. And, I mean, if you were to ask 00:21:56.670 --> 00:22:00.230 me how many goals I'd think Zubimendi would score 00:22:00.230 --> 00:22:01.869 this season, I probably would have said two or 00:22:01.869 --> 00:22:05.710 three. So, you know, I think he's been exceptional 00:22:05.710 --> 00:22:09.390 so far in his short Arsenal career. He's dominated 00:22:09.390 --> 00:22:12.650 the game. He's controlled things. And, yeah, 00:22:12.710 --> 00:22:14.630 he's been a solid signing. Well, more than a 00:22:14.630 --> 00:22:16.589 solid signing. He's been very good. Very, very 00:22:16.589 --> 00:22:20.769 good. And if there's more to come from him, A 00:22:20.769 --> 00:22:23.490 lot more. And the more he understands his teammates, 00:22:23.589 --> 00:22:25.829 the timing of that, and those relationships build, 00:22:26.029 --> 00:22:28.490 I think we'll see another level of skill in him. 00:22:28.690 --> 00:22:34.650 I think him coming into the team has made Rice's 00:22:34.650 --> 00:22:37.970 role kind of adapt, which has obviously meant 00:22:37.970 --> 00:22:40.690 that he isn't the same in an attacking sense. 00:22:40.910 --> 00:22:46.869 However, if the team as a whole is better, then 00:22:46.869 --> 00:22:49.920 you'd probably take that. But Rice is probably 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:53.079 thinking he might have wanted two or three more 00:22:53.079 --> 00:22:57.819 goals than he has got or done. But if the team 00:22:57.819 --> 00:22:59.839 as a whole is evolving, then you'll probably 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:03.559 take that. On the work, we do an open play to 00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:06.619 create openings. And the other way around, football 00:23:06.619 --> 00:23:09.160 is like this. Football does not stop. It's all 00:23:09.160 --> 00:23:11.980 connected. You want to see the game like this. 00:23:12.180 --> 00:23:19.480 Okay, I don't. I think... I think, you know what 00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:22.440 I personally think? I think we're playing within 00:23:22.440 --> 00:23:24.660 ourselves a lot of the time. I think there are, 00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:27.559 in many games, there's probably levels that we 00:23:27.559 --> 00:23:31.559 could go up, you know, sufficient to win that 00:23:31.559 --> 00:23:35.619 particular game. So, for instance, Fulham, we 00:23:35.619 --> 00:23:37.839 played at a certain level that we needed to to 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:40.420 win the game and kind of reserve energy and go 00:23:40.420 --> 00:23:43.160 to the next one. You don't want to be... playing 00:23:43.160 --> 00:23:45.839 out of his skin and whipping them 4 -5 -0, then 00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:50.019 you're cream -crackered against, you know, Atletico 00:23:50.019 --> 00:23:52.799 Madrid three days later. So I think we're doing 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:54.779 enough to win the game and coast through it. 00:23:55.420 --> 00:23:57.700 So it's early in the season. As long as you're 00:23:57.700 --> 00:23:59.200 picking up the point, it should be all right. 00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:01.480 Against Crystal Palace, we're probably going 00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:04.119 to have to be at a certain level to win the game 00:24:04.119 --> 00:24:07.119 again. Probably a better level than we was at 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:10.779 Fulham, but not as high as we were midweek. And 00:24:10.779 --> 00:24:13.819 I'm... I'm confident that if we play anything 00:24:13.819 --> 00:24:16.900 like we're capable of, the result will not be 00:24:16.900 --> 00:24:21.319 in doubt. On if teams are moving towards his 00:24:21.319 --> 00:24:24.119 way of thinking, I don't know. But it doesn't 00:24:24.119 --> 00:24:26.740 mean that it's more important. It's equally important. 00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:31.299 But what happens is what happens frequently in 00:24:31.299 --> 00:24:34.799 your games. And that's the thing that you really 00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:38.200 have to dominate. The opportunity to hurt the 00:24:38.200 --> 00:24:41.799 opposition. So we have to train and make sure 00:24:41.799 --> 00:24:44.119 that the things are good for us to happen very, 00:24:44.200 --> 00:24:46.960 very often because it will be more difficult 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:49.519 for the opponent. But I mean, I think everybody 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:55.779 tries to do the same. Fair play. I mean, we're 00:24:55.779 --> 00:24:59.079 a tough side to break down. We've got players 00:24:59.079 --> 00:25:02.720 that are very good at winning the ball back. 00:25:03.539 --> 00:25:07.799 Declan Rice, Timber, Calafiori, Gabriel, Saliba. 