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
14/01/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
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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.