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We are back again for another episode
of Mikel Arteta's pre -Wolverhampton Wanderers
Presser. Razem Yasser! Mikel Arteta has spoken
to the media ahead of our clash against Wolves
in the Premier League at the Emirates Stadium.
The Arsenal boss was speaking at the Sober Realty
Stadium. or should I say Sober Royalty Training
Centre, and provided an update on the team facing
Wolves and the return of Gabriel Jesus. Here's
everything Mikel had to say. On William Saliba,
we have to wait and see. Yesterday, we didn't
train, so we have an extra day between this afternoon.
Let's see if he can be available or not. It remains
the same. If you ask me before the Everton game,
if you ask me for the Everton game, I think he'll
be fit for tomorrow. I don't know. Ooh, William
Saliba's availability shrouded in mystery. Nobody
knows. But yeah, it'd be interesting to see if
he is part of the squad tomorrow. You know, knowing
Arteta, he's so coy on these type of things.
I'm just going to put it out there. I'm going
to say probably not. Could be wrong. He might
start. He might be on the bench. He might not
even be in the squad. Who knows? Andurian Timber.
Again, depends how he feels today. It was a knock
that he picked up and he wasn't feeling comfortable.
So again, I think it's a matter of days. But
whether it's tomorrow or not, we'll see. Ooh,
another one shrouded in mystery. Nobody knows.
But yes, that... That word days again and, you
know, days and weeks. Days have turned to weeks
with Saliba and it's days with Timba. Hopefully
it doesn't turn to weeks. Although I feel Ben
White's in a kind of good moment at the moment.
You know, he's in a good moment. I think Ben
White could start tomorrow again. He's playing
very well recently, you know. On Declan Rice,
let's see how he is today. He was ill. That's
an illness. Normally, in a few days, it gets
resolved. But we have to wait and see. Ooh, that's
three players shrouded in mystery. The future,
nobody knows. But I think he'll be all right.
I don't think Mikel messes around with league
games. Yeah, fair enough. He kind of got arrested
on Wednesday. But I think I'd be surprised if
he doesn't, let's say, feature. I'll play it
safe. I would say I'd be surprised if he's not
at least on the bench for tomorrow. But if it's
just an illness, you'd like to think he's able
to play. Really, innit? On Leandro Trussard.
Again, another one that is a matter of days.
It sounds boring, but it's the reality. So we
don't know. Well, you're filming at the Sobriety,
so you nah mean? But yeah, that old days word
is back again with Trossard. It's a bit peculiar
with Trossard because he obviously was injured.
Then he came back for the Aston Villa game, scored
after coming off the bench. After scoring, he
came off injured, didn't feature against Club
Brugge in his native Belgium. And now... Nobody
knows if he's going to feature tomorrow. But
no, all jokes aside, I think it's a game for
Madueke tomorrow. I think Trossard can sit that
one out and then just make sure you're ready
for Everton, just like a few of the others, like
maybe Saliba or Timba and people like that, on
keeping the momentum going after midweek. For
sure, after any defeat, you want to put it right
straight away. We certainly did that. put ourselves
in a great position in the Champions League.
And now it's about Wolves, focusing back on the
Premier League after what happened and the result
that we had against Villa. It's a massive opportunity
for us again to win the game and put ourselves
in a good position. Yeah, especially because
our two title contenders, Aston Villa. and Manchester
City both play on Sunday. So we're going to extend
the lead as long as we pick up something. However,
we're going to only want to pick up three points.
However we do that is another thing. But I mean,
I'm expecting of goals tomorrow. I'm expecting
of a good performance. I'm expecting of us to
build on a midweek win where we've got an emphatic
3 -0 away win. And I'm expecting 3, 4, 5 or maybe
even more goals tomorrow. On facing the Wolves
team without a win this season, in any Premier
League match and especially against a team that
is fighting against results, I know the manager
really well and how he's going to push and get
the players ready to try to cause a shot. From
our side, we're going to go full gas from the
beginning and we know what we have to do. Yeah,
that's true, actually. He's close with Rob Edwards,
I think. I remember when they was at Luton. I
think they did their coaching badges together,
if I'm not wrong. But yeah, you're going to expect
to see hugs and kisses pre -match and full -time.
