Arteta on Kiwior's best position, Rice at centre-back, music in training & transfer hopes
Today at 02:47 AM
In the second part of his pre-Dinamo Zagreb press conference, Mikel Arteta addressed questions about Jakub Kiwior’s role, the possibility of using Declan Rice at centre-back, the mood in the Arsenal camp, and whether he has the financial backing of the owners to sign players this month.
Here’s what he had to say…
On using music during training sessions…
Music is very much part of our culture. We have music in a lot of different places and I think music has the capacity to change your mood, to change your energy to a certain place. And I think it happens in all of us. You play a song and immediately you feel different. And we have certain songs that trigger something in our team because they have some history as well with us.
And we use it when we believe it’s the right way to do it.
On his favourite music…
I have a lot, depending on the day. That’s what I’m saying. It’s all about my energy. And sometimes I play a song many, many times and my kids say, ‘Dad, can we stop it, please?” It’s what it is.
On whether he felt at the end of last summer that he had enough in attack…
I mean, what we couldn’t do [in the transfer market], we couldn’t do. That’s it. I look at a lot of positives and things that we have been able to do in the market. We’ve had so many [transfers] to do in the last few years and we haven’t invested, really, the things that other teams have done in the front players. But we put it in other areas that we believe were really necessary and we have to develop players to have really high standards as well. So every case is different and I’m very happy with what we have.
On the mood of his players after the Villa frustration…
They were really at it the next day. I mean, it’s our job. I don’t want them to feel unlucky or deserve much more, all those things. We have to control what we can control. Is there anything we could have done better in the game to win by a big margin? Yes, let’s focus on that. The other things, we were very unlucky. I think we were very unlucky.
On whether the 2-2 draw with Villa reflected the performance…
No, it didn’t. It’s clear, obvious, watching it two times. It’s what it is. It was in our hands to change it and that’s it and move forward.
On the importance of using the Champions League to evolve the team…
Well, I already saw a big one from last year and the way we performed against certain oppositions, especially away from home. We played some big games at home this season as well and were very dominant, something that in the past we haven’t been able to do. So we need to keep going and now we need to capitalise on what we’ve done for many months in the competition and earn the right to be with the top teams in the manner that we want to be. Let’s see where we are when we go to the next stage, if we deserve to be there.
On Jakub Kiwior’s role in the side and what’s going on with him…
The ideal position for Jakub is left-central defender, that’s key. And as well with the amount of changes that we have to do in the front area, the attacking midfielder area, full-back area, he hasn’t found the consistency that he had for that period of time [this time last year]. But he will play games and he’s played games and I’m very happy with him because he’s a player that, the way he looks after everybody, the way he trains and when you need him, he’s always there. There’s very few in the squad that are like this, so I really value having Jakub in the squad.
On whether he envisages adding Max Dowman to a Premier League matchday squad this season…
I don’t know if we can even do that. I think he’s not allowed to do that yet because of the rules again. But I don’t know. It will happen naturally, organically, whenever it has to happen. He’s in the environment already, which is incredible at his age, so whenever it has to happen, it will happen.
On talking to the owners in November and whether he has their support to spend in January……
Yeah, we are in constant contact, obviously. Understanding the situation, how the team is evolving. Obviously, some of the big [injury] news that we had, unfortunately, wasn’t that positive. [We talked about] how are we feeling about it, they’ve been super supportive and they continue to be so.
On whether the owners are willing to back him financially right now…
First of all, it’s backing the club and themselves, because we all want the best, so the decision that we make is not to back anybody. It’s just something that makes sense; it’s going to improve the squad and give us the ability to perform to a level and win the things that we want to do. If that’s the case and we have the resources to do it, we will try.
On whether he could use Declan Rice at centre-back again?
He’s been there, he’s been in my head, but the reality is he had to play because of certain circumstances, as six, as an 8, play one game as a 10, as well as to put him in a different position. It’s not ideal, he’s coping with it really, really well, but we know that he has the ability to do that, offering something different, obviously, to the other central defenders, but the reality is that we don’t have right-footers in those positions.
On the difficult transition from player to coach, particularly when your reputation in the game is as big as Fabio Cannavaro’s…
Yeah, I imagine [it’s hard]. I don’t know, in his case, obviously, he’s already been in different jobs for many years, but I admire his unbelievable career as a football player and as well what he’s done as a coach, in different roles, in different places. Tomorrow we will meet and it will be a good experience.
On Cannavaro’s coaching career taking him to China, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Italy and Croatia…
Plus all the ones that he had as a player, all the experiences are amazing. I think those experiences have incredible value and it really changes and moulds a person and consequently the coach. So it’s getting everything that you can and getting an environment where you can develop that idea, give you time and then have success.
On whether he wants to coach around the world like that…
At the moment, no. At the moment I’m so happy where I am!
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