- 3 weeks ago
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on facing Unai Emery's Aston Villa and possible transfers before the deadline on Tuesday
Sobha Realty Training Centre, London, UK
Sobha Realty Training Centre, London, UK
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00:08Good afternoon everyone, hope everyone's well, we'll kick off with the as live section then we'll go into 10.30
00:14Sunday, if you're all ready, we'll kick off with Gary from Skype.
00:36Yeah, he's available, he's been training really well and he will be available for selection.
00:41So, making the Arsenal debut, you can see potentially against the team that sold it. Tell us about the deal,
00:48it seems to be quite straightforward.
00:52Well, I don't get involved in the deals, we get involved in identifying the players and the talent that we
00:59believe are going to make us better, but at the end when a club sells a play, a club buys
01:06a play, it's because everybody's happy with the outcome.
01:08What I mean, I guess, is that there's been no difficulties in terms of, there's no reason why the players
01:14should get anything but a good reaction from the Villa crowd.
01:18Well, I hope so, I don't know, and I'm sure that Esri will think the same way for what he's
01:23done for the club, but obviously this is not down to us.
01:27Still no Bruno Uresch out there, is this slight win problem turning out to be a bit more than you
01:34first thought?
01:34No, no, we just managed the last few days with him, he's out on the pitch, he's been doing training
01:39sessions, but we need to manage a lot to get to Monday in the best possible condition to be able
01:46to get selected.
01:47He's potentially available for Monday?
01:49Yes, potentially available, yes.
01:51I didn't see my terrible eyes without my glasses, I didn't see Gabby Jesus out there, is that right?
02:02Yes.
02:03Anything to do with his future?
02:05Well, it's something to do with the numbers that we have in the squad at the moment and the way
02:09we manage that kind of situation individually with all the players that have some personal situations.
02:16By personal situations, do you mean that he potentially could be leaving the club?
02:20Personal situations, whatever they are, I think it's clear.
02:24And another Gabby, last name, was training, but Inspector Clouseau here, with his glasses on, saw him leave well ahead
02:32of all the other players.
02:33He started training about 11 o'clock, he left at 20 past 12 in a bit of a hurry.
02:37Any idea where he's heading?
02:41Again, that's another personal situation that we are dealing with.
02:45I think everybody knows and recognises how much we love Gabby.
02:51And yeah, whatever the outcome is, it will be because everybody agrees to that.
02:56You spoke last week about the difficulty of having a conversation with players that you love, players that you've worked
03:01with.
03:02Were these two of the players you had that conversation with?
03:05Yes, for sure.
03:06There are those conversations, and those conversations go both ways.
03:11But I'm very satisfied how this conversation went because I know what is in each other's hearts
03:16and the words that they come through in that conversation make me really happy.
03:22But it's inevitable that at some point you need to have certain discussions and say certain things that sometimes are
03:30tough.
03:30How many conversations with Julian Alvarez have gone?
03:36Don't go there.
03:38He's a player you know well.
03:39Obviously, Andreas signed him as well for Atleti.
03:43Could that be a part of the whole scenario?
03:46No, I'm not going to make any comment with any player that is not with us.
03:49Generally speaking, though, moving on last question about the transfer.
03:52There's only one more press conference to go before the transfer deadline, by the way.
03:56But just generally speaking, when you sign a player, we know that you need that player to be all in.
04:01They've got a lot of their heart and their mind, publicly and privately, to want to join Arsenal.
04:06Is that always going to be the case?
04:08Publicly?
04:08I never ask them.
04:09I think it's more probably to get the feeling that they feel something unique, an attachment, a feeling that they
04:17really want to join us.
04:18And they have that desire to come and be part of our family.
04:22And just finally, on transfers, I'm not even going to ask you about me.
04:25I'm not going to be surprised to hear.
04:28Ethan Langieri, probably his future as well.
04:31Any news on where he's headed?
04:32No, no news on that.
04:34Thanks, Michael.
04:34Thank you very much.
04:35Thanks, Gary.
04:36We've got Anita from the Premier League.
04:37Hi, Michael.
04:38Lovely to see you.
04:40I wanted to just pick up on Julián Alvarez there, just given what was being said in the Spanish press.
04:47Do you watch any Chinese because of the Monaco is familiar with it at all?
04:50I am familiar, but I don't watch it, no.
