WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.759 Hello and welcome to HYBR1D Powered by chinkseyMEDIA. 00:00:04.759 --> 00:00:08.460 We’re back again for every word from michael 00:00:08.460 --> 00:00:12.779 arteta's pre -slavia prague presser we head to 00:00:12.779 --> 00:00:15.179 slavia prague looking for a fourth straight champions 00:00:15.179 --> 00:00:18.440 league victory and ahead of the contest michael 00:00:18.440 --> 00:00:21.359 arteta has been speaking with the press. Our 00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:24.179 last visit to the Czech capital came in 2021 00:00:24.179 --> 00:00:28.179 when Bukayo Saka inspired a 4 -0 victory in the 00:00:28.179 --> 00:00:30.780 Europa League quarter -final second leg. Before 00:00:30.780 --> 00:00:33.880 meeting Slavia once again, Mikel spoke about 00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:37.219 squad fitness, managing a busy schedule and much 00:00:37.219 --> 00:00:41.259 more. On Victor Jokeres' fitness, he's definitely 00:00:41.259 --> 00:00:44.719 not available. He hasn't trained today and we 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:46.920 need to do some more tests and scans in the next 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:49.200 few days to understand the extent of the injury. 00:00:49.380 --> 00:00:52.880 But for this game, he's not available. Yeah, 00:00:52.899 --> 00:00:54.820 to be fair, I kind of knew that from judging 00:00:54.820 --> 00:00:56.859 by the video I dropped earlier on on my channel. 00:00:57.240 --> 00:01:00.200 He wasn't with the squad. Incidentally, Martin 00:01:00.200 --> 00:01:03.039 Zubimendi was, although we know he's not available 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:06.760 for tomorrow. ahead of the Sunderland clash on 00:01:06.760 --> 00:01:09.719 the weekend on Saturday afternoon, he's likely 00:01:09.719 --> 00:01:12.819 to be able to feature. Whereas with Jokeres' 00:01:13.079 --> 00:01:16.280 absence for tomorrow, it brings into doubt whether 00:01:16.280 --> 00:01:18.359 he'll be available for Saturday. And if you were 00:01:18.359 --> 00:01:20.900 to ask me at this stage, I would say he won't 00:01:20.900 --> 00:01:23.560 be available until after the international break, 00:01:23.739 --> 00:01:26.659 which brings his inclusion in the Sweden squad 00:01:26.659 --> 00:01:30.359 an interesting question. On trying to strike 00:01:30.359 --> 00:01:33.239 a balance for rotating the squad in another big 00:01:33.239 --> 00:01:36.579 game, Yes, that's a situation that we've been 00:01:36.579 --> 00:01:38.819 dealing with for a few weeks and trying to have 00:01:38.819 --> 00:01:41.500 the right freshness, the right cohesion within 00:01:41.500 --> 00:01:44.120 the team. The team has been competing really 00:01:44.120 --> 00:01:47.599 well in all different competitions. And tomorrow, 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:49.939 we know that we have a really tough match here. 00:01:50.060 --> 00:01:53.099 They are unbeaten here at home all season. It's 00:01:53.099 --> 00:01:55.180 a team that are very used to playing together. 00:01:55.480 --> 00:01:58.079 They have a very clear philosophy. They create 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:00.879 a massive atmosphere as well. So we know it's 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:03.620 going to be a really tough match. Oh, yeah. Oh, 00:02:03.680 --> 00:02:06.900 yeah. I've seen some videos of the atmosphere 00:02:06.900 --> 00:02:10.060 that their fans generate. So Mikel Arteta is 00:02:10.060 --> 00:02:12.310 definitely not lying. It's going to be a hostile 00:02:12.310 --> 00:02:14.669 arena that we enter, but I don't think that should 00:02:14.669 --> 00:02:16.469 be a problem because we've had many of those 00:02:16.469 --> 00:02:20.870 over the last few years. However, I think we 00:02:20.870 --> 00:02:23.449 just need to guard ourselves against complacency. 