You’ve had a bug that meant a few players missed the match against Leeds. What’s the latest there?
They’ve been a few of them that haven’t been able to train. We picked some knocks during the game against Leeds as well. Hopefully when everybody’s back we will have better news.
Are you able to tell us any names on the new knocks?
Not yet.
What’s the latest on Kieran Tierney’s ankle problem.
He’s progressing training. Let’s see how he is today. He felt a bit better last few days but he wasn’t 100% the other day to start the game. Again we’ll see what happens is in the last 48 hours.
In his place Nuno Tavares really impressed. What have you made of him and what have the conversations with him been like since?
Yeah he had an impressive performance for the first Premier League debut and to play the way he did with that intensity which he is not used to. Credit to the boy. I really like what he did. He’s still really young, he’s improving and he had a really good performance.
Do you see many similarities between yourself and Leicester?
Both teams are for sure gonna play to win the game. We both know it’s going to be a tough game. We have some experiences against them as well and just prepare the game the best possible way.
You’ve won on your last two trips to the King Power. What do you think has worked so well there in the last couple of trips?
I don’t know the team has changed. They can play in different formations. There are some principles that they respect really well. I think Brendan and the staff has done really well over there. We’re gonna face a game that can have different phases because of the way they play. It will be difficult.
Arsenal had a more straightforward route to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals in midweek. Do you think that will play a part?
We both had to play 90 minutes except for the penalties. We had a really tough game against the most intense Premier League team that is Leeds and now we feel recovered and ready for the next one.
Many felt the best 45 mins of Arsenal’s season came against Aston Villa. Do you feel that and how do you feel the team are moving?
I was really pleased with the performance, with the energy that we had, with every intention that we had to do what we believed could hurt Villa and we continued like that through the game. So it’s another step. That game is gone and now the full focus is on Leicester.
Eddie Nketiah hasn’t been in a Premier League matchday squad this season. Will he make it this weekend and can you say anything more about his future at the club?
He’s another one that is constantly pushing. Every time he’s got a chance he takes that chance. There are other players involved in those positions. He’s the same as other players without many minutes because we have not had any games in Europe unfortunately this season. We have to manage that situation and reward the players that they deserve.
Bernd Leno also played well, but how happy is he being a number 2 and can that continue for the rest of the season?
I think he competed really well the other day and he showed his level. That’s what he’s here for and when he plays he needs to be at his best level and when he’s not he needs to support his teammates like everybody else does.
You’ve scored just once on the road this season. Do you think playing 4-4-2 could change that?
We have different options to play with different players that bring different qualities and formations that can adapt in relation to what we want to do in the game or because of the opponent. That’s it. Scoring goals or not it’s just a consequence of the amount of chances they create. But sometimes unfortunately it’s just about efficiency as well.
It’s been quite a week at Barcelona. What do you make of it all there?
Again, yeah it’s been a lot going in the past few years. Obviously how COVID has affected, obviously you have to overcome a situation like the departure of Messi who has been the key player for many, many years. All that takes time and we will see. I just hope that everything works out well.
You have been linked with the Barcelona job this week. Is there anything you’d like to say about that?
That I'm extremely happy at Arsenal and I feel privileged to be here. My only focus is here.
You were a big supporter of five subs back in 2020. Would you like to see it return?
There have been different situations. With the COVID world obviously we have one situation, we had a lot of struggles and a lot of games in a really condensed calendar. I don’t think it’s gonna change because the way it’s looking, with the World Cup and the willingness to play every two years, and then play the African cups and then play another two cups and play every single competition that is possible we have to think really about how we’re gonna take care of those players so we don’t burn them. That’s a good possibility.
You’re unbeaten in eight. What have you done to turn things around?
Go game by game, try to improve every single game, try to keep the spirit and perspective when things aren’t working and the same when it’s getting better because there’s still a lot of things to improve. We know we don’t want to be where we are still. We want to be the best and to do that there is a lot of things that have to get better.
What in particular do you think you have to improve on?
I think in every department we can get better. The use of the ball, the understanding of the game, how we manage situations, how we deal with moments of pressure. In everything, in every department I still think we have a lot improvements to make. But there are some basics which we’re doing a lot better which helps a lot to win football matches.
There were so many positives from the Aston Villa game. Are you tempted to pick the same team again?
What I'm really pleased with is that players are knocking on the door with the right attitude to play. That’s giving us options and just raises the level of the team. I don’t see anyone trying to find excuses when he’s not playing or blame someone when they’re not playing. Just put the best possible work in training and then talk on the pitch which is the best way. Talking outside the pitch is really easy because you can always find excuses and blame everyone else. When you have the opportunity like now it’s a moment to talk and show that you can do it. I really like in many examples what the players have done when they’ve been in those positions
What does success look like for Arsenal?
I think to be successful we have to play good first, we have to be dominant and we have to have the identity that we have in every single game and compete and be a really difficult team to beat. If that happens we will have a better chance. The consequence will be the success but I just focus on the process and what is in our hands to get there.
You’ve been under pressure this season and now it’s the turn of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Nuno Espirito Santo. As a fellow manager do you feel sorry for them when you see that?
