Arteta on keeping the momentum after Real Madrid win and onto Ipswich (Full Presser)

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta on keeping the momentum after Real Madrid win and onto Ipswich  18/04/2025  Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK

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00:00The euphoria of Wednesday night, were you able to celebrate it and take it in?

00:04Yeah, for a short period of time, yeah, it was a great evening.

00:07We had a lot of family and a lot of happy faces around the club,

00:12so it was a good moment, but immediately you have to switch it up

00:16and now it's Ipric and the Premier League.

00:18What can a win like that do for the confidence and belief of this young team going forward?

00:24Yeah, that we can compete in any context against any opposition

00:27and now the next step is, yeah, consistency.

00:31Do it in the Champions League at that level.

00:33Now we can go to Eastbridge against a really tough team and do it again.

00:37And you mentioned about resetting.

00:39How hard is that for you to do in such a short space of time,

00:42bottle that confidence, euphoria of the league,

00:45but also focus back on the league and there's a lot still to play for?

00:48Quite easy. Just review the Madrid game and immediately go to Eastbridge

00:52and start to do all the preparation, start to watch the games.

00:54Again, we play against them and what we learned over the last few months

00:59since we played them, how can we hurt them, their qualities

01:02and start to do all the preparation towards the game.

01:05How are the injuries looking?

01:07Eugenio and Kelly Fiore?

01:08Yeah, George is not going to be available yet.

01:11He's still struggling with that incident

01:13and Ricky as well probably is not going to be available.

01:16How would you rate Eugenio's chances of playing in that semi-final first lane?

01:20That's probably a question for the doctor.

01:23It's quite a specific and difficult matter,

01:26so I will leave that to the club to make an update.

01:29If he's not fit and obviously Thomas Partey's suspended,

01:32what are you thinking in terms of that midfield?

01:34A few options.

01:37Are you going to have to think outside the box again as we've seen you do this season?

01:40We have a few options and obviously we're not going to get anything away.

01:44Will you be confident, presumably, given what you've done already this season,

01:48how your team has adapted, your players have adapted

01:50if you had to move things around again?

01:52Yeah, for sure.

01:53Yeah, but it depends on the players as well

01:55if they are comfortable doing certain things

01:58and how we can maximise our qualities

02:00in relation to the game we expect against them.

02:05Hi, Miguel.

02:06It was a tight game, wasn't it, back in the second 1-0 win at Arsenal?

02:10Obviously, they have to win to avoid being relegated this weekend.

02:14So, how different of a game are you expecting

02:16based on the one you've played in December

02:18and how different of a game are you expecting

02:19based on the one you've played in December?

02:22Yeah, I understand where they are at the moment

02:26and they're playing at home

02:27and, as you said, it's one of the fewest chances that they have.

02:31But for us, it's a big game.

02:33We need to start to win football matches in the Premier League

02:35to at least maintain the position that we are in

02:38and to push into the last few games with some hope.

02:41And now we know how tough it's going to be.

02:43They are a really well-organised team.

02:47I think what Kieran and the staff have done is remarkable.

02:50And you see every week how they perform

02:52and the amount of issues they give to opposition.

02:54So, we expect a tough game.

02:55Liam Dillard has had a really good season.

02:58I think it's top of the goals for him.

03:00How highly do you rate him as a forward player?

03:02You know, I don't like to talk about any individuals

03:06of any opposition as a team.

03:08They are very strong individually.

03:09They have players that can win you football matches.

03:12They've done it against big opponents.

03:14So, we have to pay a lot of attention.

03:16This weekend, the Premier League title could be wrapped up

03:19dependent on results in your game

03:21and on the Liverpool game as well.

03:23If that does happen this weekend,

03:25how important is the remainder of the Premier League game

03:28to come for you,

03:29especially with the knock-on effect

03:30in terms of how your players perform in the Premier League

03:33then affects how they may well perform

03:35in that Champions League team?

03:37I'll make sure that we win the game

03:38and that doesn't happen.

03:40And finally for me,

03:40I just want to ask about Dexman, right?

03:42Obviously, you've got seven goals,

03:44nine assists in all competitions this season.

03:45That's the same as the whole of last season.

