Mikel Arteta has hailed his substitutes following Arsenal’s 2-0 win against Athletic Bilbao at the San Mamés.
The Gunners took the lead through substitute Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, helping the team kickstart their Champions League campaign with three points and a clean sheet.
Substitutes making the difference
Speaking after the match, Arteta highlighted the importance of players coming off the bench and how decisive they can be throughout the season.
He said: “The finishers made an impact to win the game. The finishers are going to be more important this season, sometimes than the starters. The quality of those minutes is going to dictate the quality of our season, for sure.
“I have to make decisions, and I have to make decisions based on increasing the probability of winning football matches, and they know that’s the only reason why I make certain decisions. Sometimes right, and sometimes they are wrong.”
On Gabriel Martinelli
Arteta was also asked about Gabriel Martinelli, who came off the bench to score and set up another. The Arsenal manager admitted it was not easy to leave players out but praised the winger’s mentality and response.
Asked about Martinelli, he added: “I know how much these players want to play this competition and what it means to them, and every time you name the line-up, you are disappointing a lot of players.
“They know how I feel about them, so they know that when I have to leave a player on the bench or out of the squad, it hurts me.
“But to have that experience, I looked on the bench, I looked at him [Martinelli], and in his eyes I could see that he was ready, Leo as well.
Arteta further highlighted the Brazilian’s mentality, stressing that Martinelli is always eager to learn and prove himself.
“I was sure that he [Martinelli] was going to react like that. He has such a mentality. He’s a player that is constantly willing to learn and he proved himself. He is very demanding with himself.
“And that’s the moment that hopefully is going to give him the confidence again to go, because he’s an outstanding player, and I am so happy he decided the game with his two actions.”
Arsenal will now switch their attention to the Premier League campaign when they take on Manchester City next at the Emirates.