How were your 40 th birthday celebrations?
Very good. It’s a big number. I had the chance to spend some time with everybody here at the club, my friends, my family so it was good.
What were you most pleased about with the behind closed doors friendly against Brentford B?
The fact that we could get minutes and exposure to some of the players that haven’t had the possibility to do that in recent weeks. Get the level and get the competition there. Playing between us is not the same and we had the opportunity to do that yesterday and it was good.
What did you learn from the reverse fixture against Palace?
We scored right at the end. It was a really tough match, we struggled for some periods, we conceded two very poor goals in that game with simple giveaways that put the game into a really difficult position. It’s a team who, especially at home, are doing really well. Patrick and the coaching staff are doing a great job and we know how it is to play in that stadium.
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Patrick Vieira was inducted into the Premier League hall of fame during the international break. How deserved is that?
A huge achievement. You have to be very special to be nominated to be there and I think Patrick deserves it for what he brought to the English game and for what he did to Arsenal.
What will your message be to the players now they’re back from the international break?
I will have them all today so just try to refocus them. When they go on international dutu they’re asked to do different things and have different roles, with different kinds of pressures. For some of them, it was their first international so emotionally it’s very draining. So now we have to make sure that everybody is fine and look forward to the challenge that we have ahead.
What’s the fitness situation of Saka and Ramsdale?
Bukayo is feeling good. He’s training today hopefully if he’s still feeling as he was yesterday. Aaron, it’s a doubt. He’s still feeling not great, he hasn’t trained yet so we don’t know what he’ll be able to do on Monday.
How is Ramsdale?
He wanted to play against Villa but it was a significant injury and he had to take his time and the physios are doing everything they can. We will see more in the next few days when he starts to do real training.
What do you make of the international break for your players?
The majority had really good experiences, some really good performances, and they scored some important goals as well. Really sad for Mo Elneny because it’s the second time that something which means a lot to him emotionally happened. I’m sure the team will be ready to help him.
The Premier League are going to bring five subs in next season. What do you make of that?
I’m glad that in the end, we have unified the criteria with the whole of Europe. It’s now how we do it and how we manage it. There will be some changes because that gives you different opportunities and tactically the chance to make some changes. I think the most important thing is that you manage the load of the players much better. Make sure we don’t slow the game down too much and I think it’s good. It gives the players opportunities to be on the pitch which is what they want to do.
What tactical options does it give you?
The options you are given to change the game, to refresh the game, to change in many different positions which is something you are always restricted to do, and probably the timing of the subs because when you have three the last sub is always in the back of your mind and if you make it too early you can pay the consequences. So that gives you more flexibility.
Is Tomiyasu back yet?
I think he will be close. He’s been training more and more. He has the boys back now so he will be joining some sessions this week so let’s see how he is.
Why has that injury taken so long?
Because he had a recurring injury but in the other calf which was strange and difficult to predict. He’s been through a lot in the last two years with the number of games he’s played and all the COVID, the transition to a different league where the intensity is completely different. Hopefully, we can find the rights reasons so we don’t go through that situation again because especially for him it’s been tough.
What’s the secret behind your record of not conceding from corners this season?
Everything you do in attack and defence is about the whole team. Every individual has a role, every unit has a role and the team has to be with the right level of focus, understanding and aggression to try to avoid it.
There must be some extra coaching going on?
Yeah, every phase of the game we try to train it, to focus on it and practice it to the highest level. Set pieces are key in modern football.
A lot was made of Arsenal’s celebrations after the Villa game. What is your response to that?
I don’t tell the players to celebrate or not, I think it comes from them and it’s great. When I see them hugging each other, touching each other, enjoying each other, celebrating with the fans who have made a long trip to be with us at a 12:30 kick-off and show their gratitude for the support, for me it’s great.
That’s what it’s about isn’t it?
Absolutely. For me, the best moments as a football player is the atmosphere after winning a match with your teammates. They have to celebrate when they win of course.
What’s the latest on Bukayo Saka’s contract?