04:53Okay, so one of their main journalists, Josep Fedorov, said that you've made a call and he didn't answer that
05:00call.
05:02Is there any truth in that at all?
05:05You know I'm not going to make any comments about what he says publicly,
05:08because if not, I would think I would be having a different job.
05:13In terms of the team news ahead of this game, any more progression with the likes of Julián Timmer?
05:21Julián is progressing really well.
05:23Let's see how he ends up this week.
05:25It's the third week in a row that he's been outside and we have increased his load.
05:28So he's in the right trajectory.
05:30If everything goes well, I think next week we can step it up again.
05:34Willy obviously isn't a much conservative load management right now, so that's going to take a while.
05:41You're in such a privileged position to have what feels like two players per position on the pitch.
05:46Could you maybe talk us through the decision-making that you went through when it came to the changes in
05:52that first game out against Coventry?
05:56Well, for different reasons.
05:58One, some of them were physical.
05:59Some of them because some players, they cannot last still 90 minutes.
06:04We didn't want to expose them.
06:06And others are tactical or a feeling that you have throughout the game.
06:09That's it.
06:09And just finally, Monday against Unai Emery, he's had a tough start to the season.
06:15How much do you feel for him given the number of outgoings and uncertainty?
06:19I know many managers are looking for the window to be closed ASAP.
06:23He's one of the most experienced managers in the league and one of the most successful, without a question of
06:28a doubt.
06:28So look what they did last year, how they finished it and the incredible season that they had.
06:34So it's just a game and that's it.
06:37And I'm sure he will turn it around.
06:42Alex, BBC.
06:42Hi.
06:43With players moving on, obviously it's a difficult time sometimes.
06:47So how do you go about having those conversations?
06:49Is there a certain time you do it or a certain way you do it?
06:52Particularly when there's emotions involved from both sides?
06:56I mean, try to be as clear and transparent as possible, you know.
07:01And try to deliver the message as it is.
07:04And they know from what place that message is coming.
07:08So, yeah, if I've given a player through six years 500 great messages and one day I have to give
07:14them a message that maybe it's not that good.
07:17I think the proportion is quite good.
07:19So I expect that they value that, like the things that they've done for the club or for myself.
07:26If it's 499 to one, certainly that one is going to bear so little in the way I feel about
07:33a player.
07:35Max from Standard.
07:36Hi, Michael.
07:37You've spoken, as we touched on there, about it being essential that players want to be here and Arsenal is
07:41the destination for them.
07:43Is there ever a temptation, I guess, with the really elite players that you think whatever the context,
07:48whatever's going on, it's almost worth convincing them, worth doing whatever it is?
07:53Convincing.
07:54I don't know if it's the word.
07:55Obviously, explaining what we are, what we are doing, how we expect that player to fit in within our club
08:02and our way of playing, his role in the team, that's certainly the case.
08:07I think everybody and those players normally, they don't come by themselves.
08:11They come with a team, whether it's a family, with people that work with them.
08:15So I think that whole ecosystem of the player, I think, has to be understood.
08:20And I think everybody around it as well has to feel that it's the right thing to do.
08:24And is it frustrating, I guess, sometimes when almost the club's plans might have to be on hold
08:28while you wait for situations to develop elsewhere?
08:32No.
08:32I mean, we haven't had situations like this really.
08:36Then after you can do a deal or you cannot do a deal.
08:38But I think we are really privileged that players really want to come to us.
08:44James, CBS.
08:45Hi, Michael.
08:45So we think that Gaby Martinelli deal may be done before, to speak to you again on Monday.
08:52He's someone that's been with you right the way through.
08:53I think only him and Pacquiao have been here since you arrived.
08:56When you have that conversation with him, could you maybe reflect on your feelings and your experience a bit?
09:03Gaby is an Arsenal player and that's it.
09:05I don't think I should make any more comments about that.
09:07I understand the question but it's not the moment to do it.
09:10James from ESPN.
09:12Just one on concert.
09:14A strange quirk of fate that his debut might be against his former club.
09:19Did you have any doubts throwing him into a game like that?
09:22Because it is at his former club.
09:24Is that a factor at all?
09:26No.
09:27Well, if I see something different on the player, maybe I question that.
09:30The way I see in Esri since day one, knowing his personality really well that I know.
09:35With all the feedback that I go from all the people that have worked with him,
09:39there's nothing that concerns me there.