00:02:23.469 --> 00:02:25.509 It's a Champions League game, so every team that's 00:02:25.509 --> 00:02:28.449 here will be here on merit. Yeah, while they're 00:02:28.449 --> 00:02:32.229 unbeaten at home this season, they haven't faced 00:02:32.229 --> 00:02:35.030 the side of Arsenal's calibre, who are arguably, 00:02:35.129 --> 00:02:38.740 if not the best team in Europe. definitely amongst 00:02:38.740 --> 00:02:41.479 the top three or top five in Europe at this moment 00:02:41.479 --> 00:02:44.460 in time. So we should really be expecting to 00:02:44.460 --> 00:02:46.259 pick up the three points, no matter what side 00:02:46.259 --> 00:02:48.639 we put out tomorrow. On the scheduling of our 00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:50.960 Carabao Cup quarterfinal with Crystal Palace, 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:53.259 hopefully they will move our Premier League match 00:02:53.259 --> 00:02:55.860 because to play two days later, it doesn't make 00:02:55.860 --> 00:02:58.819 any sense, obviously. We will now decide the 00:02:58.819 --> 00:03:01.800 date. I'm sure they will change the Premier League 00:03:01.800 --> 00:03:05.430 date as well. Interesting, yeah, because I've 00:03:05.430 --> 00:03:07.830 actually seen the date earlier run and it was 00:03:07.830 --> 00:03:10.289 penciled in for Tuesday the 23rd of December. 00:03:10.969 --> 00:03:13.050 However, it's all subject to change. I mean, 00:03:13.069 --> 00:03:15.330 to play two days later is absolutely ridiculous 00:03:15.330 --> 00:03:17.409 and I doubt that will happen. Two days later 00:03:17.409 --> 00:03:20.310 is Christmas Day anyway, so that's definitely 00:03:20.310 --> 00:03:23.180 incorrect. But if he's concerned with Victor's 00:03:23.180 --> 00:03:25.780 injury, I am concerned because he hasn't had 00:03:25.780 --> 00:03:28.780 many muscular issues and he had to leave the 00:03:28.780 --> 00:03:31.560 pitch. And he was feeling something and that's 00:03:31.560 --> 00:03:34.099 obviously never a good sign, especially for a 00:03:34.099 --> 00:03:37.319 player that is very, very explosive. So we are 00:03:37.319 --> 00:03:39.740 digging in a little bit more to understand where 00:03:39.740 --> 00:03:42.300 we are in terms of injury and we will announce 00:03:42.300 --> 00:03:44.659 it when we know more. Yeah, I'm sure, obviously, 00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:47.419 Friday's press conference, the manager's going 00:03:47.419 --> 00:03:49.539 to be pressed on this matter furthermore. So 00:03:49.539 --> 00:03:52.719 I don't think there's much to say, I think. The 00:03:52.719 --> 00:03:54.939 only thing that I'm suggesting is I doubt he'll 00:03:54.939 --> 00:03:57.340 be in the squad or he will definitely not be 00:03:57.340 --> 00:04:00.659 in the starting line -up. Quote me on this, I 00:04:00.659 --> 00:04:02.819 could be wrong, but I'm going to put my neck 00:04:02.819 --> 00:04:04.340 out and say he won't be in the starting line 00:04:04.340 --> 00:04:08.840 -up for Saturday as well. On our defensive mentality, 00:04:09.400 --> 00:04:12.580 very good at the moment. Obviously, I think the 00:04:12.580 --> 00:04:15.259 collective organisation is very, very strong 00:04:15.259 --> 00:04:18.279 and the individual behaviours of players to defend 00:04:18.279 --> 00:04:20.699 with such energy, intelligence and aggression 00:04:20.699 --> 00:04:23.420 in every ball is something that has been key 00:04:23.420 --> 00:04:26.279 to our success. Yeah, I mean, if you compare 00:04:26.279 --> 00:04:29.839 us from this season to last season, I think we've 00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:33.300 improved, especially defensively. We had the 00:04:33.300 --> 00:04:35.620 best defensive record in the past two seasons. 