Reporter: “Is Rice going to be available for the game?”
Mikel Arteta: “I’ll have to be vague on that one. There’s no clarity yet if he’ll be fit for the weekend.”
Reporter: “There are reports it could be a broken toe. Can you elaborate?”
Mikel Arteta: “That’s for the doctor to answer. All I can say is he hasn’t trained yet, and it’s still unclear if he’ll be available.”
Reporter: “Martin Ødegaard came on late against Inter Milan. Can he start this game?”
Mikel Arteta: “Everyone in the squad is available to start, but we’ll see if it’s the right moment for him to make that step again.”
Reporter: “What about Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli?”
Mikel Arteta: “We’ll have to wait and see how they react. Kai had a nasty cut, which forced us to sub him, and Gabriel wasn’t feeling great before the last game. We’ll assess them tomorrow.”
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Reporter: “One point from the last three Premier League games—has that affected the mood in the squad? Have you had to lift the players?”
Mikel Arteta: “Yes, not winning affects the mood and energy. But there’s no one who wants to win more than me or the players. I met with them, and I sensed their hunger and belief. We did well in Milan, but it ultimately comes down to winning. Performance alone won’t satisfy expectations; we need goals.”
Reporter: “Back in December, you had a similar run and then went on to win eight games in a row. Have you reminded the players of that?”
Mikel Arteta: “Yes, the results might look similar, but the context is different. You need to remember why certain games were lost and why we didn’t win others. We can’t replicate what we did then, but the team now is doing ten times more right than we were in that period.”
Reporter: “Does this game against Chelsea feel like a must-win, given how close the title race is?”
Mikel Arteta: “With the points we missed recently, margins are getting smaller. While the margin still exists, the level of perfection required has increased. We’re preparing to win, and that’s our only focus.”
Reporter: “What’s your take on Chelsea’s progress under Maresca? They’re now in the top four.”
Mikel Arteta: “I’m really impressed with what he’s done. You can see the quality they have and the way he’s brought consistency. Maresca has been brave, sticking to his ideas, and it’s working well for them.”
Reporter: “They’re above Arsenal on goal difference. Does that motivate you?”
Mikel Arteta: “Every point matters, but I’m not focused on that. We’ll see how things stand at the end of the season.”
Reporter: “How do you plan to neutralize Cole Palmer, given his contributions this season?”
Mikel Arteta: “We’ll have a plan for him and for minimizing Chelsea’s strengths while exploiting their weaknesses.”
Reporter: “You mentioned that no one wants to win more than you. Have you had to reset the players’ mentality this week?”
Mikel Arteta: “No, we don’t need a reset. It’s about pushing a few things from 95% to 100%, and I won’t say exactly what that is.”
Reporter: “Apart from Man City and Liverpool, most teams have been inconsistent. Why is that?”
Mikel Arteta: “The level in the league is incredibly high, and playing every three days demands a lot. This season, I’d bet nobody will reach 100 points because the margins in games are so small. It’s a tough task, but it’s what we aim for.”
Reporter: “Do you think the gap between the top clubs and smaller clubs is shrinking?”
Mikel Arteta: “Yes, I think so.”
Reporter: “With all the injuries this season, do you think Premier League squad sizes should increase?”
Mikel Arteta: “With the schedule and intensity, it might be necessary, but it’s about the quality, not just the number of players.”
Reporter: “There’s a lot of pressure on Ødegaard to improve the attack. Can he realistically fix everything?”
Mikel Arteta: “No, it’s about collective effort and consistency. Having Ødegaard back is helpful, though—he’s been vital for us.”
Reporter: “You’ve talked about showing players clips of body language and reactions. Is that part of your approach during tough times?”
Mikel Arteta: “Yes, the last two games exposed some issues that are clear and resolvable. I show clips to help the players see and improve on those things.”
Reporter: “Ødegaard wasn’t named in the Norway squad, but there’s talk he might join them later. Any updates?”
Mikel Arteta: “We’ll see how he feels after the weekend and decide between the club and Norway.”
Reporter: “Without Ødegaard, has he still been influential around the squad?”
Mikel Arteta: “Yes, he’s been close and active with the team, though not traveling with us as much. He’s very aware of his responsibilities as captain.”
Reporter: “Do you think the standard this season is such that one or two losses aren’t as critical as before?”
Mikel Arteta: “It’s hard to say. I haven’t seen any team this season being consistently superior to others. The margins in games are smaller, and we’ll keep focusing on finding ways to win.”
Reporter: “How is the team’s togetherness given recent challenges?”
Mikel Arteta: “That’s the joy of this team—they’re still hungry, engaged, and paying attention. The togetherness is fantastic.”
Reporter: “This is your fourth away game in a row. How has the fan support been?”
Mikel Arteta: “The fans have been incredible, following us and supporting us everywhere. It’s been unfortunate that we couldn’t bring them a win recently.”
Reporter: “Last season, your away record was strong, but this season, it hasn’t been as good. Why do you think that is?”
Mikel Arteta: “The quality of opponents we’ve faced has been high, and we’ve played several away games with ten men, which has been challenging.”
Reporter: “Have you had to change the midfield setup in Ødegaard’s absence?”
Mikel Arteta: “Yes, we’ve had to adapt due to injuries, especially in the backline and midfield. It’s worked well at times, though we’re still refining things.”
Reporter: “You mentioned earlier that the team is doing many things better than last season. Can you share some examples?”
Mikel Arteta: “If you compare how we played against teams like Bayern Munich or Inter Milan in Europe last season, there’s a clear improvement. We’re doing 10 or 20 things better in terms of our performance.”
Reporter: “You subbed in Ethan Nwaneri and Alex against Newcastle and Inter. How do they change the game’s dynamic?”
Mikel Arteta: “In Newcastle, we needed more control, but it didn’t fully click. Against Inter, it worked a bit better, but it’s something we’ll continue to refine.”