But yeah, I think we should win the game. Rob
Edwards is a former Wolves captain. So if anyone's
wondering why he left high -flying Middlesbrough,
who are second in the championship, to join,
almost resign to relegation, Wolverhampton Wanderers,
then that's your answer. But I wouldn't say 100
% that Middlesbrough will get promotion, but
they're likely to swap places next season. So
Middlesbrough are likely. to be in the Premier
League and Wolves will be in the Championship,
definitely. So, well, whether he's made the right
decision or not, I mean, draw your own conclusions,
especially because it'll be interesting to see
if Wolves actually keep him on when it looks
like either when it looks like they're certain
to be relegated like now or when they do finally
get relegated. If they do keep him on after those
two circumstances, that will be mind -boggling.
But that would just be, obviously, they're putting
all their eggs in a basket and having expectations
of going straight back up under him next season,
which means he'll have to have a good start.
Anyway, enough about Robert Edwards. On winning
two of his last five in the league, hopefully
tomorrow we'll change that and there will be
a different form table. And in the last one,
we are the best. So we try to win every game
and that's the only thing that we can do in terms
of being as consistent as possible. Two of the
last five. I like the way they've spun that,
you know. We've lost one of the last five or
probably you can spin it and say we've lost one
of the last 18. So you can do what you want with
stats, can't you? On the Opta supercomputer,
making us favourites to win the league. The only
thing we can do is increase the probability of
us winning the next match by doing things that
we do really well and preparing in the best way
possible. Okay, I like that answer. Optus supercomputer.
Wow. On guarding against complacency. Well, showing
them, our players, the team that they are, the
game they had against Villa a few weeks ago,
and understand that a team in that position have
to react and show their teeth. And that's a very
dangerous thing, especially in the league when
every team has the quality that they have. from
our side, that's not going to happen. Yeah, I
mean, Mikel definitely doesn't allow any form
of complacency. That's for sure. I don't think
the players have it in them to be complacent.
However, I'm expecting a comprehensive victory
tomorrow. I mean, I don't want to sound kind
of too... I don't want to sound too, you know,
overconfident, but I'm expecting some goals.
I'm expecting... to get on the score sheet. I'm
expecting good performances, a clean sheet. So
hopefully we can get the game won as easily as
possible, as early as possible, and focus on
a really tough game against Everton, who I think
is going to have a good season this season. And
I reckon they'll be in the top 10. On more open
play goals in recent matches, that is football.
And it has waves and you have to try to analyse
the last five games or ten games and the sample
is that small that you get very, very confused.
At the end, even 40 games is not enough to have
a sample of what your team looks like because
it's too small. But the fact that we have the
resources to score from various positions with
different players in different manners, that's
a great thing. We want to be the best in every
situation. That's what we try to do. Yeah, I
mean, obviously he's saying there's going to
be peaks and troughs. There's going to be moments
where we're scoring loads of set pieces, just
like the beginning of last season, the beginning
of this. And there's moments where teams kind
of adapt better to it or we're finding other
ways to do it where we're playing against different
type of opponents and you have to play a different
way to try and prize them open. But always having
set pieces in your arsenal, in your armoury,
is a good way to kind of... open up what would
be a tough game especially at the start and I'm
sure Wolves will be spirited at the start but
if we can score I'd say if we can score any time
within the first 35 -40 minutes they're going
to become dispirited and then I'm confident the
flood with gates will eventually open on Gabriel
Jesus returning and fighting for his spot we
know his quality a player who has given us so
much And he comes with the energy that came the
other day. He's certainly a player who has to
be pushing and aiming for that. That's for sure.
Yeah, I mean, I did predict before the Club Brugge
game that he will share the game with Jokeres.
Now I think Jokeres is going to get a lot of
minutes tomorrow. I'm expecting him to start.
