Here is every word Mikel Arteta said after his Arsenal side beat Coventry City on the opening day
Mikel Arteta spoke to the press after his Arsenal side beat Coventry City in the Premier League
Mikel Arteta spoke to the press after his Arsenal side beat Coventry City in the Premier League(Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
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Mikel Arteta spoke to the press after his Arsenal side got off to a perfect start in the Premier League title race. The Spaniard was delighted with his team’s performance after three stalwarts of his squad got them all three points.
Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka all scored despite getting just their second Premier League start together since December 2024. There is a temptation to always look to new signings for goals, but here we saw what the old guard have in their locker.
But there was certainly joy to be had in what was new, Christos Tzolis. The Greek international looks like a real player, and Arteta provided some insight into what the situation is with the midfielder’s injury status after he missed the game.
Here is every word the Arsenal manager said:
Is that what you meant by attacking the Premier League and not defending the title?
Yeah, it was a lot to like the performance, it was a good result, but the manner in which we started the game, such a domination, clarity, understanding and flow in the game, it was really impressive. It was great because the start is always tricky; we played a team that had a long time to prepare as well, and they are really good at what they do, but I've been really impressed with what I saw today.
And even without a few players injured, you've got that old axis of Ben White, Martin Odegaard and Saka sort of coming together and producing goals.
Yeah, we missed them last year. We didn't have them at all. I don't think they played two or three games together. So, it was good, it was about the connection between players, what I really like, the inside unit, the outside ones as well. Kai, I think, was exceptional as well.
We had some big individual performances, and that's something that we've been demanding. At this level, I think the players have to be decisive and they were certainly decisive today.
Just going on from what was said there, I think Kai, Bukayo and Martin who all scored. It's the second start in the Premier League since December 2024, which shows you how little you’ve had them. We talk about transfers a lot, but having the players that exist available must be so key to you.
The main focus has to be to improve our players and improve the connection between them because they are really so good. When we talk about attacking input, last season we missed some of those players for a lot of months. The team still has the ability to perform and win a lot of matches, and when we have them there, that's a bonus.
Did you sense a different feeling in your group when you come here as champions compared to last year with all that stress and all that desire?
They keep asking me. They look exactly the same to me. Inside of each player, I don't know what's going on. What I did transmit is more desire and more will to improve, to be better and to earn the right to be better than anybody else, and that's what we want to do.
Don't you think they looked a bit relaxed?
I don't like it a lot. They can flow. Relaxed? No, I think they need to be with the right level of clarity. They know how to do it, they know what they have to do. They look really connected and they play with a lot of purpose, which I really like.
Christos Tzolis seems to make such an impact today. Fans are already comparing him to Alexis Sanchez. Can you see the comparison at all?
Well, I love that a player that has been with us just for a few weeks gets this kind of energy every time he's on the ball. I think he's earned it. I think the way he has performed in the last few games has been phenomenal.
What he transmits as a player is so direct, so incisive, constantly. He wants to make things happen and he has an incredible variety of actions in the last 30 metres. I think it's up to him to make the right decisions. Even the spaces are sometimes really, really small. I'm very happy with him.
Last season the fans at times had nervous energy in the stadium, but tonight you've worked hard on unlocking that. Did you feel a different type of energy in the stadium tonight?
Let's see when we are 0-0 and when we are maybe losing a game, see how we react. Today was the start of the game, and the two goals were obviously a good platform for everybody to feel this way. But I think we all learned in the past as well that one really helps the team.
And certainly in this kind of atmosphere in the stadium it's just a joy to witness and to play football.
The only bad news this week has been Bruno Guimaraes' injury. There are some suggestions he might be out for six or seven weeks.
No, no, no. We expect that not to be weeks at all. Let's see how he evolves this week. He didn't even want to stop. He wanted to carry on. Now we start to understand the character of the player, but I don't expect that to be a big issue.
You brought in Ezri Konsa, now you've got such a strong squad. Is that quite an ominous warning to the rest of the Premier League that you've got such a strong squad now?
No, because when I look at their squads, they have such incredible squads as well. Some of them are much bigger than ours still. We just look to improve and to do what we believe is right for us.
And understand the players that we already have, the players that can give us an edge and improve us. Ezri is certainly a player because we are really, really light in the defensive line. And that was a massive risk to take.
When you see your team play like this and doing this kind of performance, do you feel that this Arsenal still needs to sign a striker, like Julian Alvarez, for example?
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As I said, I'm really happy with the squad that we have, and the main focus is to improve the players that we already have because we already have a lot of good teams.