03:49How do you view him as a leader right now

03:51in your current group of players

03:52and how much more of a leadership role

03:55do you think he could take on?

03:57Well, he's earning more and more.

03:58I think performances like he had

04:01in this time against Real Madrid

04:03just puts the player in a different dimension

04:05and that's why we brought him here.

04:07That's why we demand him as well

04:09to take more steps

04:10and to be more decisive in games

04:13because he can do it.

04:14We've been talking about it for the last few weeks

04:15and to do it at this stage is not easy.

04:18He's done it two times in a row.

04:20Now he's maintaining it,

04:21maintaining that level of consistency,

04:22belief,

04:23and undoubtedly his role

04:25will be bigger and bigger.

04:26Hi, Michael.

04:29Just on the Champions League,

04:30I think sometimes there's a perception

04:35that it's better to have the second leg at home,

04:38but obviously against Real Madrid,

04:40first leg was at home

04:41and I think,

04:43from my opinion,

04:44Arsenal really kind of set the tone.

04:46With the semi-finals,

04:48the first leg's also at home,

04:49so do you kind of view that

04:51as a similar thing you want to replicate?

04:53Because,

04:54yeah,

04:54I think,

04:55I guess,

04:55the neutrals probably would say

04:56it would be better to have the second leg.

04:58Yeah,

04:59my preference has always been

05:00to play the second game at home,

05:02but it's what we have at the moment,

05:04so learn from it,

05:05see what the advantages

05:06and the opportunities

05:07where they are.

05:08I think if any of you

05:09watched any football,

05:10yesterday on European nights

05:11in the second leg,

05:12it's absolutely madness.

05:13You can go anywhere.

05:15So it's great to learn

05:17as well about these kind of scenarios

05:18and why these things happen

05:20because it can be very useful for us.

05:22And you said on the midfield

05:23you have a few options in your head.

05:25I was wondering,

05:25is Myles one of them?

05:26Because obviously we've spoken

05:28about him being a left-back this year,

05:30but he's naturally a midfielder,

05:32so would the next few weeks

05:33be a good opportunity

05:34to give him some minutes in there?

05:36It would be down

05:37to the availability of players

05:38in that moment,

05:40so who is available,

05:41who is able as well

05:43to do that for how long

05:45in games,

05:45because as well

05:46we had players

05:46that they could not play 90 minutes,

05:48so once we are closer

05:49to that game,

05:50we can decide.

05:52Hi.

05:54You mentioned

05:54you don't want to give

05:55much away

05:55about how you might

05:56replace Partey.

05:57You've got these two

05:58Premier League games

05:58before that PSG match.

06:00How do you balance

06:01perhaps practicing

06:02maybe without Partey,

06:03but at the same time

06:04not giving too much away

06:05to PSG

06:06about what you might do?

06:08As always,

06:09a balance,

06:09you know,

06:10understanding

06:10what the priorities are.

06:12The priorities are one

06:13or is another.

06:14And then as well

06:15making sure

06:15that players are comfortable

06:16and feeling the position

06:18that they have to play

06:19such a big match,

06:20but as I said,

06:21the priorities now

06:22are two winning games

06:23in the Premier League.

06:24And just bringing it back

06:25to the Premier League,

06:25the gap between yourselves

06:27and now third

06:28has closed up

06:29with Newcastle

06:30in their two games

06:30and has that played

06:32on your mind

06:33something consciously

06:34with the last two games

06:35being drawn

06:35and trying to get

06:36back that winning

06:37momentum?

06:38Yes, for sure,

06:39because obviously

06:39we're in a much better

06:41position,

06:41but the last two draws

06:42have significantly

06:43changed that perspective

06:46and as well

06:47creating Newcastle

06:48for the form

06:48that they are in

06:49and the way

06:50they've been playing

06:50as well.

06:51So we need to step up

06:52and start to win the games.

06:53James, yes, Ken?

06:54Hi, I'm Mikel.

06:56As far as parties

06:57out of contracts

06:58this summer,

06:59has there been any progress

07:00for the team?

07:02Yeah, there is progress

07:03with all the players.

07:05I leave that to Andrea

07:06and the club

07:07to decide

07:09and to talk about.

