Here is every word Mikel Arteta said on Como draw, Myles Lewis-Skelly and plenty more in his post-match press conference
Mikel Arteta spoke to the media after his Arsenal side's pre-season draw with Como
Mikel Arteta spoke to the media after his Arsenal side's pre-season draw with Como (Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
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Mikel Arteta faced the media after his Arsenal side were held to a 1-1 draw by Cesc Fabregas’ Como 1907 in their final pre-season friendly of the summer.
Myles Lewis-Skelly became the star of the show, scoring and celebrating pointedly, making it clear where his head is at. Arteta gave his thoughts on the player and the recent understanding that both Chelsea and Manchester United had been approached regarding a potential transfer of the player.
He also gave his view on the transfer business done so far, and admitted he was unwilling to promise that they will get what they need to do done.
Here is every word Arteta said to the press after the clash:
A really useful exercise, and that was a shootout for the win this time.
It was a really good test. It was a bit tricky today because we play a final on Sunday, so to manage the minutes of the players and not exposing too much after playing three days ago, it wasn't easy, but we have managed to make a lot of changes, play some kids, but still perform at a really high level.
I think what we generated in the game, probably the scoreline should have been different, and that's the part that, in my opinion, we have to improve, because otherwise I think there were a lot of positives to take from the game.
A word about the goal-scorer who started all four of your pre-season games?
Sorry?
A word about the goal-scorer who started all four of your pre-season games? He seemed quite emotional in his celebration.
Who was that?
MLS.
Ah, did you say the striker or the goal-scorer?
The goal-scorer.
Ah, emotional? It's good to score a goal, you should be emotional when you score a goal.
He seemed very emotional, there was a hand gesture, a heart gesture, a tapping of the badge. You must have heard the speculation surrounding that.
It's a very emotional player, I remember when he did all the gestures on the pitch, so I'm not going to talk about any speculation. If there is a speculation about our player, it's a good sign. That means that we attract attention and they're doing a good job.
It's difficult though, isn't it, when the home-grown boys, they become very attached to the crowd, the crowd becomes attached to them.
Well, it's a natural thing to happen, we have seen that with many other players here.
Just on Myles, in terms of last season, back-ends, I think you said there was a point where you were looking at your iPad for hours, deciding your line-ups, and then you finally decided you're going to keep it the same and keep Myles in midfield. He stayed in there throughout pre-season. What have you liked about him in that position?
I think he had a really good pre-season. I think we asked him to play in a different position, because he played more as a six, because we lacked central midfielders, obviously with international duties, and I think he had a really consistent pre-season.
And on Marli almost played the whole game at centre-back. What do you like about him as a player and person, and also how do you see his exposure with the first team going this year?
First of all, the courage that he plays with, and second, how fast he learns, because sometimes at that age it takes weeks and months to develop certain things. He picks things [up] really quickly. He's a really smart boy, he really wants it. He's 16 years old, and some of the individual actions that he's done today, I think he was exceptional.
Just on Marli, do you think he's ready to really challenge for first-team minutes this season? Is it difficult to try and hold him back, I guess?
It's in and around the first team. We know that, obviously, the circumstances are what they are. That's the context that is allowing him to play more minutes. If there were other players, it would be more difficult. That doesn't mean that he wouldn't get the chance to do so. But what he's proved in the last few weeks is that he's reliable, and when we want him to play, he can do a job.
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And obviously he started previously at right-back. Maybe as exciting as that is, is that also a sign of the work he's done?
He was really good. It's a big task for the boys at that age as well to play against a really good opponent. Especially when you put Marli together with Theo, together with Ethan, together with Max in the same side. But I think with that level of difficulty, they still perform and have a good game.
On Ethan. I think that was probably the sharpest we've seen him this summer so far. What's the plan with him this season, after the loan last season? Do you see him integrating into the team? Is there a future decision to make still?
He's been really good. Probably what happened on the field, on his loan in Marseille, wasn't what was expected. There was a lot of noise and change around the club. But he looks different. He looks more mature. He's incredible at that. It's what six months can do to you. It's a different experience on board to be on your own, to go through tough times and just to witness that there's another part of football that you have to be good enough to cope with. I'm very happy with what he's done in pre-season.
Mikel, you said at the end of last season that you wanted to be ruthless this summer, both you and the club. Are you happy with where you're at, both in terms of the squad and also in terms of your transfer business so far? Do you feel there's more that you'd like to do in terms of developing this team?
Well, there is more that we want to do because every time we have an opportunity to improve the squad and bring more quality and depth to the squad, we need to do that. But we are actively trying to do so. The thing in the market, it doesn't just depend on you and we are very clear on that.
But the approach, the will and the desire of the club, that's unquestionable and we want to try to do that. But we cannot promise that we're going to do it because, as I said, it doesn't only depend on us.
Hi Mikel, with a transfer market and obviously Arsenal being such a big club coming off a title-winning season, in terms of getting them 1% players, the best players, how hard is that, especially when there's so much competition, so much wage demands and everything else attached to it? It's awkward having a will, isn't it? But how difficult is it to get them in?
But that's the demands, as you said. I think for the margins to improve, there are very few players in the market that are available to do that and bring that to the club. But again, we are actively looking to improve that and we're going to try.
And in terms of wages, it seems that for a while, in terms of the wage structure, it's quite similar across the board. Does that come into play as well, in terms of wanting to make sure there's equalness across the squad and not bringing someone in who's on way more than everyone else, for example?
I'll leave that question to Andrea. On the boards, my job is more to focus on getting the best out of the players that we have, to create that connection between them and to make every player feel important, regardless of the wages.
Bruno looked up to standard today, lovely interception early on the game. How likely is it to start on Sunday after a performance like that?
Let's see. He only had three training sessions, but he looked good. He was really pushing to play some minutes today. I think he wanted to get his debut and the feeling of playing in front of our fans immediately. And, yeah, you sense immediately, I believe, a strong connection at play that is going to make us better.
And everybody got a run around today. How happy are you with your pre-season overall?
Yeah, I think we've been able to tick a lot of boxes. Obviously, the circumstances of the World Cup and the amount of players that we had abroad have brought some constraints, but there are a lot of learnings to take and we're going to be ready for Sunday.