We are extremely happy with Bukayo, the way he’s playing, what he’s bringing to the club, what he’s bringing to the team. We are never going to share any conversations relating to private contracts, but we are really happy with him.
Is it an advantage to play after everyone else on Monday in terms of top-four race?
We’re going to focus on what we can do. That’s the only thing we can control. Through the TV we can suffer and we can enjoy and there’s not much else we can do. What we have to do is win the football matches that we need to achieve what we want and that’s all in our hands.
Would you rather the game with Spurs is played sooner or at the end of the season?
I don’t think we’ll have a choice. So whenever the Premier League decides to do that it will be their right and they will determine when we play.
Flo Balogun scored twice for the England u-21s, are you keeping a close eye on him?
I think Flo is doing what he’s needing to do. Probably we should have done it earlier. It’s always difficult to time when is the best moment to do that, but he’s having the right exposure. He’s playing a different formation under a manager and a club with a huge history. You can see how he’s developing. This is giving us more information and detail about what the best move for him is to keep developing because he has and we want him to be part of our future.
How much more is he learning in men’s football rather than under-23s?
The step is too big from what he is doing to the Premier League. You could see that. It’s not fair to him just to assess in certain moments if he can do that or not. He needed that pathway and exposure, he needs to go through good and difficult moments, he needs to be able to adapt and find himself in a dressing room and develop the importance that is required to play at this level. I think he’s doing all of that really well.
Harry Maguire was booed by England fans and similar things have happened at Arsenal. Should supporters always be behind the team or do you think it’s acceptable to show their displeasure?
Obviously, they have the freedom to express what they want but if you ask anybody related to football about how you’re going to get the best out of a player, it’s totally against any odds that a player is going to improve if they get booed. That’s I think something we’d all agree on. So if you want the best for your team or the national team, that not going to help the player individually which is not going to help the team collectively.
The World Cup draw is tomorrow. Is your eye more on Spain or England?
I’m Spanish you know that! But obviously the gratitude and the feelings I have towards England is very close so I’m always cheering the England team. And as well because we have a lot of players there.
Were you pleased Saka got to have a break after he tested positive for COVID over the international break?
I don’t know how much he would have played. Sometimes when a player is in a good moment you don’t want to stop it. It’s what it is, he had COVID, we had to take him out of the international team. He had some time to rest and recover and he will train over the next few games to hopefully again hit the form that he was on.
Steven Gerrard said Bukayo needs to get used to getting fouled after he asked for protection from referees. Do you think that’s fair?
I think Bukayo said that he’s not going to complain and he wanted some consistency in the refereeing and that’s all. The only person that can protect the player is the referee because he guides the level of the game, the level of the physicality that is allowed or not allowed in a football match. I think we have to protect our best players and that’s in the hands of the referees.
Ben White played for England and said the togetherness of the squad there is like it is at Arsenal. How important is that?
For me it’s crucial because it’s the platform and the cement that you can build from. Then obviously you need the quality, you need the players, you need the standing, and then the supporters and people in the club to be on board with what you’re doing, to support it to encourage it. This is what we’re trying to do. I’m glad Ben is enjoying the national team as much as he’s enjoying it here.
There were rumours that Santi Cazorla could be set to return to Arsenal as a coach. Is that true?
I haven’t discussed anything like that with Santi. But of course, if you ask anyone at this football club or any of the supporters they will probably still have a smile on their face. He’s still playing so I don’t know what he wants to do, but I’m sure it will be related to football because I know him well.
Have you spoken to him recently?
Only on text. I spoke with him on my birthday but we didn’t discuss that at all.
William Saliba made his senior debut for France over the international break. Have you spoken to him since then?
Not since his debut but we are really pleased with what he’s doing and how he’s developing. He’s our player and we are really happy with the decision that we made because again the exposure and the minutes, and the responsibility of his growth at his age is something that we could not guarantee this season. It makes a lot of sense what is happening with him and we are glad to see that he is improving.
