Arteta sends clear message before Arsenal face Sporting
Arteta sends clear message before Arsenal face SportingMikel Arteta struck a defiant tone in Lisbon on Monday night, insisting Arsenal are hungrier than ever for their Champions League quarter-final against Sporting CP despite the disappointment of Saturdays defeat.Photo by James Fearn/Getty ImagesShortly after arriving in the Portuguese capital, the Arsenal manager faced the media before the first leg and made clear that the response to the weekend setback had already been addressed internally. Have some perspective, how difficult it is, what weve done up to now, he said.And then feel that pain, feel that emotion, and use it to be better and to improve.So we were very clear in what happened, the reason why it happened, watching the game two times, we didnt deserve to lose that match, but this is football and we get punished for things that are related to our identity, and thats the things that we need to defend in the strongest possible way, because thats the reason that we are where we are today.Photo by James Fearn/Getty ImagesArteta said the result had done nothing to diminish the importance of Tuesdays game. I think it doesnt change it, I mean, regardless this is the quarter-finals of the Champions League, it doesnt get much better than that, and we worked so hard throughout the season to be in this position in the competition.Were going to play an opponent here that we know about, their record and what theyve done. So we are hungrier than ever, very excited and very, very motivated for tomorrows game.There was positive news on the fitness front, with Gabriel, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard all available. Asked directly about the trio, Arteta replied: Yes [they are available].There was less certainty around Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber. No, theyre having trouble, theyre not ready yet. Lets see, hopefully theyre going to be ready for the weekend, if everything goes well, and thats a massive boost because in recent days weve lost so many important players and thats something that we need to change immediately.Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty ImagesThe manager also pointed to the mood within the squad after the weekend defeat, saying he had seen the right reaction from his players. A lot of things. The way they communicate, the way they express their feelings, the conversation that obviously we had after that match.I know what it means to them and I know how much they want it and its now the moment to show it and we have to do it on that green tomorrow at the highest level.On the scrutiny that comes with setbacks at a club of Arsenals stature, Arteta was blunt. Thats in football, from the first game of the season, thats going to be questioned: What about Arsenal this season? Its been like this for the last nine months and thats going to continue, thats never going to change when you play at this level for this club.Theres always going to be a question mark and thats it. You have to live the present, you have to deliver it every day. You cannot pick the games, you cannot pick the moments or the actions. Its every action, every game, every moment. Thats the standard that we set and thats part of identity and its part of this football club.Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty ImagesThere was also discussion around Viktor Gyokeres, who returns to face his former club in one of the biggest games of his career. Arteta said: I think hes very excited. Obviously, hes full of gratitude for his time here.The way he talks about the club, the players, the staff, everybody around the club. The experience that he had, how important that part of his journey in Sporting has been. And now its Arsenal, its a quarter-final of the Champions League, hes never played at this level in the competition and obviously you can imagine what it means to him.After Gyokeres scored for Sweden, Arteta suggested the striker would arrive in Portugal carrying even more belief. Those are experiences that you put in your veins, I would say. It doesnt get much better than putting your country into a World Cup with a goal that you scored.Thats still there and thats going to be there for the rest of his career, like all the moments that he had here, the moments that hes creating for us. Thats the story that hes creating and hopefully tomorrow hes going to show another very good side of him.On Sporting, Arteta acknowledged the scale of the task. Before we played them as well, when you look at what theyve done, especially at home, the way they have behaved in this Champions League, the teams that they have beaten, we know the difficulty of the match. Thats why we want it even more.Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty ImagesHe also pointed to the balance between returning experience and fresh faces in the squad. I think its a very good mixture because we had a really good campaign last year in the Champions League and we came into this position when we played Real Madrid as well and we managed to get into the semi-final.So that experience, those feelings are there. Tomorrow is going to be a very different game. We know the difficulty of that, but obviously we know what is at stake and what we have to do.Arteta dismissed any suggestion that emotion might become an issue. No. I think when you have the opportunity that we have, that has to be taken through excitement, through preparing yourself in the best possible way to focus on the present and the things that we have to do.And especially in our identity, very clear what is taking us on the way to where we are. Thats where we have to focus.Pressed on what he meant by identity, he said: Everything. Its not philosophical. There are parts and identities created by behaviours, not with words in the world or with things that I want to achieve. We have so many facts in the areas that, in our opinion, make us the team and the club that we are.He was equally clear on avoiding panic after two defeats. I think what we have to be is clear. Instead of panic, understand if that happens, why it happened and bring clarity and when you analyse that and you accept that, be better. Thats it. And thats the thing that we have to do.Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty ImagesThe manager also reflected on his own role in the response. First of all, analysing what Ive done, the decisions that Ive made, the reason why we lost, what I would have done differently if I had to play that game again or make that selection again or send them certain messages.Thats the first thing. And then understand what the players need in this moment and what kind of manager or what kind of message is the best one to perform and to be better the next day. And thats my only focus about me. Its about them and trying to help. Thats my job and Im focused on that.He suggested there had already been important internal conversations. There are a few things that we have discussed internally and hopefully not hopefully, Im very convinced that tomorrow were going to see them.Asked about the days training session, Arteta said: I think a training session has to have different elements and it has to be related to the messages that we send and the compromises and commitments that weve done between us.I try to have all those messages and commitments as much as possible in as many situations as possible and training was one of them. When asked to expand, he added: That stays in the dressing room.Photo by James Fearn/Getty ImagesArteta also revealed that Gyokeres had been monitored by the club for some time. Well, hes been on our radar for years but the most recent moment when we really looked at it as one of the top targets was around December of last year, when we started to really think about, especially with the issue that we have with Kai, what we have to do in our front line and he became one of the main candidates and then the main candidate to be part of our club.As for whether the forward had matched expectations in his first season, the manager said: I think its where he is and how successful this season is going to be for us and when we analyse his season, its going to be defined in the last seven or eight weeks of the season, thats clear.He also confirmed he had spoken to the striker about Sporting in preparation for the tie. Of course I did, just to understand the dynamics, the culture here, the things that they have talked about, the things that they have obviously discussed when they play against us.And to have more information about them that we can use in our favour. A lot of qualities, obviously what theyre doing is remarkable. The record that they have at home is just incredible. So you need to be very good to maintain that level of performance and consistency.Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty ImagesOn the opposition more broadly, Arteta said their current level made them a serious test. Every moment of a team is different, obviously theyre in a high moment, especially the way they got into the quarter-finals and the game they played, for example, here against Paris or the recent form in the league.Thats it, at the moment the whistle goes, its a game, its a game thats going to have different kind of moments and its how were going to master those moments to take the game where we want and win it.He also had warm words for Rui Borges. Every coach has his own thing. I think hes connected with the team and the club in a really powerful way and doing a great job.And when asked about Sportings tactical flexibility, Arteta made clear the threat begins well before the final ball. Well, a lot because thats the reason why they are there.They have a lot of quality, as you say, a lot of variability within the spaces that a lot of players can occupy in the attacking phase and then they can unbalance the game because they have individual quality and you havent mentioned some others as well that they have the capacity to do that.Obviously, the phase of play when those players get in those positions starts earlier normally. So the problem starts earlier than sometimes in this moment its too late to give the solution. Thats what were trying to do.
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