Mikel Arteta Arsenal
How much do you feel this result shows you’ve made progress in the last 12 months considering where you were last year.
Yes, I’ve been saying that for a while. I can see probably more things as I can see internally, I know the process and what’s happened and how much has changed since we’ve been here a year ago. I think the difference is really big today. We are really pleased with the result, with the goals we scored and the way we played in big moments in the game. As well we have to be very clear with ourselves, we gave three goals to the opponents and they took one and at that level they are going to punish you. So, if we are going to go to the next level we have to stop that and be more ruthless. When you are that dominant and playing that well just kill the games.
No. It’s just when we have to play. You know they have to play the ball to this player, but when is the difference. It’s now, a second earlier or a second later and that gives the opponent a chance to press or to intercept a pass or not. Obviously the difference is to discriminate the decision making when it has to be done is what it dictates in the next action after whether you are successful or not. But it’s not about encouraging the team or stopping them when we have to play it’s about learning to understand when to do it and that’s crucial. If not it creates insecurity and a game that is totally under control brings the team into an insecurity mode because it just brings the opponent into the game with how much we’ve done and the chances that we’ve missed and it’s unnecessary. It’s true though that the reaction after that to score two goals, and probably we should have scored one more, it’s great to see as well.
Did you take any of the players off tonight due to injuries or with an eye on Spurs?
No it was all tactical decisions, or things that we wanted to change in the game.
What would you say to people who say Arsenal’s biggest opponent is themselves?
Yeah they are not far off. The goals that we have conceded or the chances that we have conceded they are coming from ourselves. That’s really positive because the moment we stop it we’re going to be a lot stronger. But the reality is that we have to stop immediately because if not the games are all the time there to drop points. It’s my responsibility, I make them play the way we want to play. It’s just understanding risks and rewards, where they are and as I said before, when. We have to get better at that because if not it creates tension and insecurity and it creates belief in the opponent and that’s unnecessary.
It must make every game tense
It does but it’s what it is. Sometime when you go through a progress like this you have to be ready to go through these situations. I’m ready to do that, but again knowing all the time where the risks and the rewards are. And if the rewards are not bigger we should not take the risks.
It’s an excellent result but you sound like you’re not happy with the performance?No, because I want to be much more ruthless because as a team I don’t want to give anything to the opponents. The opponents are good enough by themselves to create problems, to create situations, to change organisational structures, individual quality that they have in this competition. So I want to give zero to the opponents, and whatever we do we have to be on it so much, so I would like the opponent to do the same. So I am happy with the result but I’m not satisfied with how we controlled the game through 95 minutes and that’s something that we have to improve.
You said the decision to substitute Partey was tactical. Can you explain why?
Because I wanted to change him and to bring somebody else in to try to find some other stuff and change the shape that we were playing inside.
How crucial was Mohamed Elneny’s strike?
I don’t know there is still another game to play and in this competition and with this level of opponent anything can happen. So we have to be prepared to take the game as if it’s 0-0 and go and win the game at the Emirates and then we will be through. With Mo in particular and the subs I’m extremely delighted because I know how much they want to play and they are key in this competition. If you want to be successful you need your subs to make an impact. They’ve done it again. Mo in particular because how he’s been training so hard to improve his shooting range with Roundy (assistant manager Steve Round) and he got his reward for the team.
Does that show the character of the team to come back like that?
Yes, and it has happened in many games already and that has to become a habit. When you are able to react against a team in any circumstances, it doesn’t matter the disappointment, the moment or what happens, individually and collectively you need to know that you can get that response and the team is able to overcome any situation. So that’s really encouraging for the team.
The only thing that had been missing from Martin Odegaard in recent weeks was a goal wasn’t it?
He can do that. He needs to click by doing that. The same with Emile, the same with Willian is that they are there to make things happen and win games. Winning games is decided in the boxes and they have to be more encouraged to attack those situations to take risks, to take shots, to take those opportunities to dribble because that’s there quality. Hopefully that’s going to bring Martin the confidence. We scored two wondergoals from outside of the box and that’s another important way of getting goals and it’s going to be crucial.
