Following Arsenal‘s recent defeat to West Ham United, focus has shifted towards the upcoming match against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
In a detailed press conference, Mikel Arteta touched on various aspects, including player form, the recent match result, and the team’s performance.
Arteta began by addressing concerns about the team’s momentum after the West Ham result. He said, “It’s no panic, it’s about trying to do more, do better and win games. If the team plays like this, they are going to win lots of games.”
When questioned about Arsenal’s capability to win the title, particularly in the context of their performance against West Ham, Arteta was clear. “If we don’t improve in the boxes, then no. Because at the end that’s what it is, but generating the rest, yeah you say it’s a record [for touches in the box], no? So I don’t think there are many teams in the league that have done that for many years, so that’s something very positive I think.”
Concerning the potential pressure on young players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, Arteta expressed confidence in their capabilities. “I don’t know, obviously there are a lot of games, but they looked really good, they looked fresh and when you win you don’t look at that. They are young – if they were 35 then maybe it’s a different question. They have a lot of energy, they can keep going, that’s for sure.”
Regarding the necessity for the team to rediscover its ‘spark’, Arteta emphasised the positive aspects of the team’s recent performances. “Without a spark you don’t generate what the team generates [against West Ham], it’s impossible. But it’s the final thing, the final touch, the final action that puts the ball in the net or not, and that’s what we need.”
Arteta also commented on the influence of Arsenal supporters’ expectations on the players. His words reflect an appreciation for the fans’ support while recognising the mutual desire for success. “I don’t know – we want to win, they want to win with us and they are pushing the team to do that. There is nothing we can demand from the crowd, they have been exceptional for us, and the only thing we can do is give them more and get a lot more back.”
On the topic of supporter expectations, Arteta noted, “For sure, they want to win and they know the margins are really small. They want to see the team winning and this is what we have to do.”
Arteta also addressed concerns about the team potentially dropping to fourth in the league. His focus here is on controlling what can be influenced directly by the team’s performances, rather than on external factors. “We can be second as well, and winning we can be first so we have to do what we can control. There’s no time to look at other teams, you see how difficult it is for other teams yesterday and today and it’s going to continue to be like that because the level of the league is incredible.”