Arsenal press conference LIVE – Mikel Arteta on Athletic Club, Saliba, Odegaard and team news

Arsenal press conference LIVE – Mikel Arteta on Athletic Club, Saliba, Odegaard and team news

 

Live coverage of Mikel Arteta’s press conference ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League match against Athletic Club at the San Mames Stadium

 

 

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta attends a press conference ahead of their UEFA Champions League match with Athletic Club

 

Mikel Arteta faces the media ahead of his first Champions League match of the new season. Arsenal travel to Bilbao to face Athletic Club in Arteta’s home nation of Spain and the Basque Country.

 

After the excellent victory over Nottingham Forest at the weekend, but the pain of seeing Liverpool snatch yet another late victory in the title race, the distraction of Europe may indeed be welcome. That being said, Manchester City arrive in north London at the weekend, and a tough trip to the continent is far from the best midweek interruption.

 

Arsenal have already faced the Basque side this year as they put three past them in pre-season, Martin Zubimendi combining with Viktor Gyokeres certainly the highlight. After both scored against Ange Postecoglou’s side this weekend, Arteta will hope the two new summer additions’ form will only get better.

 

The manager is expected to provide an update on the status of the players who are a concern. You can hear everything Arteta has to say on all that and much more from football.london’s Arsenal reporter, Tom Canton, in our live blog below.

 

19:00Tom Canton

 

On the Champions League

 

I sense a very clear intention that they want to get better every single day. The understanding and the feeling.

 

18:59Tom Canton

 

On the emotion of last season

 

We were very unlucky in the semi-final not to get through.

 

Well it is that, the moment you get deflated. Start actions that matter to achieve that. You take a lot of learnings from that, it’s not only what we feel but the expectations that we have created that we can go all the way. We showed a very good level of consistency to reach that.

 

18:58Tom Canton

 

On winning it

 

Like the rest of the teams they have done the same and they have won it in many occasions. We know its going to be a really long journey. You have to give yourself the best chance to win the game.

 

That we are good enough that we can compete with any opposition on the day. You have to have two things go your way. You have to have a full squad available and have to put the ball in the net when the chances come your way.

 

18:56Tom Canton

 

On Saka return timeline

 

No, I think he’s still quite a lot of things to go through, very difficult to understand what week he is going to be available.

 

On the squad

 

It will depend upon the availability of the squad, we have some players out, so that has already been affected.

 

18:55Tom Canton

 

On Odegaard flying?

 

No, he’s back home.

 

18:55Tom Canton

 

On the game

 

Everyone is trying to take advantages from the perspectives of the game, you have to dominate everything in football to have the best chance to win the game.

 

18:54Tom Canton

 

On the team news

 

Gabby, Kai, Ben and Martin are still out unfortunately.

 

18:53Tom Canton

 

On the feeling

 

Well very excited to start again from scratch in a beautiful place. In a stadium that is going to generate something special.

 

18:53Tom Canton

 

Here is Arteta

 

Here we go!

 

18:52Tom Canton

 

On Unai Simon

 

Well, we played against each other in the pre-season. We haven’t talked too much about it but as a goalkeeper, there is no need to say what I think about him, he is an amazing goalkeeper, he is a guarantee here and in the national team.

 

18:51Tom Canton

 

On what has been said from the ex-Real Sociedad players

 

We know its going to be a very good atmosphere, we know that the fans are incredible and theres going to be a lot of pressure from the beginning, or even the warm-up. I am very much looking forward to playing tomorrow.

 

18:50Tom Canton

 

On playing at San Mames

 

It was one of the Spanish stadiums that I have always enjoyed playing in. What I talk about with my teammates or with Unai, or with Nico or with Merino, the people who have played in Spain know it is an incredible stadium.

 

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18:47Tom Canton

 

On Donnarumma

 

Well if you’ve seen the game yesterday thats your answer. He played the first game yesterday and its like he’s been here for many years, that tells you what type of keeper he is.

 

18:46Tom Canton

 

Raya on that pressure from the start

 

Obviously when I came to Arsenal there was a lot of noise, a lot of talk outside. Having Aaron, he’s an incredible keeper and out of nowhere he gets changed.

 

There was a few games I could have done better, everyone has bad games, the noise was getting [louder]. I have to focus on the things on the control, I have to be deaf, basically. Just believe in myself.

 

18:44Tom Canton

 

On if the team are talking about winning the league and the Champions League

 

We are, we have belief, we want to win, we are Arsenal and we play to win, that’s not a doubt. That’s what we play football for. It’s a long journey in the Champions League and the Premier League.