07:10So the intention

07:11is to keep it?

07:13The intention

07:13is very clear.

07:14I leave that to Andrea

07:16and the club

07:16to take steps forward.

07:18Just on

07:20Ipswich,

07:21obviously they're not

07:22relegated yet,

07:23but it does look like

07:24the second season in a row

07:25all three

07:26promoted teams

07:27came up

07:28and they're going

07:28straight back down.

07:29I just wondered

07:30what you thought

07:31that said about

07:32the Premier League

07:32if anything.

07:34I mean,

07:35the level,

07:36the difficulty

07:37of staying in this league

07:38and as well,

07:40but I mean,

07:41whatever happens,

07:42the way those three teams

07:43have performed

07:44and have created

07:46a lot of issues

07:46to any of the other teams

07:48tells you the level

07:50and the steps

07:51that everybody has to take

07:52because next season

07:53will be harder

07:54for sure.

07:55Part of it,

07:56Gary Neville was talking

07:56about this

07:57and talking about

07:57how part of it

07:58is these teams

07:59want to play out

07:59from the back

08:00and want to kind of

08:00imitate the Pep Guardiola

08:02style

08:03as if Guardiola's

08:04impact on the league

08:06as a whole

08:06and has a kind of

08:07negative side

08:08as well as a positive.

08:09I just wonder

08:10what you thought

08:10about that?

08:11Nothing.

08:12I haven't reflected

08:13on that.

08:13Okay, Simon,

08:15stand up.

08:16Can I just check

08:17with Jorginho

08:18that it's the rib issue

08:19that you had?

08:20Yeah.

08:20And with Ricky,

08:21are you more hopeful

08:23he might be back

08:23to that PSG?

08:25If everything goes well,

08:27I think so.

08:28Maybe a little bit earlier.

08:29So let's see.

08:30He's on the pitch already.

08:31He's doing quite a lot

08:32of his stuff

08:32and we just need

08:34to make the right steps

08:35now to make sure

08:36that when he's back

08:37he's in a good place

08:40to perform.

08:41I just asked you

08:41about Andrea

08:42coming in.

08:43Obviously,

08:43when we spoke to you

08:44before,

08:45you were very clear

08:46on what you wanted

08:47to do this summer.

08:48I just wonder,

08:49has he coming in

08:50sort of changed plans

08:51at all?

08:52I'm sure he's got ideas

08:53about different players.

08:54What's his impact

08:54being on what you want

08:55to do this summer?

08:56Has it changed much

08:56with Andrea?

08:57Yeah, those things

08:58already were discussed

08:59with him.

09:00But yes,

09:01I hope that he has

09:02many more ideas,

09:04plans,

09:05surprises,

09:06positive ones

09:07and use as well

09:08his experience,

09:09his creativity,

09:10his intuition

09:11as well

09:12to help us

09:13make the right calls.

09:14Is that a benefit

09:15sometimes getting

09:16a fresh voice

09:17and a different outlook

09:18on the market

09:18for what you may have

09:19in general?

09:20Yeah,

09:20I think it's an opportunity

09:21somebody else comes in

09:22with different ideas,

09:24different methods,

09:25different ways of working

09:27and other priorities

09:28as well

09:29in the way

09:29that they work

09:30and I think

09:31this makes us better.

09:32semi-finals?

09:44I think that's too close

09:47but if I have to bet

09:49on him earlier

09:51than expected

09:52I would say yes.

09:53The way he works

09:53every day

09:54is in that gym

09:55pushing everybody.

09:56I don't think

09:57you can hold in

09:57much longer.

10:02clap back

10:03on the map

10:04but personally

10:05for you

10:05does it feel

10:06like it's elevating

10:07your home profile

10:08that you're now

10:08on the top

10:09managers in Europe?

10:12I think it was a night

10:13for the club

10:14that it was great

10:15and that's it

10:16and the best ones

10:17are still ahead

10:19and to come

10:19and we all

10:21have a big ambition

10:23and big objectives

10:24and we are

10:26in the right direction

10:27but the next step

10:28I'm going to be tough

10:29and we're going to have

10:30to be at our best.

10:31Okay guys,

10:32that's finished.

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