Will either Gabriel or Calafiori be available?
There is a possibility with one of them to be available. He trained today. We will see tomorrow.
Is that Gabriel?
It’s Gabriel.
How cautious are you having to be with Calafiori?
We’re just respecting the times that the medical department has set. Then we monitor his evolution every single day. We understand he’s not fully ready yet, but he’s getting very close now.
Anyone else ruled out?
No, apart from the ones who are already out.
So Zinchenko?
Exactly.
What’s Lewis-Skelly like and does he deserve another start tomorrow?
Well he certainly deserves to be in contention to be selected because he performed and competed really well. At his age to show that maturity and personality is strange. Off the pitch is the same. He’s a person that continuously surprises all the staff with the kind of questions that he’s capable of asking. That tells you that Myles is a really bright boy.
How impressive was it to see him flourish in that environment?
You always take a chance. It doesn’t matter the experience or age. He was surrounded by very senior players, very experienced players. We believed it was the right context where he could help the team to win the game and he certainly did that.
We got to see the midfield three of Merino-Rice-Odegaard for the first time on Wednesday. What did you make of it?
There’ve been a lot of new units recently. That was one. It was one that we have planned and discussed. I think they can play well together. They did a really good job. They will play again together for sure in the near future. I think they compliment each other really well.
How?
Three very intelligent football brains. They like to play for others. Then you have a lot. You have players who can hold the ball in tight spaces, they can run with the ball, they have threat in the box, they have ability in tight spaces. A lot of the things that you want. And the defensive part as well.
There are two players who are more holding midfielders and Martin is exceptional in his timing and aggression the high press. So very good.
What do you make of Nicolas Jover's mural?
I just heard that. I didn't know it. So happy. He fully deserves it. The same as many other staff and coaches.
It’s great that the attention is not just on the players or sometimes the manager, but that our supporters can think that way and someone can be so creative. It makes people feel valued and recognised.
Does he like it?
He would say no, but he will love it.
There are going to be tributes to Kevin Campbell at the weekend. Do you understand how special he was here?
I do. You can tell the way people talk about him and the tone and face they have when they talk about him. The club has done very well to make that day feel very special for all the people who got the chance to know him and recognise who he was especially as a person. It will be a special day.
Is Saka now getting enough credit for what he is doing in the CL?
We have to be in the competition and the players have to step up to that level. It is remarkable what he is doing consistently, every three days, in different competitions. He is really good and he will continue to do that.
What have you learnt from Everton?
The human quality and how deep is the feeling towards the club. The club has been through different stages and recently it has been tough but I love the way they are all together and they go through their storms and the way they face it is a great example with all the instability around the club so hopefully they can find a path now with new stadium, new ownership and keep going and hopefully start a more enjoyable time.
Is Everton's extra rest a factor?
That is the context. We are used to playing every three days, the boys trained today and they are really fired up and really looking forward to the game and understanding it is a tough opponent and that we will have to be at our best to beat them.
Is Saka world-class?
I don’t know. I don't like putting labels to players. He is exceptional, exceptional at what he does, he is doing it very consistently and now we need to go to the next level and win things collectively to get to that level.
How do you keep perspective?
First of all, understanding and being grateful of what we have daily. Health is the most important thing and I have three kids, a wife, and family and the only thing I ask for and pray for is for everyone to be healthy without that we have nothing else. Then we have to make sure we enjoy it because there will be moments where the world is going to crash and we are going to have go to through that.
Everton takeover, more stable and more the club you played for?
Whatever happens, they are there and that is not easy and that makes them really special. Hopefully that will help them and give them stability and the new stadium is unbelievable, too, so there is a lot to be excited about.
A lot of focus on Saka, but Martinelli and Trossard, threat from both sides?
We certainly have that but it is never going to be the same because we have different qualities and we understand that we have many threats on the left side, and over the years we have done it and if not, we wouldn’t have scored the amount of goals in the last two seasons. I am really pleased with that, different is good, it doesn’t have to be symmetric. We continue to go and to improve.
Is Merino unlocking the left-hand side?
We have had instability there in recent years so finding that stability, the relationship, time together and players they can connect with each other and finding that chemistry is very important. And it is true that we have never had that consistency there, especially because of availability on the left and on the right.
Do you show Saka him other forwards?
Yes, we always set targets but understanding how we are going to reach those targets. The idea to score 30 or 40 goals is fine but how are we going to do it and how are we going to create a plan to try to develop the player and give him the best possible chance to make sure he is able to do that.
Dinner post-Everton on final day. Tell us more…
It was mixed emotions. Very sad because we had the hope we could do it the last day of the season. It has happened many times in this league but we weren’t able to do it.
At the same time pride, fire in the belly and motivation to understand that we are there, we are good enough to do it and that we have to push it again because we really want it.
Did it come from the players?
Yes.
Which players?
I don’t like to say but a few players came over straight away with that talk.
Messi and Ronaldo moved inside the pitch. Do you envisage that [Saka] will move into a central position too?
Yeah. I think that it will depend on the qualities of the players around him. For somebody to be inside rather than outside, somebody has to be outside.
That player, the full-back, the attacking midfield and the NO.9 has to allow the space to do that. But I’m certainly very open to keep evolving players.
Sometimes it is a role, sometimes it a position on the pitch and sometimes it is other things. He spends more time in this position because when the ball is far away on the opposite side it isn’t our choice where we want him. But we are certainly thinking about these things.
Jorginho said you don’t tell the players to hold the width, they just do it themselves. Are you leaving up to Bukayo to figure out the game for himself?
When the understanding of the game and the spaces and the timing of how they move in relation to each other is strong I think the freedom has to increase because the decision-making is going to improve as they understand it better, That will create uncertainty for the opposition and at the moment they are at that stage they have much more freedom than in the past.
Martinelli moving into a No.9 long-term?
He has played there a few times but Gabi is so good with the line on his back and is facing forward and has the ball from the diagonal. I haven’t thought too much about that. He is so comfortable on the left side that I think I see other evolutions than this one.
Confident no sporting director won’t be a problem in Jan?
We have one. Jason Ayto is our interim sporting director. He has got the full capacity and support of the football club right now. He is doing really well with his team.
The process is open, as you know. The club with the support of all of us will decide who is the best person to move us forward.
Any progress?
Yes, I am sure there is progress.
Expect January to be busy?
I never expect January to be super busy but we have to wait and see where we are. Some surprises can come. We are prepared for that. Some opportunities too. We have to see. Hopefully the availability of the squad will be better in a few weeks. We have to wait and see.
Do you think there’s a clearer pathway to the first team for academy kids now?
In terms of the intention and what we want it’s clear. First of all we want to look to the academy, then we have to understand if what we need is actually there at the moment because sometimes the age groups for the academy it doesn’t actually work. Now we have to create the space in the squad for those kids to have the right amount of time and the room that they deserve in the squad.
Do you think the sporting director will be resolved before the summer?
Timing wise it’s hard to understand. I’m not running the process so it’s more for the club to respond.
Would you like to see it sorted by then?
Yeah but when we are convinced that we have the right the person who can work the right team who do great work at the moment. Someone who is going to take us to the next level. We might have him internally.
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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