00:04:36.680 --> 00:04:39.639 And we've gone up a level in terms of our structure, 00:04:39.740 --> 00:04:44.439 in terms of how we're controlling games. The 00:04:44.439 --> 00:04:46.620 same way we've been controlling games in recent 00:04:46.620 --> 00:04:49.720 games is the same way that people were talking 00:04:49.720 --> 00:04:52.459 about the handbrake in the early part of the 00:04:52.459 --> 00:04:55.600 season. And funnily enough, there's not been 00:04:55.600 --> 00:04:58.339 much change to the way we're playing. I haven't 00:04:58.339 --> 00:05:01.959 really heard that buzzword, handbrake, for months. 00:05:05.129 --> 00:05:08.910 on Gabriel Ence's impact. It's the whole team. 00:05:09.050 --> 00:05:12.110 Every member of the staff, every player brings 00:05:12.110 --> 00:05:15.050 something to the table. That's something extremely 00:05:15.050 --> 00:05:17.589 collective. When you talk about the numbers, 00:05:17.810 --> 00:05:21.310 and everybody has to bring his piece. Gabby's 00:05:21.310 --> 00:05:23.569 done it. All the coaches do the same, and especially 00:05:23.569 --> 00:05:26.310 the players who, at the end, have to execute 00:05:26.310 --> 00:05:28.629 what we want. It's an interesting one with Gabriel 00:05:28.629 --> 00:05:31.250 Ence. He was a full -back. He was a centre -back. 00:05:31.629 --> 00:05:34.470 So he's essentially... He won't be as an attacking... 00:05:34.889 --> 00:05:38.089 player as Calafiori. But if there was a player 00:05:38.089 --> 00:05:40.250 that would kind of exemplify what type of player 00:05:40.250 --> 00:05:44.470 he was in the Arsenal squad, it's probably Calafiori 00:05:44.470 --> 00:05:47.410 or Hinkapie, because those two can play centre 00:05:47.410 --> 00:05:50.870 -back and full -back. And incidentally, two of 00:05:50.870 --> 00:05:52.889 our better players this season have definitely 00:05:52.889 --> 00:05:56.670 been Calafiori and Julian Timber. So are we saying 00:05:56.670 --> 00:05:59.410 it's a coincidence that since Gabriel Ence has 00:05:59.410 --> 00:06:01.509 come in, our full -backs have gone up another 00:06:01.509 --> 00:06:04.490 level? and our defensive structure has gone up 00:06:04.490 --> 00:06:06.329 another level. So you've got to give credit to, 00:06:06.410 --> 00:06:09.910 one, Gabriel Ence, and two, the person that decided 00:06:09.910 --> 00:06:12.850 to bring him to the club. I know I say it many 00:06:12.850 --> 00:06:15.009 a time, I'm not happy with his Man United connections, 00:06:15.290 --> 00:06:19.279 but... I can forgive him for how he's improved 00:06:19.279 --> 00:06:21.879 the team and long may it continue. On if we've 00:06:21.879 --> 00:06:24.060 made a request to the Premier League about moving 00:06:24.060 --> 00:06:26.699 our game with Everton to accommodate the Crystal 00:06:26.699 --> 00:06:29.620 Palace match. I'll leave that to the club. I 00:06:29.620 --> 00:06:31.600 think we're very clear what's the best thing, 00:06:31.660 --> 00:06:35.139 the most logical thing and the most logical date 00:06:35.139 --> 00:06:37.639 to play. I'm sure we'll have to adapt to that. 00:06:39.060 --> 00:06:41.379 Yeah, I mean, I'm sure the Premier League is 00:06:41.379 --> 00:06:43.959 going to change it. One thing's for sure. We're 00:06:43.959 --> 00:06:46.620 not playing two days after the 23rd of December 00:06:46.620 --> 00:06:48.899 because that's Christmas Day. On if it's a disadvantage 00:06:48.899 --> 00:06:52.420 to play two games in three days. I think, as 00:06:52.420 --> 00:06:55.439 I said today, that will apply the principles 00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:59.060 to the players first, then the supporters and 00:06:59.060 --> 00:07:01.560 then the times. Now we need to have equality 00:07:01.560 --> 00:07:04.519 and the same chances for every club. So hopefully 00:07:04.519 --> 00:07:07.360 it will be fair. Yeah, I mean, if you're a top 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:09.279 club, you should expect to play three matches 