 

On what they learned from the PSG defeat

That it hurts, a lot losing in the semi-final. You get more mature.

 

I’ll leave that to the boss. I think he has a lot of quality players in his position, not just one player, there’s like five who can play in that position.

It’s really important to have that depth. There are a lot of talking about the players that come from the bench. Leo, comes from the bench and has an assist.

On the Spanish players and views on Bilbao

We have been discussing the people that have never been here, never heard the place. We’re looking forward to the challenge.

On Arteta saying he was “hammered” when he signed him

 

I came here to go a step further in my career. I think it was the right decision. When i came here aaron was the goalkeeper and was playing. I just try to do my best on the pitch and opff the pitch and give a reason to the boss to pick me.

We want to go higher this season, that’s what we want to do

Yeah, of course, I think it was, maybe two years I made my debut, and from there its been incredible. And having that record, with 42 clean sheets but that goes to the credit to the team to the staff.

 

18:32Tom Canton

 

David Raya should be up first

 

The Arsenal goalkeeper will be with us shortly

 

18:19Tom Canton

 

Expecting the Arsenal manager within the next 15 minutes

 

The Arsenal plane has landed, and the manager and David Raya are on the way.

 

18:14Tom Canton

 

Mikel Arteta finally admits Noni Madueke transfer truth after Arsenal backlash

 

Club football is back. From an Arsenal perspective, the international break felt like an age and, even though it is enjoyable to see so many representatives from the club in action, there is also the risk of injury.

 

Yet a three-goal victory over Nottingham Forest is certainly worth the wait for those eager to have the Gunners back in action. A match that included some eye-catching moments, individual pieces of brilliance and a stand-out man-of-the-match to shut down the critics.

 

It was interesting to hear Mikel Arteta justify elements of his selection based upon how he had seen his stars play during the break. Mikel Merino was the main highlight whose inclusion over Declan Rice certainly raised eyebrows an hour before kick-off.

 

Read the full story here.

 



 

Noni Madueke proved his critics wrong again after great Arsenal performance against Nottingham Forest (Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

 

17:46Tom Canton

 

Viktor Gyokeres and Ethan Nwaneri in agreement after Arsenal send title warning to Liverpool

 

Viktor Gyokeres and Ethan Nwaneri echoed each other’s verdict on Arsenal’s win over Nottingham Forest this weekend.

 

The Gunners claimed a 3-0 victory over Forest in the Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Gyokeres scored his fourth goal of the season in the victory, with Martin Zubimendi also adding a brace in North London.

 

Mikel Arteta’s side secured all three points in their first match after the September international break and also bounced back from their defeat to Liverpool in their previous fixture.

 

Read the full story here.

 

 

Viktor Gyokeres and Ethan Nwaneri of Arsenal

 

Viktor Gyokeres shows true colours with honest verdict

 

Viktor Gyokeres has ignored the pressure that has tagged along for the start of his career with Arsenal. His three goals in the opening four matches have helped Mikel Arteta’s side to set their stall out for yet another Premier League title charge.

 

There was such an emphasis on position during the summer transfer window, with the clamour incredibly loud for sporting director Andrea Berta to succeed in fulfilling the long-awaited dream of signing one of Europe’s top strikers. It wasn’t just any player, either – the Gunners landed the continent’s highest-scoring for the past two seasons.

 

However, his debut at Old Trafford left more questions than answers and plenty of early criticism. So much so that when he scored his second goal against Leeds United, he looked straight into the camera to celebrate with a pointed response.

 

Read the full story here.

 

 

Viktor Gyokeres scored his third goal for Arsenal this season (Image: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

 

17:08Tom Canton

 

Ben White injury blow

 

Ben White is a doubt for Arsenal’s Champions League clash against Athletic Club on Tuesday after picking up a fresh injury, football.london understands.

 

The defender has not featured for the Gunners since the opening day win against Manchester United on August 17. The 27-year-old picked up an injury in the 1-0 victory over Ruben Amorim’s side but did return to the matchday squad on Saturday against Nottingham Forest.

 

White did not train with his teammates on Monday, however, due to what is being described as a “minor issue”. It’s now unclear if the former Brighton & Hove Albion man will make the trip to Bilbao for the Champions League league phase opener on Tuesday. Jurrien Timber, who played the full match against Nottingham Forest at the weekend, is expected to continue in White’s absence at right-back.

 

Read the full sto

 

Welcome

 

Hello and welcome to coverage of Mikel Arteta’s pre-match press conference ahead of the Gunners’ clash with Athletic Club.

 

You can hear everything Arteta has to say on all that and much more with football.london’s Arsenal reporter Tom Canton is in our live blog below. Updates to follow…