Arteta’s press conference snippets : Extra Saturday reading/viewing

Morning, a quick Saturday round-up for you.

Mikel Arteta held his first pre-game press conference of the new season. You can read everything he had to say here, and I thought there were some interesting snippets. Asked to reflect on last season and what that looked like for him going into the new one, he talked about some of the issues we had last time out, and then said:

After that, how we have to evolve as well, the squad, the individuals, certain roles that have changed and it’s the moment to move away from that.

I think we’ve seen how players like Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres can facilitate that evolution – and Lewis’ tactics column from yesterday specifically looks at the Swedish international and how he might deal with a complaint the manager had last season. Interestingly, he raised this issue after a game at Old Trafford, so fingers crossed Gyokeres can have a positive influence in that regard on Sunday.

And after three second place finishes, how does Arteta view the challenge of the season ahead?

You keep digging, digging, digging. You have to keep digging because one day, the gold is going to be there. That’s all the time, what I’ve been taught, I’ve been educated and that’s it.

Whatever view you might have of the manager, I don’t think anyone could doubt his drive and ambition. There’s a relentlessness that he is going to have to channel this season if we’re going to win the title. If that means digging out win after win after win to hit the gold, then so be it. I hope it’s a little more comfortable than that, but my feeling is this is going to be a more competitive Premier League title race, with more than two horses. Three horses, four horses, perhaps even a juiced up mule and a pony that doesn’t quite understand where it is. And if it is that way, I feel like we have a better chance than another head to head, but that might be just me.

The other bit that caught my attention was when he was asked if he felt he had enough in the attacking midfield area, with Ethan Nwaneri, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino and potentially Kai Havertz. His reply:

I think we have great versatility, very different qualities in relation to the opposition as well. We can manipulate that and have some great cohesion within those units. So, I’m very happy with that.

That might disappoint those hankering for Eberechi Eze, but it really seems to me as if we’re making room for Nwaneri in central areas this season. I love Eze as a player, and I get that people might feel more reassured with an experienced addition here, but if he does come in, where and when does Ethan play? I’ve mentioned before that the Eze stuff went quiet after Nwaneri’s new contract was agreed, and that does tell you plenty.

If there is to be another addition, it can only surely come on the left hand side, but that is then 100% dependent on the departure of one of Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli. At the moment, there’s not much stirring there, but the final weeks of the window might see things move around a bit. As it stands though, the squad is too big, Andrea Berta’s out in the market trying to shift players like a one pound fish, but so far nobody’s biting.

If you want a bit more from Arteta, here he is with Rog from Men in Blazers who is in typically engaging form – which always feels a little at odds with Mikel himself, but he always elicits good stuff from the boss.

For some extra reading this morning, we have our big season preview post, in which Andrew Allen, Tim Stillman and myself assess the squad, the summer business, and our readiness for a title challenge (and hopefully more besides). Make a cuppa and a slice of toast, and get stuck into the 5000 words right here.

For something to listen to this morning, we have our first preview podcast of the new season over on Patreon right now. We chat about the squad, the opening game, the opposition, and lots more – and you get one of these for every game if you’re one of our Patreon members.

Finally for this morning, in yesterday’s blog I made a little joke about the questions Mikel Arteta might be asked in his press conference, saying:

One about the pressure to win something this season – probably asked by that man from Sky who will come dressed as the number 5, because it’s 5 years since we won a trophy, and he’ll sing the question to the song ‘5 years’ by David Bowie and everyone will stare at their feet to watch their toes involuntarily curl up. One reporter may even be rushed to hospital due to a cringe overdose.

How the entire press room wasn’t washed away in a tsunami of cringe after he did this, I will never know!

Right, have a good Saturday. There are some decent games to get stuck into this afternoon, and I’ll be back tomorrow with a Man Utd preview.

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