09:41You're obviously facing a very different Aston Villa side.
09:44They've sold quite a few players.
09:46And part of that seems to be compliance with the financial rules.
09:50But just generally speaking, I just wonder what you make of those financial rules.
09:54Do you think generally they're a good thing for them?
09:56Well, I prefer not to get in that territory.
09:58I think I have enough things around me to get into that because it's quite complex.
10:05And I think there are people that are much more prepared and detailed than I am to comment on those.
10:12And just finally, just on the market, obviously you've been with the strikers
10:15and they've been mentioned repeatedly.
10:17How do you manage that with the strikers that you currently have?
10:20Do they have to sort of accept the part?
10:24Very simple.
10:25Whatever you read, if you have a question, come and knock on my door
10:28and I will tell you whether it is true or not.
10:30Because if, I don't know, in any position, if they really put now the catalogue
10:35and all these walls about all the players that we wanted in the last three months,
10:39I think we need the whole building to put it on.
10:42So I think they know that there's so much speculation with a lot of players.
10:47If ever they feel the doubt of what we think of them and if we're going to recruit a player,
10:53I tell them, it's right away.
10:55Have they even done that?
10:56No.
10:58Normally I do it.
10:59So we're going to sign somebody in their position and normally tell them
11:02that these are the plans and these are the reasons why we have the plans.
11:05We still believe the same in you, but the competition is going to increase.
11:10I prefer to do it that way.
11:13Eduardo, if you have a take here.
11:14Can we do that when we close the window here?
11:30Because it's not closed here.
11:31Thanks a lot.
11:32Phil from PA.
11:33Would you be satisfied if you didn't bring in any other players?
11:40Today I'm satisfied, you know.
11:43And I hope that when it closes I am even more satisfied because I will be even more convinced
11:49that the team has had a great performance against Villa and win the game.
11:52And we are in the best possible scenario.
11:56It's a question you've probably been asking for in this season,
11:58but when you do look around the squad, do you think it's the best squad you've had since you've been
12:04in the last one?
12:05It's the best squad that we have or we believe that we could have right now.
12:10And that's it.
12:11And it's not the best squad that we are going to have in a month's time
12:14because hopefully the players will improve, the team will improve and we will be better.
12:19OK, we did the last two in the Adelaide.
12:20Firstly, Benji Hughes.
12:22Hi.
12:23The first opening two fixtures have been 2-3 in the win for the Community Shields
12:27and obviously last week.
12:28But as defending champions, do you feel that team is going to look at you differently
12:33in that similar way to how Pep's team looked at under the M&C?
12:38I don't know.
12:39I don't know how teams are going to behave.
12:41I think we need to understand really well what we want.
12:44I think we are very clear in the way we want to approach every single game
12:48and then go day by day to prove that we belong where we are.
12:52OK.
12:53Finally, in the end of the world, Chris Harry from Biggs, London.
12:55Hi.
12:56It seems like there could be some more departures in terms of players leaving in the attacking areas of the
13:01pitch.
13:01Does that change your opinion on maybe where Ebreche Eze will fit into the picture
13:06with Odegaard back and Mourinho back?
13:09Is there a scope to see him maybe play from the wider areas a little bit more often?
13:13Well, the great thing that we have in the team is that a lot of players have a huge versatility
13:18to play and occupy different spaces.
13:20Ebs is one of them.
13:21He's played as a left winger, as a left attacking midfielder, right attacking midfielder.
13:24And he can deliver the role in a great way in those positions.
13:29So, yeah, we will see changes in relation to the opponent,
13:33to the relationship that we have in the team.
13:35Players play in different positions.
13:37It's going to be needed and I think it's a real asset that we have in the team.
13:41I know there's a lot of talk about potential attacking players coming in,
13:44but just how much of a factor is the fact that you've got Martin Odegaard,
13:48Mikel Moreno, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka all looking fit again in your team.
13:52Does that reduce the need in your opinion to bring in another attack?
13:55I think it's a natural reaction because we always want more, you know.
13:59But it looks like if we sign somebody else,
14:02but I mean we already have a lot of great players here in the building.
14:07We are always looking to strengthen and be better
14:09and have qualities that we don't have in the squad.
14:12But the main name, as I always said, is focused on the one that we have,
14:15that they are so good.
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