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Mikel Arteta Reveals He Didn't Talk To William Saliba For Week At Arsenal
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Mikel Arteta Reveals He Didn’t Talk To William Saliba For Week At Arsenal

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Mikel Arteta Reveals He Didn't Talk To William Saliba For Week At Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admits he snub William Saliba for a week after the young french star arrived back at Arsenal this summer.

Saliba had been sent out on loan three separate times after signing from St. Etienne in 2019,

and despite being named Ligue 1 young player of the year with Marseille last season, Mikel Arteta admits he still had some concerns that needed addressing in pre-season.

The Frenchman joined Arsenal in the summer of 2019 from Saint-Etienne for £28million.

Arteta said:

“The first question was how the player is going to reintegrate into our dynamic after being out for so long.”

“Is there some frustration there, something personal between, for example, between me and the player because he could not understand that?

“Or his environment, his expectations coming back or the amount that we paid for him, his age, is it the same to do it in France

as it is to do it in this League for Arsenal because you don’t have 21-year-old defenders at the top level in England?

“There were a lot of question marks and he went with all of them, ticking them off and giving us every reason to be confident that he was a great player for us.”

 

Read Also: Arsenal Vs Everton 4-0 Highlights (Download Video)

 

Arteta continues

“For the first week I didn’t speak to him.”

“I just wanted to see – naturally, without me really interfering in his thoughts – how he was.

Because then you can understand the real him and after that I spoke to him.

“His attitude, the way he came in and said: ‘I’m going to prove that I’m very good and I deserve to be here.’

“Without any looking back or being shy, he was doing it the right way and giving the right reasons to think that he was going to be really good for us.

“He had an immediate impact. The first two training sessions that we looked at home we went: ‘There’s huge potential here’.

“He took out every question mark that we could have with him and gave us all the reasons to play him.

And I think he’s been exceptional since that day.”

“When he has made mistakes – with the crowd the first time he made a mistake that cost us a goal, the crowd reacted extremely positively towards him.”

“But he is naturally really composed. He doesn’t get too bothered about opinions or getting nervy in certain situations. That’s a big quality.”

As well as being popular among the fans, Saliba has also established himself as a favourite in the dressing room due to his personality.

“He’s really funny, and he doesn’t want to be funny.”

“He’s really liked around the place. He’s good, he has his aura and presence and always the humour and energy around him.

And then he is very focussed and determined to become a top player.”

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Mikel Arteta Has ' More Belief' In Arsenal Title Challenge Despite Man City Defeat
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Mikel Arteta Has ‘ More Belief’ In Arsenal Title Challenge Despite Man City Defeat

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Mikel Arteta Has ' More Belief' In Arsenal Title Challenge Despite Man City Defeat

Mikel Arteta says he now has “more belief” that his side can win the title, despite their 3-1 defeat by Manchester City at Emirates Stadium.

Manchester City went top of the Premier League after defensive errors from Arsenal cost them all three points, though Arsenal could go back in front if they win their game in hand on the current champions.

After beating Manchester United on 22 January, Arsenal were five points clear with a game in hand, but have taken just one point from nine since.

Nevertheless, the Spaniard believed that the moments where Arsenal had the away side on the back foot is a reason to feel the challengers can prosper in the title run-in to come.

 

Reaf Also: Arsenal vs Manchester City 1-3 Highlights (Download Video)

 

Arteta said:

“Disappointment because we lost it, I think it was an incredible battle between two teams, and when we had them, we gave them the goals.

“On the other hand we had three big chances and didn’t put them away.

“To beat them you have to be over our level because they are such a good team, we had them in big moments.

In individual moments they were better than us.

“The second half as well, we had periods where we were really precise, but we had moments where we put ourselves in trouble, the way we gave the goals away.”

Discussing City’s tactical change in the second half, he said:

“I saw that they were man-to-man, a little bit higher up on the press, but we didn’t really understand when to play in certain areas.

“It was really good if you take away that you gave Manchester City goals. They are the best team in the world.

“I have more belief because I see a team that went head to head with them. I have more belief in my players.”

 

Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard echoed that his side needed to be “more clinical” with only one of their 10 attempted shots on target.

“We were not sharp enough, in front of the goal and in our own as well.

Sometimes chances go in, sometimes not. But that is where we need to improve and be more clinical and defend our box.”

