Here are the Arsenal morning headlines for Friday, October 30.
Arteta makes Pepe statement
Nicolas Pepe has taken time to adapt to life at Arsenal but he scored a wonderful goal in Thursday night’s Europa League victory over Dundalk.
Mikel Arteta has now spoken directly about the Ivorian winger and is hopeful he can continue to make a positive impression to force his way into plans at The Emirates.
“I think he's so willing to do well and show everybody - first of all, his team-mates and myself - and also the fans that he is a player that can make the difference every week," Arteta said in his post-match press conference.
“Obviously, he's not been first choice in a lot of the games at the moment but, to be fair, he's played quite a lot of the moments, some better than others. It's about finding the consistency. Not through the games, but during the games as well to be most instinctive and to be able to do the right things in many, many occasions where he has to make the right decisions on the pitch.
"It's nothing to do with his attitude. He's a player who takes risks. He's a very creative player and this is the most difficult thing in football, when they all know what you can do as well and how much they want to prevent your space and the overloads that they generate to defend you as well.”
Keown message to Willock
Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown believes Joe Willock has the chance to create a real impression at the club this campaign.
The midfielder was on target in the 3-0 win over Dundalk and his all-round display earned him plaudits, potentially helping his cause of starting regularly under Mikel Arteta.
Keown told BT Sport: “When I watched him last season, certainly late in the season, he was coming on late in games and he wasn’t really sure of where to be on the pitch.
"Arteta, I know is a great tactician, but I want to see more given to him, I want to work with Willock and see what we can really get with him.
"He needs to know when to release the ball, when to run with the ball and make the right decisions. That was an improvement today, but when Arsenal are out of possession, where is he going to be?
"He needs to learn that. He’s used to playing with a three when Arsenal play with a deep-lying midfielder, it’s going to be a two now - it’s up for grabs.”
Partey explains Gunners move
New Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has described life on deadline day after he secured his £45million move to the club from Atletico Madrid.
The Ghanaian midfielder was a long-term target of the Gunners but they only paid his release clause on the final day of the summer transfer window, creating a hectic day for the midfielder.
“My agent told me I had to sign some papers in the morning, in case the situation developed,” Partey told Sky Sports .
“I could not go back home after signing the papers, although the chef told us not to leave us today because it is deadline day!
“After that, we spoke to Edu and he told us that we had to do medicals and everything else we had to do today, and that is how everything happened.”
