Arteta discusses the impact of losing two creative, important and unpredictable players

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta discusses the impact of losing two creative, important and unpredictable players with Saka and now Jesus likely out for the rest of the season  14/01/2025  Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK

Transcript

00:00Hi, John.

00:01When you first arrived, I realised you'd obviously played in some incredible derby,

00:05but was there a player at the club that said,

00:08this means more, this derby is really special?

00:13A player in particular? I cannot remember.

00:17I remember having a few conversations with Jack about it,

00:21because Jack as well was very passionate that we all know about the rivalry,

00:27and he made it very public as well a few times,

00:31so that was all the time very, very viral.

00:35So that's probably something that stuck in my head from a player's perspective.

00:41As Art touched upon, this period has certain similarities to last season,

00:46just in terms of maybe between Christmas and New Year, you had the cup set back.

00:52How did you go about changing that mood last year,

00:55and how do you do it again this season?

01:01I think it is a bit different because from the start of the season already

01:05we had to deal with quite a lot of things,

01:08which again I think is going to...

01:10And it is helping the team a lot to get what we want to get,

01:15to have those kinds of experiences,

01:17and having the ability to adapt and confront the situation

01:20that the team is doing again.

01:22About the results, it is not what we want for sure,

01:27but the manner that they are occurring as well is very specific,

01:31and especially very unusual.

01:33Can you just check what you mean by defiance?

01:35The team has shown defiance throughout the season.

01:39Yeah, because for example in the Premier League we are in the same situation

01:42as we were last year.

01:43Obviously we are in a much better place in terms of the league table.

01:46So that tells you about the difficulty and the competitiveness of the league.

01:51But as well we have very, very different circumstances

01:54in terms of managing the situation in the squad

01:57and all the stuff that happened to last season.

02:00So that's I think a big positive from the team.

02:05I think a lot of the fans are going,

02:07oh, Bakaya's out and now Gabby's out,

02:09so you have to get someone in.

02:10Those are obviously very different situations now.

02:13With Bakaya back maybe in a matter of a couple of months,

02:16whereas if it is as serious as it is with Gabby,

02:20it's going to be a long, long time beyond this season,

02:23into next season and through the summer.

02:25Does that mean that you can now accelerate any plans you had for the summer?

02:29Because you're going to need to replace Gabby Jesus in the long term.

02:32It's not just a quick fix for Bakaya.

02:34Yeah, that's a great point.

02:36Obviously we are losing two very creative, very important,

02:39very unpredictable players for us.

02:41So that has an impact on the team, that's for sure.

02:44So that's what we have said.

02:46But not for now.

02:47It's from the start of the window and before the window.

02:50We are actively looking at what we can do to plan

02:53and to improve the squad and impact the squad if we can.

02:56And obviously the news of Gabby, they are confirmed this afternoon.

02:59That takes the scenario to another dimension as well

03:03because the time frame will be longer.

03:06Just on Raheem Sterling,

03:08maybe second up on Sunday is one of his best performances so far for Arsenal.

03:12Is this a really big chance for him now?

03:15Yeah, I was really happy with the way that he came in.

03:18Since he had again that injury came back,

03:21you could say that he was going to give us something important and great.

03:26Great because we need him.

03:28You can see what he can bring.

03:31He's used to playing in this kind of context as well

03:34and demands that we have every three days.

03:36So it's great to have him.

03:38Is it a shame that we're seeing a North London derby

03:41without some of the biggest stars on both sides?

03:44As a spectacle, do you want to see both sides?

03:48I imagine that externally they want to see everybody available

03:53and going toe-to-toe with the best players.

03:56But I think anyway it's going to be a tough match.

04:01If there's ever a chance for a hero for Arsenal,

04:04scoring, playing well in this fixture you know that the most.

04:07Is that what you'll be drilling into the players who are playing

04:10that this is your chance now to step up and become a legend?

04:14Yes, we know the meaning and the emotion related to that.

04:18Anything that is about performing and impacting the game

04:22in a manner that is going to help you to win it,

04:25the consequences are beautiful.

04:27Can you ask about Ethan? How is he getting on?

04:31He's good, he's started to do some work on the pitch already,

04:34so he's evolving really well.

04:36He's young, he heals very, very fast,

04:38so hopefully we can have him soon.

04:42With Kyle Roberts when he first came to the club,

04:45there's obviously the talk of his position and the rest of it,

04:48so he's had his ups and downs whilst being at Arsenal.

04:51How have you in the past been able to pick him up?

04:53Because it's not a linear process, as you say,

04:56where you've been able to galvanise him in the past,

04:59and will you try and do that now?

05:01First of all, I see his performance in a way

05:04that doesn't isolate a topic, which is scoring a goal,

05:08and what it brings to the team.

05:10Like many other players this season,

05:12we haven't been as prolific in terms of the numbers that we have scored,

05:16but they produce incredible things for the team,

05:19and certainly Kyle is one of them.

05:22On Sunday, in terms of the atmosphere in the stadium,

05:24it seemed in part quite negative.

05:27What would your message be to the fans,

05:29who are disgruntled or feeling concerned at this point in the season?

05:34There are a lot of things happening that are very difficult to control,

05:39and the ones that are in our hands, and this is one of them,

05:42let's create the best atmosphere that the Emirates have seen.

05:45This is something that is in our hands.

05:47If we want, we're going to create it, we don't depend on anybody.

05:50What we're going to try with the players and the staff

05:53is that we are the first ones to embrace that,

05:55and hopefully they will follow us.

05:57How important is that noise for a game like Tottenham,

06:00for the fans to all be together and make it?

06:03Crucial for Tottenham and for the rest.

06:05I think the amount of points is not tangible,

06:08and I cannot describe how much he helps that narrative,

06:12the energy across the club.

06:14We have experienced it, a negative one and a positive one.

06:17What is the outcome? It's our choice.

06:23If the worst news is confirmed about Gabi later,

06:26do you have an idea of what kind of forward you'd like to bring in?

06:30Obviously, is it the hardest position to replace, especially in this mark?

06:36We have very clear ideas of the players that we want, yes.

06:43It was before Gabi and it was with Gabi injured right now,

06:47and we have to wait and see how things develop.

06:50What kind of profile would you be looking for?

06:52Sorry?

06:53What kind of profile would you be looking for?

06:55You can speak to Jason, you know I'm not going to speak about that.

06:58OK, everyone, thanks very much. Thanks a lot. Cheers.

07:02Don't shed all the roses on the way back.

07:04Sorry.

07:06You like roses, red or white, or what kind of roses?

07:09I prefer red.

07:10Emotional.

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