Here is every word Mikel Arteta just said after Arsenal's hard-fought 1-0 Premier League win on the road at Nottingham Forest
Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta was delighted Arsenal were able to dig out a victory after scoring from their only shot on target
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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta showered Noni Madueke in praise after the substitute came off the bench to fire the Gunners to victory at Nottingham Forest.
The win was the third straight Premier League triumph that had come courtesy of a goal from one of Arteta's so-called "finishers."
Ezri Konsa and Gabriel Magalhaes were also in top form at the back and Arteta was delighted with his centre-back pairing as the two defenders relished the physical battle at the City Ground.
Here is every word the Spaniard said as the champions made it three wins from three.
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Could you just tell us a bit more about Noni, as a person?
"Do we have time or not? Noni. Look at me. There's a smile on my face because he's a special character. It's someone who very much loves in and around the dressing room, the way he connects, talks to people. He's just a special guy. I think I saw an interview where they were asking a few of our players who would you call if you have a problem? And some of them said Noni, which I was surprised by. I think it's a massive credit and explain the kind of person that he is. He's in a good moment. I think after the break he's showing something else, another level of anger, another level of conviction as well in his actions and he's becoming now decisive in matches, which is what we expect from a player like him.
Do you think it's a genuine option to push the play more on that left side?
"Yes. He's a player that doesn't really mind left or right. He's played many more minutes on the right side but at the moment the team needs him there as well and he's doing really well."
Noni Madueke
Noni Madueke hit the winner for Arsenal from the bench
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Great to get goals from finishers but any concern you're lacking rhythm in terms of getting those goals earlier?
"Yes, but there have been other games as well where we have to score in the first half. I think we played 11 competitive matches and we won 10. So we're going to get a variety of ways to win in many different contexts. We knew today we wouldn't score in the first 20-30 minutes.
"We were going to face a different forest because they're extremely well-covered. They put a Christmas tree [3-4-1-2] there. There's no space to play. You have to be so neat and tidy. You have to otherwise generate a lot of chaos in the box, whether it's in open play or with set pieces.
"We did it a couple of times and created two big chances. We didn't even hit the target, which is the difference. And the longer the game goes, we say, 'OK, now we have to play a different game because the moment we start to ramp up our level of frustration, the game is going to be really dangerous for us because we're going to take more risks than we should'.
"But the players that are especially occupying certain spaces to control those transitions are going to be instrumental because at the end I had the belief that the moment the physical level was going to drop, the spaces would be a little bit bigger, the timing more, I would be more efficient there. And the finishing delivered because the game changed and the context of that game changed a little bit. And then we have to suffer because we had two or three actions that were a bit strange to witness, but they required incredible individual actions not to consider at all."
On Noni, he looked embarrassed to join in the celebrations but Dec pushed him forward, did he get the love in the dressing room?
"He got the love because he got some stick in the dressing room with something that we did a few days ago and I'm so happy that he did it so he could give the stick back to the boys. But it shows how much I like him as well and I think it was a gesture for him."
Gabriel and Konsa were monstrous, was that win possible without them?
"No, because obviously they have a lot of quality. They have so much physicality. To constantly deal with that kind of ball, we predicted 50 balls in the air and I don't know how many we had but it would be really close to that. It's not only that, it's what happens after that ball as well and the consequences to that. And to be on it constantly because every action is at the limit is very, very tough.
"And when you think that's done, then Chris Wood comes in, Callum Hudson-Odoi comes in and then you start to have a different problem and now you are man-to-man with the two centre-backs which is a different element of risk. But that's the Premier League, that's the quality of it and that's the best league in the world."
Gabriel Magalhaes
Gabriel Magalhaes was immense for Arsenal
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Eze subbed off at half-time? What was your honest assessment?
"Because I wanted something else. I wanted a different kind of profile in that lefthand side and I'm here to make decisions and three days ago he played, he scored a goal, he could have scored two or three against Villa and he had some really good moments. And today was different because the game and what the game required was different and we were in time to change it and that's what happens."
What about the block from Konsa at the end?
"Unbelievable. Konsa's and Declan's, I think Gabi had another one and that showed the spirit and how much those boys really want to win. I think it's a good example."
Glasner complimentary of your mindset in midweek, grinding out the results are the mark of champions?
"Yeah, but I think it depends on the game that the opposition as well wants to play and today was a really different one to Lille and it will be extremely different to the one that we're going to play in three days' time in Munich. We're going to be 96 minutes, full gas, man-to-man, everything and let's go. But that's why you need to adapt to it, learn from it and try to get better because the margins are bigger."
Arsenal's defence was excellent
Arsenal ground out another clean sheet
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Unusual season because of Man City case, focus has been on yourselves, are you pleased with way team responded to Brighton defeat?
"100 per cent because now it's three wins after that defeat. As I said, 11 games, 10 wins after inheriting all the 18 players coming from the World Cup. I think we're in a good place. We can always improve and we should improve and that's the ambition that we want to be, to be the best version of ourselves and enjoy it a little bit because on Wednesday another big one is coming up and then on Saturday."
Beaten Forest, Sunderland and Villa, didn't win there last season. What does it say about your team?
"That it shows even that we were champions how difficult it is and that's the reality and to expect another different kind of game I think it's not the reality of the league and certainly we don't think that way. We win this way and almost every game every team is winning in that manner and I think the level is going up again and we'll have more and more surprises."
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