00:25:08.269 --> 00:25:09.849 Very good at winning the ball back. We've got 00:25:09.849 --> 00:25:12.150 a top goalkeeper. Zubamendi is another player 00:25:12.150 --> 00:25:14.970 good at winning the ball back. However, a lot 00:25:14.970 --> 00:25:17.569 of the time it's the fact that the fans are complaining 00:25:17.569 --> 00:25:21.349 about the lack of flair. They want to see more 00:25:21.349 --> 00:25:24.630 goals. I feel like we did actually exhibit flair 00:25:24.630 --> 00:25:28.789 against Nottingham Forest. One of our best performances 00:25:28.789 --> 00:25:31.910 of the season. We also were proactive on the 00:25:31.910 --> 00:25:35.930 front foot against Newcastle. in probably our 00:25:35.930 --> 00:25:38.410 best, arguably, well, let's say one of our best 00:25:38.410 --> 00:25:41.329 performances this season. So it's like I was 00:25:41.329 --> 00:25:44.210 saying, depending on the opponent and the context 00:25:44.210 --> 00:25:48.349 of the game, we will play at that requisite level, 00:25:48.490 --> 00:25:53.210 which is enough and sufficient, which will suffice 00:25:53.210 --> 00:25:56.250 to win that game. So we will probably need to 00:25:56.250 --> 00:25:58.990 be at a certain level. We don't have to be at 00:25:58.990 --> 00:26:01.049 our highest level to beat Palace, but we'll have 00:26:01.049 --> 00:26:04.369 to be at a certain level, base level. To make 00:26:04.369 --> 00:26:08.109 sure we do win that game. On the journey of his 00:26:08.109 --> 00:26:12.410 ideas about set pieces over 10 years. No, no. 00:26:12.710 --> 00:26:16.309 It's not about football. It's using those moments. 00:26:16.630 --> 00:26:19.509 And if you cannot generate other moments, make 00:26:19.509 --> 00:26:22.680 sure that you use these ones. But I think it's 00:26:22.680 --> 00:26:24.539 something that relates as well to the culture 00:26:24.539 --> 00:26:27.359 of the coach, the environment and then the players 00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:29.619 that you have. And everything has to be aligned. 00:26:30.059 --> 00:26:32.539 I mean, if you want to have a certain approach 00:26:32.539 --> 00:26:34.599 to the way you play the game, for example, we 00:26:34.599 --> 00:26:37.319 are super aggressive. You better sign and educate 00:26:37.319 --> 00:26:40.240 and train situations when the team can deliver 00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:43.480 that. Because if not, if you want to be a team 00:26:43.480 --> 00:26:46.380 that do really good high press, you better be 00:26:46.380 --> 00:26:48.660 the best in the world at tracking back. Because 00:26:48.660 --> 00:26:51.059 at some point, the ball is going to break your 00:26:51.059 --> 00:26:53.579 press. So you have to have players who are able 00:26:53.579 --> 00:26:56.099 to deliver that. So it's all in relation to what 00:26:56.099 --> 00:26:58.519 you want to do. You have to acquire and have 00:26:58.519 --> 00:27:01.500 and evolve the players in that direction. Okay, 00:27:01.539 --> 00:27:03.799 so essentially we're good from set pieces. So 00:27:03.799 --> 00:27:06.599 you're saying that we've got good set piece takers 00:27:06.599 --> 00:27:08.900 and good attackers of the ball, which is true. 00:27:09.940 --> 00:27:13.579 And I've already touched on that. On if this 00:27:13.579 --> 00:27:17.480 is phase five. No, this is not about the phases. 00:27:18.089 --> 00:27:21.069 The phases were something else. Once again, you 00:27:21.069 --> 00:27:24.430 know, like I said, if Mikel Arteta's vague, you 00:27:24.430 --> 00:27:27.529 don't like the question. Another two -sentence 00:27:27.529 --> 00:27:31.990 answer. On if it's possible to break Chelsea's 00:27:31.990 --> 00:27:35.769 record of 15 goals conceded. You mentioned the 00:27:35.769 --> 00:27:39.809 word if three times in that question. And if 00:27:39.809 --> 00:27:44.230 football, if, if, if, is too many ifs. It's so 00:27:44.230 --> 00:27:47.109 unpredictable already. So on top of that, you 00:27:47.109 --> 00:27:51.109 put ifs. This is like a riddle. Then it becomes 00:27:51.109 --> 00:27:53.630 extremely difficult to focus on the things we 00:27:53.630 --> 00:27:56.789 are doing. We are doing consistently well. And 00:27:56.789 --> 00:28:00.329 if, there's another if, we can improve them and 00:28:00.329 --> 00:28:02.450 let's see where we are at the end of the season. 00:28:02.650 --> 00:28:04.490 I don't think I really like that question. Just 00:28:04.490 --> 00:28:08.710 the fact that if is a conditional verb. But yeah. 00:28:10.329 --> 00:28:12.230 I mean, I think the players just need to focus 00:28:12.230 --> 00:28:15.490 on kind of getting through each game. I think 00:28:15.490 --> 00:28:18.769 the record will come if it comes, you know. We've 00:28:18.769 --> 00:28:21.130 got solid defenders. We're not conceding shots 00:28:21.130 --> 00:28:23.990 on goal. I think the main thing is picking up 00:28:23.990 --> 00:28:25.609 three points. Everything else will take care 00:28:25.609 --> 00:28:31.470 of itself. On only conceding one goal from open 00:28:31.470 --> 00:28:33.910 play. Obviously, it's something that is super 00:28:33.910 --> 00:28:37.549 positive if, there's another one, it's the first 00:28:37.549 --> 00:28:39.650 time that has happened in our history. Imagine. 00:28:40.160 --> 00:28:42.940 how difficult it is to do it. So yeah, we are 00:28:42.940 --> 00:28:45.039 very, very happy to be performing at that level 00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:47.359 in a really important part of the game, especially, 00:28:47.500 --> 00:28:50.460 and now it's about continuing to do it. It is 00:28:50.460 --> 00:28:52.680 indeed. It is indeed.