However, I do think Gabriel Jesus will get...
probably another half hour or so, half an hour,
35 minutes, depending on game state. He may not
necessarily come on for Jesus, but I wouldn't
be surprised if he comes on for Maduweke on the
left, kind of plays alongside Jokeres, alongside
Saka, and see how he goes with that. And then
obviously now we have a tough game, a physical
challenge against Everton, but obviously let's
take it step by step. Because I'm hoping that
he can garner enough match fitness to start or
play some substantial minutes against Crystal
Palace, which is in about 10 days, I'd say, on
the 23rd of December. On if his side are getting
enough credit. I don't know. That's not for me
to judge. We're in a very strong position in
the three competitions that we've been involved
in so far. And that's what we have to continue
to do at the end. The credit has to come at the
end of the season. That's when we're going to
measure what we've done. But in order to achieve
that, you have to be achieving every single day
the objectives that you want. So far, I think
we are in a very strong position. I mean, you
can't argue with that. We're top of the Champions
League group, having won every game. You can
see the one goal. We are top of the Premier League
by two points. We can extend that to five with
a win tomorrow evening. And we're in the quarterfinals
of the Carabao Cup. So what more could you ask
for apart from more of the same? On Christian
Norgard playing centre -back, I think that comes
to the mentality of the players, the intelligence
of a player like Christian as well, and how to
fulfil that role. In the morning, you tell him,
surprisingly, that he needs to play in that position
because we don't have any other player to play
in there. Well, I had Marley Salmon, but anyway.
Then you need to fulfil that role. But we have
a lot of examples of players that have played
in different positions, like Mikel Moreno, like
many others. And that's great because that gives
us an edge. Yeah, I mean, now that he's played
there and, you know, did well, actually. Don't
be surprised if he plays there again at some
point throughout the season. It's good to know
that he's versatile and can play in different
positions because that will give him more game
time anyway. On if he is enjoying this season.
I do enjoy it a lot because of the people that
are around us and how we live and work together.
Obviously, winning a lot helps because it's a
different profession when you win or you lose.
I feel privileged to be where I am and keep going.
Yeah, man, I mean, I know the Aston Villa loss
was gutting, but, I mean, it kind of just makes
us, you know, shakes us a little bit. I say,
right, you know, focus, guys. You're not going
to win every single week, but sometimes you need
some bumps and bruises and abrasions along the
path that you're going, you know, because it's
not going to be all plain sailing. You're going
to have bumps and bruises. You're going to have
some dips and troughs, peaks and troughs, but
eventually... I think it's going to do us the
world of good. It kind of definitely made us
more assured, more focused in midweek and hopefully
the same for tomorrow. And if we can win the
quadruple, well, it's only the three points of
tomorrow and I think that's enough for the supercomputer
in my mind. Oh, bro. Yeah, that's a funny answer.
On Victor Jokeres and the club adapting to his
style, I think the two things have to merge.
I think we have to put the player in the best
possible condition to explode and fulfil his
potential. And then there are certain things
that within that role, in the manner that we
play, has to be fulfilled. And that's a combination
of both. then it's not only that, I think more
importantly, it's the connections and the players
around him at the end. Those interactions, that
understanding how it develops and before the
injury, I think he was in a great place. That's
true. I think it took him a while at the beginning
because it's a different league, different demands.
He had no pre -season and now he's starting to
get some momentum. The goals will come and we're
going to be very pleased with him. All right,
yeah, I mean, he definitely arrived unfit, definitely
arrived probably carrying a few extra pounds,
but I think he's kind of worked that off, you
know, over time. Also, another thing, I think
the dynamic between him and Noni Madueke is going
to be a good one and an interesting one. And
that's why I think both will start tomorrow,
because I can just see Madueke putting in crosses
for him. Saka putting in crosses for him and
it's just for him to finish them. I feel like
it's going to be a similar dynamic to Anthony
Alanga and Chris Wood for last season with Nottingham
Forest where Alanga was just putting balls in
for Wood to just eat. You know, he's feeding
him, feeding him. So that's what you need to
do with Jokeres. Just give him the opportunity
to miss and then the rest is on him. You know,
if you create chances for him, then it's down
to him to do the rest. But at the moment, he's
not really getting enough chances to miss. So
that's the issue we need to deal with, really.
So, yeah. On having a week with no midweek match.
Well, three things. Make sure that we can give
some rest to the players mentally and physically.