“As we have said all season, work hard and take it game by game.

It is the same now. It is one game we have lost here today and now we look to the next one.”

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Rio Ferdinand Warning To Jorginho After A Deadline Day Transfer To Arsenal
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Rio Ferdinand Warning To Jorginho After A Deadline Day Transfer To Arsenal

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Rio Ferdinand Warning To Jorginho After A Deadline Day Transfer To Arsenal

Arsenal have the signing of Jorginho from Chelsea in a Deadline Day deal worth £12m.

He has signed an 18-month contract with Arsenal and became Mikel Arteta’s third signing of the January window following Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior

Jorginho could make his Arsenal debut against Everton next weekend, with the Gunners currently five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Rio Ferdinand has warned Jorginho that he may not be a  Premier League starter for leaders Arsenal and will be replaced by a big-money signing in the summer.

Asked to rate Arsenal’s move for Jorginho, Ferdinand said on the FIVE YouTube channel: ‘I think it’s a good signing. I think it’s shrewd.

 

Read Also: Girona vs Barcelona 0-1 Highlights (Download Video)

 

‘I’ve been known to criticise Jorginho and just to clarify that, I was criticising him because the way Chelsea played when he first got there, it didn’t help him.

‘There were too many big spaces around him and he was being exposed physically,with a lack of pace and dynamism.

They changed the way they played with and without the ball and got bodies near him to help him and that made him a better player.

‘Whatever you think of him, he’s a fine passer of the ball, especially cutting through the lines, he keeps it ticking, we saw that with Italy in the Euros.

‘He’s a fine technician on the ball and I think he will be a point of difference to [Thomas] Partey.

He can come in if need be and fill that gap with the experience he’s got.

‘I don’t see him being a starter for Arsenal, I’ve got to be honest.

I don’t think Jorginho is a long-term signing. He’s a stop-gap and they will get a big midfielder in the summer.

‘But everything I hear about him as a pro has been positive. Nothing but positive.

In the changing room, he’s a leader, he talks and he demands high standards from his team-mates.

‘I bet he can’t wait to go there because Arsenal are top of the Premier League!’

Jorginho divided opinion throughout his time at Stamford Bridge, but with over 200 appearances, 29 goals (almost all from the penalty spot with a hop and a skip),

and four trophies to his name (including Champions League, Europa League, Super Cup, and the Club World Cup)

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Mikel Arteta Confirm Thomas Partey Injury As He Set For Scan On Rib

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Mikel Arteta Confirm Thomas Partey Injury As He Set For Scan On Rib

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey play just first 45min in Arsenal FA Cup 1-0 defeat to Manchester City.

The Ghanaian skipper was replaced by Sambi Lokonga as a result of rib injury and he set  for an MRI scan on Saturday.

It was not clear at the time what had happened to partey, but it has since been confirmed that he felt pain in his ribs and Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he will be sent for a scan.

 

Read Also: Manchester City vs Arsenal 1-0 Highlights (Download Video)

 

Arteta:

‘He felt something and we didn’t want to take any risks, so he could not continue.’

‘He had some discomfort and it was getting worse and worse, so he could not continue. He wasn’t comfortable to continue.

‘Obviously tomorrow, the day after he will have to have an MRI scan and see what he has.’

A replacement for Partey could be on the way shortly after a £60m bid was made for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo.

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Mikel Arteta Updates On Bukayo Saka Injury Fears Against Oxford
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Mikel Arteta Updates On Bukayo Saka Injury Fears Against Oxford

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Mikel Arteta Updates On Bukayo Saka Injury Fears Against Oxford

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has confirmed Bukayo Saka has no major injury concern despite as he was subtitles before the final of the game against Oxford United.

Saka named named on the Line-up in the FA Cup Third round but the England international was forced off with 15 minutes remaining with a possible knee injury.

Arsenal are about to start a tough run of fixtures as they play Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday before facing Manchester United and then Manchester City in the FA Cup fourth round.

Arteta has confirmed that Saka should be available for Arsenal’s north London derby this weekend, despite his injury on Monday.

 

Read Also: Oxford United vs Arsenal 0-3 Highlights (Download Video)

 

Arteta asked about Saka’s injury after the game, on ITV:

‘He’s fine.’

Arteta also praised  the energetic Fabio Vieira following his two assists in Arsenal’s win over Oxford.