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:13.029 in seven, eight days. And we've obviously acclimatised 00:07:13.029 --> 00:07:17.209 to that probability and possibility of having 00:07:17.209 --> 00:07:19.990 to do that with how strong the squad is. So there's 00:07:19.990 --> 00:07:22.290 no point shouting from the rooftops that we've 00:07:22.290 --> 00:07:25.170 got a strong squad if when it comes to now show 00:07:25.170 --> 00:07:28.509 that we need to kind of make changes and use 00:07:28.509 --> 00:07:30.810 the squad, we're complaining about the fixture 00:07:30.810 --> 00:07:33.149 list and fixture congestion. Manchester City 00:07:33.149 --> 00:07:35.920 did it for many a year. So now it's our turn 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:38.199 to do that. We have to be able to cope with all 00:07:38.199 --> 00:07:40.779 eventualities and in all different contexts, 00:07:40.939 --> 00:07:44.160 as Arteta loves to say. On how Victor is feeling 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:47.160 in himself, he was very disappointed after the 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:50.379 match with what he felt. But this is part of 00:07:50.379 --> 00:07:52.660 football. At the end of the day, if you expect 00:07:52.660 --> 00:07:55.600 a linear line, everything goes up. It's not going 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:58.339 to happen. If he's got something he's going to 00:07:58.339 --> 00:08:00.699 have to deal with, we will help him to do that. 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:03.180 As you said, he was in a really good moment, 00:08:03.339 --> 00:08:07.500 in a really good form. It's very important for 00:08:07.500 --> 00:08:10.939 the team. But for tomorrow, we don't have him. 00:08:11.180 --> 00:08:14.639 So that's it. That phrase, we're in a good moment 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:17.240 or we're in a difficult moment. I think, I'm 00:08:17.240 --> 00:08:20.819 pretty sure Carlo Ancelotti invented that cliche 00:08:20.819 --> 00:08:24.459 or phrase back in 2010. We're in a difficult 00:08:24.459 --> 00:08:27.790 moment there. You know, the club's in a difficult 00:08:27.790 --> 00:08:30.449 moment. Yeah, things aren't going to be linear. 00:08:30.569 --> 00:08:33.090 It's about having good times, tough times and 00:08:33.090 --> 00:08:35.370 getting through it. Obviously, Victor had his 00:08:35.370 --> 00:08:38.610 best game for us, his best 45 minutes. Almost 00:08:38.610 --> 00:08:40.429 certainly would have added to his tally in the 00:08:40.429 --> 00:08:42.750 first half. But it is what it is. He's going 00:08:42.750 --> 00:08:47.289 to have to knuckle down, come back. And probably 00:08:47.289 --> 00:08:48.950 by the time he does come back, he's going to 00:08:48.950 --> 00:08:52.190 have Kai Havertz breathing down his neck. But 00:08:52.190 --> 00:08:54.590 it only bodes well for the team and for squad 00:08:54.590 --> 00:08:58.830 competition. on how impressive our clean sheet 00:08:58.830 --> 00:09:01.409 record has been in the competition so far this 00:09:01.409 --> 00:09:04.850 season. Yes, of course, it's a huge platform 00:09:04.850 --> 00:09:07.289 to win games and the difficulty of that in this 00:09:07.289 --> 00:09:10.509 competition and when you're playing away, even 00:09:10.509 --> 00:09:13.330 more so. Tomorrow, we know we're going to face 00:09:13.330 --> 00:09:15.789 a really good challenge here and in the team 00:09:15.789 --> 00:09:18.649 as well. They are very intense, very direct, 00:09:18.850 --> 00:09:21.730 very vertical and we're going to have to be really 00:09:21.730 --> 00:09:25.600 good to achieve what we want. So they play direct 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:28.039 football, you know? They play direct, vertical 00:09:28.039 --> 00:09:31.279 football. The ball will be in the air. The ball 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:33.720 will be in the air for a lot of the game tomorrow. 