It’s always about the results. We all know that and the rest it doesn’t really matter. When you are having difficulty getting results you’re gonna be in that position. It’s nothing new for anybody. But yes obviously you feel for them because you know what they have to go through and you feel that it’s not a nice moment for those who are going through that.
How many players are affected by the bug and what is it?
It was a bit of sickness and just feeling tummy aches and stuff like that. Hopefully today everyone will be ok.
Will Ben White be fit for tomorrow?
He hasn’t trained yet, so again we will have to wait for today, see how he’s feeling and make the decision then.
You said earlier this week that Aubameyang is putting in a lot more effort. What’s caused that?
Well we had various conversations and when you have a season where as a team we haven’t fulfilled our expectations and individually we haven’t we have to find the reasons why - how we can help him, how we can change that and how we can help him to improve certain things that are gonna have a huge impact on the team.
He’s been so willing to do it from the start. I’m so pleased because his role is different from the one he had two or three years ago and now he needs to lead in every sense. He’s doing that and I'm really happy with that.
Is he enjoying the new role?
I think he is and you can see on the pitch he’s playing with a smile on his face. He’s transmitting energy, passion willingness. Not only there but outside the pitch as well. That’s what we want. A happy Auba is linked with his character and that’s what he’s able to transmit to everybody and that energy it’s always positive for the team.
What do you make of Patson Daka?
Yeah we’ve been aware of him. I think Leicester have been really strong and clever in their recruitment over the years with how they have been able to build a team that they have. He looks a really strong player.
If Ben White comes in he will presumably start alongside Gabriel. Can you tell us about that partnership and how it’s developed?
Well, we have different options, but we wanted to recruit someone that could straight away adapt naturally to the way we want to play. He’s happy in open spaces, he’s really good in duels, he has a huge personality to play when we demand him to progress the ball in different ways against different kind of press or when they don’t press and then he has time to make the right decisions. And he has the hunger and I really like his character as well when I met him. That’s why I made the decision to sign him.
He may not speak the same language with Gabriel but they seem to have the same footballing mentality. That’s important isn’t it?
Yeah but the language is important and Gabi has improved a lot in that this season. For any centre back partnership that’s going to help them in the back line.
Was singing White one of the key decisions to asking Saliba to go out on loan this season?
Well, everything is linked. The amount of centre backs that we had in the team, the issues that we had in the past because of the numbers that we had and the imbalance that we had in that position and because of William’s decision in his career right now to make the minutes that he’s making and the progress that he’s making. We believe it was the right thing to do.
Did you see the performance against Mbappe, Neymar and Messi the other day?
Yeah I did see it.
Have you spoken to him since?
Yeah as a club we are always in touch. Edu and Ben were there to watch him and keep a close eye on him the progress he’s making. He’s obviously our player and we do that with all the loan players that we have.
Is it fair to say that if he’d stayed at Arsenal he would have been playing against Leeds on Tuesday and then back on the bench for Leicester on Saturday?
If, but he’s not. At the moment he’s there and he played a different game that week. He continues to do what he needs to which is play a lot of games and play well.
And then a battle to get in the team next season presumably?
That’s a decision that we will make next summer. He’s our player and naturally that will happen. We’ll have to sit down and decide what the best next step is.
Ben White gave an interview the other day saying he’s not interested in watching football. Where do you stand on that?
I think there are phases in the career of a footballer that he goes through where he’s more focused on other things than football. But I met some people that they don’t see a lot of football but they watch their game three times and others that they don’t wanna watch their own games or watch themselves but they can watch any other game. You have to find the right balance.
For me the most important thing is that he shows the passion to play the game every single day. To train, to have the enjoyment playing football which is what he has and then the way he competes and the way he wants to improve. If we believe that this is better it’s something that we will discuss with him, but at the moment it’s working fine for him.
Patrick Vieira said it mattered and that Thierry Henry would watch countless games. Is it not as essential for you?
I think it has to come natural like anything. If you force a player to do anything he’s not interested in outside of here it’s very difficult. Hopefully you can fit something within his body that can create ‘OK I want to start to look at this in a different league, in a different way, in a different team’ and try to fit that shift and then something happens.
Is there a way you could accommodate White, Gabriel and Saliba next season given that they’re so young and they need minutes to develop?
I think there is room. It will depend on what happens with other players and that’s not a conversation to have now.
Martin Odegaard didn’t start vs. Aston Villa and his numbers aren’t quite as high as they were during his loan spell. Are you concerned about that?
Well, he came back a little bit late don’t forget that. Credit to him. He had an injury in pre-season, he picked up an injury as well the week before so he’s missed some games. When he’s played as well he’s done it in a really good level so the numbers can change quickly. But the numbers I don’t think they’re fair because he has missed some games.
You’ve said Bukayo and Emile need more end product in the final third. Is that something you’d challenge Martin to do as well?
Absolutely. All the players that are playing in the attacking line have to contribute at the maximum level that is required to achieve the numbers that you need to be the best team in the league. If you don’t it’s just maths. You won’t get there.