‘He has the quality.’ ‘He is a really creative player and he can decide games in the final third. He made a difference.

‘The contribution of the subs was important as well to change the dynamic of the game.’

Arsenal are still desperate to sign shaktar Donetsk play maker Mudryk as the Gunner are looking to strengthen their midfielder.

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Alan Shearer Slams ‘Disrespectful’ Mikel Arteta After Arsenal’s Draw With Newcastle
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Alan Shearer Slams ‘Disrespectful’ Mikel Arteta After Arsenal’s Draw With Newcastle

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Alan Shearer Slams ‘Disrespectful’ Mikel Arteta After Arsenal’s Draw With Newcastle

Alan Shearer does not feel that Arsenal should have been awarded a penalty as he slam Mikel Arteta over ‘disrespectful’ touchline antics.

Not for the first time this season, Arteta lost his cool during Arsenal’s goalless draw with Newcastle United in the Premier League.

The 40-year-old could be seen sprinting out of his technical area and confronting the fourth official as Newcastle frustrated the Premier League leaders.

Arteta appeared to be angry at the scrappy affair of the match – seven yellow were handed out by referee Andy Madley – and described the decision not to award his team two penalties as ‘scandalous’.

But former England striker Shearer says Arteta ‘needs to have a word with himself’ and ‘disrespects’ the opposition and the officials with his touchline conduct.

The Newcastle legend also claimed Arteta’s behaviour could be having a detrimental effect on his players on the pitch.

 

Read Also: Wednesday’s Transfer Gossip: McKennie, Soares, Mudryk, Fernandez, Depay, Wan-Bissaka, Schade, Meslier, Marquinhos

 

Shearer:

‘I think Mikel Arteta needs to have a word with himself, or his assistant needs to have a word with him and calm him down.’

‘I think he’s disrespectful to the opposition and he’s making it very difficult for the referees who have a hard enough job as it is.

‘I get he wants to be animated but if his players behaved like him, he wouldn’t like it and it would cost him. He needs to calm down.

‘I get they’re top of the league and it’s a big game, but he’s making it very, very difficult for referees and he’s disrespecting the opposition.’

‘They know they’re under pressure but when you see your manager behave like that on the touchline…

‘He needs to calm down. He’s the one making the tough decisions so he needs to stay calm.

At the minute he’s just going crazy and that can’t be helpful to the players can it?’

Arsenal were looking to extend their lead at the top of the table to 10 points against Newcastle but had to settle for eight ahead of Manchester City’s game in hand against Chelsea on Thursday.

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Paul Merson Worried Arsenal May Miss Out Top 4 With Gabriel Jesus Injury
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Paul Merson Worried Arsenal May Miss Out Top 4 With Gabriel Jesus Injury

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Paul Merson Worried Arsenal May Miss Out Top 4 With Gabriel Jesus Injury

Paul Merson believes that his former club  Arsenal won’t finish in the top four, let along win the Premier League with Eddie Nketiah up top due to Gabriel Jesus injury.

There are fears the Brazilian could miss up to three months of action after undergoing surgery on a knee injury picked up during the World Cup.

The 25-year-old has been pivotal to the Gunners’ success this season, with his five goals and six assists propelling them to a five-point lead at the top of the table.

While Mikel Arteta has confirmed the Premier League leaders would be active in the upcoming January transfer window, it is a notoriously arduous month for buying clubs.

The Gunners are in talks with Shakhtar Donetsk over a potential move for Mykhaylo Mudryk, although the Ukrainian club are reluctant to sell the 21-year-old.

 

Read Also: Antonio Conte Ignored Question Over Tottenham Contract Extension

 

Merson believes Nketiah simply cannot replace Jesus, who has scored five goals in 14 Premier League appearances since swapping Manchester City for Arsenal.

 

“It’s a massive worry that they’re now relying on out-of-form Eddie Nketiah.”

“They could go eight points clear if they beat West Ham before Manchester City play a game and you still wouldn’t fancy them to win the title without Gabriel Jesus.

“It’s hard because even though he doesn’t score an awful lot of goals, he is still so effective.

If he’s out for three months, I’d be shocked if they got in the top four. I just don’t see where the goals come from.

“Without being horrible, what Premier League team does Eddie Nketiah get in? Wolves are bottom for instance, they’re desperate for a goal and they wouldn’t go and get him.