00:09:34.899 --> 00:09:38.759 Okay, but yeah, I mean, we've got players that 00:09:38.759 --> 00:09:41.860 can deal with direct and physical style, but 00:09:41.860 --> 00:09:43.860 I think we need to impose ourselves and get on 00:09:43.860 --> 00:09:46.620 the ball and dominate the game, which begs the 00:09:46.620 --> 00:09:48.659 question now, does Declan Rice start because 00:09:48.659 --> 00:09:51.639 he's on the yellow card? And obviously another 00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:54.659 caution would mean he's out for that vital, crucial, 00:09:54.759 --> 00:09:57.620 important game against Bayern Munich. But knowing 00:09:57.620 --> 00:09:59.960 Mikel Arteta, I feel like he'll entrust him to 00:09:59.960 --> 00:10:02.299 start that game, hoping that he'll just have 00:10:02.299 --> 00:10:06.080 discipline, use his peace of mind to not do anything 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:09.539 stupid and probably get maybe 60, 70 minutes 00:10:09.539 --> 00:10:12.299 in that game and then probably take him off, 00:10:12.379 --> 00:10:14.720 depending on the context of the game. However, 00:10:14.940 --> 00:10:17.429 this is the same Declan Rice that... You know, 00:10:17.450 --> 00:10:19.570 lambasted. Thomas Partey against Real Madrid, 00:10:19.769 --> 00:10:22.590 missing the first leg against PSG. It's a shame, 00:10:22.590 --> 00:10:24.490 but we're going to have to adapt either way. 00:10:24.629 --> 00:10:27.230 On how concerning it is to have to play two games 00:10:27.230 --> 00:10:29.950 in three days with the injuries we have. We have 00:10:29.950 --> 00:10:32.169 seven players out, so I don't know what depth 00:10:32.169 --> 00:10:34.289 we're talking about now because we're missing 00:10:34.289 --> 00:10:37.149 a lot of players, a lot of front players. So 00:10:37.149 --> 00:10:39.710 if we continue to do that every three days, we 00:10:39.710 --> 00:10:41.769 won't be respecting what we discussed earlier, 00:10:41.889 --> 00:10:45.190 which in our opinion is the most important part. 00:10:46.849 --> 00:10:49.129 Yeah, it's an interesting one because obviously 00:10:49.129 --> 00:10:53.669 we're short in attack. You know, we're drastically 00:10:53.669 --> 00:10:57.070 short in attack. And we've had to obviously draft 00:10:57.070 --> 00:11:01.429 in some youth players to compensate with Andre 00:11:01.429 --> 00:11:03.710 Harriman -Anous coming in. I remembered his name. 00:11:04.470 --> 00:11:06.809 In attack. And he's likely to be on the bench 00:11:06.809 --> 00:11:08.710 and he might even get some game time. I doubt 00:11:08.710 --> 00:11:10.909 he'll start. I personally think he'll go for 00:11:10.909 --> 00:11:14.409 either Trossard or Marino. I think Marino... 00:11:15.199 --> 00:11:18.519 will play a midfield or attack, but it depends 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:20.960 on what the manager decides to do with Declan 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:24.159 Rice. So that will be interesting. But I personally 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:26.779 think, yeah, up front to replace Jokeres will 00:11:26.779 --> 00:11:31.299 be either Trossard or Mikel Moreno. And if you're 00:11:31.299 --> 00:11:35.659 going to ask me off the top of my head, I think 00:11:35.659 --> 00:11:39.559 he'll go for Trossard up front. Just got inkling 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:41.500 because he did the press conference. So usually 00:11:41.500 --> 00:11:43.200 when a player does the press conference, they 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:45.360 start the game. I think he'll go Trossard as 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:48.059 centre forward, Eze on the left and Mourinho 00:11:48.059 --> 00:11:51.399 in midfield with Declan Rice on the bench. But 00:11:51.399 --> 