Then start to reactivate everybody and start
to work on things that you don't have time to
work on. Then start to be in the best possible
physical and emotional. mindset to do what is
required to be ready yeah i mean it's gonna be
i'd say a well -earned break because it was it
is draining but it's it's wonderful you know
to have a lot of uh content to be just Thick
in, thick out, you know, game in, game out. Every
time you blink, there's another game. There's
pre -match, there's post -match. Press conferences
coming out my ears, you know what I mean? But
it's good, man. But obviously, I think the players
need a little break before we go into that kind
of the real festive period that will be jam -packed
with fixtures coming out your ears, you know,
with Everton, Crystal Palace, Brighton, Aston
Villa, all coming up in the next few weeks. So
it's going to be a hectic and interesting period
coming up. on any fresh injuries from Wednesday?
No. Okay. On what Saliba's issue is, it was something
quite small. It came from an ankle injury that
he had and then he started to modify the way
he was running and he started to overload an
area, which is something common. But at some
point, he was uncomfortable continuing to be
able to train and play. and we had to stop it.
He looks better, but we have to wait and see
if it's enough for him to be able to train with
the team. You see, based on that information,
it just all tells me that it's all not worth
it for him to be risked tomorrow. You might as
well just give him a breather, give him more
time off, another week's training, and then put
him in for the big one against Everton, because
I do think that's going to be a real tough game
for sure, especially at the Hill Dickinson Stadium,
if I'm not wrong. And obviously we drew at Goodison
Park last season. So in fact, we drew with Everton
twice last season. So we really need to win that
game for more than one reason. On if he would
consider selling. well he ain't gonna answer
it anyway on if he would consider selling gabriel
jesus i don't consider that especially with the
situation that we have right now i think gabriel
has a lot to offer to the team and he's proven
that straight away in the first minute that he
was available to play he's put so much to be
in this position again and now the focus is to
be with us Yeah, I mean, what kind of question
is that? Do you really think he's going to say
yeah, even if he wanted to? What's that all about?
Some of these questions are a joke. On Ethan
Wanieri's attitude, in the same manner that other
players have to cope with this kind of situation,
preparing in the best possible way, I think he's
doing it. His attitude has been excellent and
when he's got the chance to play, he proved that
I'm wrong. that he needs to play more minutes
and help the team as much as possible. Yeah,
you see, with Wednesday, I was really disappointed
that he didn't start that game because I was
thinking, of all the games we've got coming up,
that was the one that he needed to start, that
could have started, and it wouldn't have been
a risk to start him, if anything, if that's a
word to use. It will be interesting to see if
he is, in quotation marks, risked against Crystal
Palace in what is a very, very important game.
a Carabao Cup quarterfinal, a chance to get to
the semifinal. So essentially, it'll be interesting
to see. I'm going to be keeping an eye out on
the minutes he does get in the festive period,
especially when you need to rotate the squad,
make use of the squad. There's going to be injuries,
but there's going to be also returns from injuries.
So now that will make his position in the squad
even more tricky. So that's one to watch. On
him asking to play in the behind closed doors
friendly, Ethan's attitude on that is exceptional.
He wants to train and he wants to be outside
and he wants to be in touch with that ball. In
that sense, he's top. Yeah, but I mean, whether
he played in that or not, I still think he could
have started on Wednesday. That was a great opportunity
for him to start. I don't think you needed to
start Marino in that midfield, especially with
Norgard out of there. You could have started
him with Odegaard or you could have started him
ahead of Odegaard and you didn't, which is a
shame. But I mean, you obviously have plans for
him. So let's see how those plans transpire.
On how impressed he's been with Martin Zubimendi.