00:11:56.620 I could be wrong. On what Victor's muscular injury 00:11:56.620 --> 00:11:59.759 is, I'll leave that to the doctors. They will 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:02.399 explain. I don't want to talk any more about 00:12:02.399 --> 00:12:04.929 it. We are here to talk about tomorrow's match 00:12:04.929 --> 00:12:07.350 and the players that are available and we'll 00:12:07.350 --> 00:12:12.809 see in the next week or so. Okay, so can we kindly 00:12:12.809 --> 00:12:15.210 get the doctors into the press conference so 00:12:15.210 --> 00:12:19.490 they can tell us what's up with Victor? Or how 00:12:19.490 --> 00:12:21.590 do I get in contact with a doctor, may I ask? 00:12:23.029 --> 00:12:26.669 On Alex Oxlade -Chamberlain being back in training. 00:12:27.710 --> 00:12:30.909 On Alex Oxlade -Chamberlain being back training 00:12:30.909 --> 00:12:34.659 with the academy. Top, top character. One of 00:12:34.659 --> 00:12:36.899 the best characters I've met in football. If 00:12:36.899 --> 00:12:39.100 we can help him, if we can give him the space 00:12:39.100 --> 00:12:41.440 for him to get up to speed and have the capacity 00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:44.480 to find a club, it's a joy. The boys will learn 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:46.720 from it. I had the privilege to play with him. 00:12:46.840 --> 00:12:48.919 And if he's around, he will be a really good 00:12:48.919 --> 00:12:51.320 role model to have around the team. You know, 00:12:51.340 --> 00:12:54.039 when I saw this earlier run, I didn't understand 00:12:54.039 --> 00:12:57.419 it. But obviously, it's just occurred to me that 00:12:57.419 --> 00:13:01.399 they were teammates, you know, 10, 15 years ago. 00:13:02.409 --> 00:13:05.149 So obviously they're probably friends, Arteta 00:13:05.149 --> 00:13:07.649 and Oxlade -Chamberlain. I'm still not happy 00:13:07.649 --> 00:13:10.289 with the fact that he went over to Liverpool 00:13:10.289 --> 00:13:12.990 and declared them as his boyhood club. Still 00:13:12.990 --> 00:13:14.870 not happy with that. But obviously we're a club 00:13:14.870 --> 00:13:17.029 that usually let our former players come back 00:13:17.029 --> 00:13:20.330 and train. We've let Fabregas come and train 00:13:20.330 --> 00:13:23.350 with us. We've let people like David Beckham 00:13:23.350 --> 00:13:25.470 come and train with us in the past. So we've 00:13:25.470 --> 00:13:28.009 always been a hospitable club. But, you know, 00:13:28.090 --> 00:13:31.000 with Oxlade -Chamberlain... I still haven't fully 00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:34.019 forgiven him for going to Liverpool, but I guess 00:13:34.019 --> 00:13:37.940 it is what it is. And if Declan Rice being one 00:13:37.940 --> 00:13:40.539 yellow card away from a suspension will influence 00:13:40.539 --> 00:13:43.340 our team selection tomorrow, it comes as well 00:13:43.340 --> 00:13:46.200 with the situation of Zuby. We know that Zuby 00:13:46.200 --> 00:13:48.620 was on two yellow cards as well, so that's the 00:13:48.620 --> 00:13:51.159 competition. At some point, you might miss players 00:13:51.159 --> 00:13:53.559 in crucial games. Obviously, we're going to try 00:13:53.559 --> 00:13:56.100 and avoid that as much as possible, but that's 00:13:56.100 --> 00:13:58.799 part of the competition. So, yeah, that was a 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:01.139 lot of waffle to avoid answering the question, 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:03.100 but, I mean, did you really expect Arteta to 00:14:03.100 --> 00:14:05.440 give you an inkling of whether Declan will start? 00:14:05.580 --> 00:14:07.820 I mean, knowing the manager, I think he will 00:14:07.820 --> 00:14:11.440 start him, just knowing that he would trust Rice 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:13.820 not to do anything stupid, but sometimes...