Very impressed because I know the difficulty
of coming into this league. doing what he's doing
immediately first of all you have to earn the
role within the team and that's not easy to do
then it's a different way of playing a different
league but as you said the variety of actions
and involvements that he has in the game is exceptional
his defending metrics are incredible and i had
no doubt that he could produce that but this
is the premier league and you have to prove it
then attacking wise as well The positions he
takes, the way he's opened up teams in many ways,
his goal threat, the capacity to assist. He's
improved on set pieces as well, and he has a
lot to improve in that area as well. He's a player
that is never going to be satisfied. You can
tell when I praise him individually, it's never
enough. He's never satisfied with his performance,
but that's what makes him as well. Yeah, what
a signing Zubimendi's been, man. I feel like
certain people... will overlook his role and
what he does and certain people will see it clearly,
as clear as day what he does. I'll be real, I'm
probably in the latter, in the former category
where I'm looking at the wingers, I'm looking
at the forwards and I'm kind of sometimes missing
how essential he is in our performance or in
the central role he has in... our good performances
where he's at the hub of everything. He's like
the engine of the whole team, along with Declan
Rice. But one thing I'll definitely say, he's
been a fantastic addition to the squad. Definitely
an upgrade on Thomas Partey, a player that I
definitely rated. But yeah, more of the same
from Zubimendi and we should be fine. adaptation
period yes but i think the fact that he could
prepare for a longer period because he sort of
knew that he was coming i think that helped it
wasn't something immediate that happened so we
talked a lot about how he was going to be needed
the challenges that he was going to face but
as well his abilities and capacities were going
to fit so well within the team and he's proven
that on the pitch Yeah, so obviously Zubi Mendy
was effectively signed in January and it was
just a case of kind of easing him in. But funny
you mentioned Zubi Mendy. I think Zubi Mendy
might get a breather tomorrow because I predicted
he would get a breather midweek. But because
he started that game, I'm thinking, right, you've
given Zubi Mendy a start. You might even go with
an Ethan in there. That might throw everyone
off. But what I do think he'll do is probably
go with Eze and Odegaard. So Odegaard now, match
fit. He's been playing very well since his comeback,
I must say. His shooting, the way he's shooting
the ball, connecting the ball is a lot better
than last season. So he's back to his best, essentially.
He just needs to carry on what he's doing. I
think he'll go with Rice, Odegaard and Eze in
midfield tomorrow with... Madueke, no, with Saka,
Jokeres and Madueke in attack. The defence will
be an interesting one, although I do think we'll
have Hinkapie left centre -back. The thing is,
what's going on with Timba? I'd like to think
he'll return. So what I do think he'll do is
go Raya and goal, Ben White, Timba, Hinkapie
and Lewis Skelly, but we'll see. On if Manchester
City are back to their best. There are a lot
of teams involved when you look at the table.
We know the situation with other clubs as well.
With Manchester City, it's always the case that
you expect them to have the quality that they
have, the experience that they have in the competition.
The focus has to be on one. Yeah, Man City, I
mean, have a tough game against Crystal Palace.
It's a game I've earmarked for them to drop points
in. Crystal Palace won 3 -0 yesterday. having
rested a number of their players, although they
did play their first choice back three with Chris
Richards, Mark Gurhey and Maxence Lacroix in
defence. But they rotated. Mateta wasn't in the
squad, although they did play Adam Water and
Daichi Komada midfield. So kind of mix and match
against, was it Shelburne or Shamrock Rovers?
One of them. One three -nil away from home. But
yeah, obviously... At Selhurst Park, they're
going to provide stiff competition for Man City.
So hopefully we can get the win tomorrow and
then our focus turns to their game and to see
how they cope with Crystal Palace, who I do think
will get something in that game. I've got one
or draw on that one. On Arsenal in the community
celebrating 40 years. That's something remarkable,
probably amazing. The moment that the club started
to do that, we probably... could never have imagined
where we're going to be 40 years later. But that
shows where it's coming from. I think the consistency
in doing those things is the most difficult when
a lot of people engage or jump into things for
a very short period of time. And it's very difficult
to be consistent. I think the impact that the
club is having in our community and in a lot
of people's lives is something exceptional. and
it needs a lot of praising. Yeah, I mean, Arsenal
is always a club that is definitely community
-based, definitely a family club, and definitely
does its part in the community, in Islington,
surrounding areas like Islington, Camden, Hackney,
and so on and so forth. So it's good that obviously,
you know, it gets the recognition that it deserves.
And if we're going to wear a no red shirt this
season, the pure white shirt, Hopefully, because
we usually wear that shirt in January in FA Cup
third round. And we never really do well in it.
I think we've lost like three times wearing that
shirt. So if we're going to wear that in the
Portsmouth game at Fratton Park next month, then
let's win in that. And let's win tomorrow.