“For me, it’s really worrying. This is no disrespect to Nketiah or the other players but Jesus gels everything together.

Nketiah might deliver for three games but I just don’t see him doing it for 10 or more matches.”

 

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Mikel Arteta Reveals Arsenal Winter Target And Injury Updates
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Mikel Arteta Reveals Arsenal Winter Target And Injury Updates

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Mikel Arteta Reveals Arsenal Winter Target And Injury Updates

Arsenal are five point clear ahead of defending champions Manchester City before the Premier League stop for the just concluded World Cup.

The boss Mikel Arteta reveals Arsenal will be ‘active’ in the January transfer window and target ‘next level’ signings as they look to maintain a Premier League title challenge.

Winter transfer will be viewed as an opportunity to bolster Arsenal squad, which has already been depleted by the injury to star striker Gabriel Jesus.

Arteta asked about the club’s transfer plans ahead of the winter window

‘We are going to be active, and active means always looking to strengthen the team.

‘This squad still doesn’t have the luxury of not maximizing every single window and we have to do that because it’s really important.

‘But then we want to get the right profile, the right player and a player that is really going to impact the team and take us to the next level.’

Gabriel Jesus was one of Arsenal’s most creativity players in the first-half of the season, with the Brazilian impressing following a £50m move from Man City last summer.

 

Read Also: “I Don’t Like To Compare Myself”_ Erling Haaland Played Down Mbappe Rivalry

 

But he could now be sidelined for up to three months after suffering a knee injury during match against Cameroon in the World Cup.

Arsenal are also concerned about an injury Reiss Nelson suffered in a recent friendly against Juventus, while Emile Smith Rowe has been out since September with a groin problem.

 Arteta:

‘With Gabby [Jesus] it’s very difficult to put a timeframe [on his recovery].

It was a significant injury and knowing him, I prefer not to give any dates away.

‘With Reiss unfortunately he picked up an injury in the game against Juventus and he is going to be out for a while I think.

Emile is close, he is starting to train again. He had a little setback but he is in a good place.’

On whether Jesus will be out for three months:

‘I never gave a date so that’s not the words that I used, and I haven’t used any words right now.

‘I said that we don’t know, it will take some time for sure.

Obviously, he’s going through surgery so that’s the extent of the injury.’

Arsenal return to domestic action with a home Premier League derby against West Ham on Boxing Day, and could extend their lead to eight points, with Man City playing two days later.

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‘He Needs To Be Patient’_ Mikel Arteta On Gabriel Jesus Goal Drought
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‘He Needs To Be Patient’_ Mikel Arteta On Gabriel Jesus Goal Drought

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‘He Needs To Be Patient’_ Mikel Arteta On Gabriel Jesus Goal Drought

Arsenal summer signing Gabriel Jesus has find it difficult these days to see the back of the net as all his efforts been push away, but his contributions is helping the team.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has revealed striker Gabriel Jesus needs to be patient as he finds himself on a run of eight games without a goal.

The former Manchester City star enjoyed an electric start to the campaign with five goals in his first nine games.

But, things have dried up for the Brazilian, whose blank against Zurich on Thursday meant he failed to score in any of his five Europa League group stage appearances.

 

Read Also: Paul Merson London Derby Prediction: Chelsea Vs Arsenal

 

Arteta:

“It’s going to change” struggles after the game.

“He’s getting the chances, he’s contributing to the team an awful lot. The way he competes is incredible.

“He needs to be patient as it’s happened in the past. He needs to learn from those lessons and not stop doing the things that are helping the team.

That will maintain the level of him and the team.”

Importantly, Arteta insisted he has not seen a drop-off in performances from Jesus, and he urged his new striker to keep calm and wait for his drought to end.

“It does bother him for sure.”  “Knowing him, when he scores three goals, he wants to score four.

“Today he had a couple of good chances as well, but what he generates to the team is just amazing.

“Last week he gave three assists. Today he was involved in every action again and the goals will come.”

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“I’m Extremely Happy”_ Mikel Arteta Responds To Barcelona Job Links
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“I’m Extremely Happy”_ Mikel Arteta Responds To Barcelona Job Links

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“I’m Extremely Happy”_ Mikel Arteta Responds To Barcelona Job Links

 Mikel Arteta has made it clear he is “extremely happy” at Arsenal after being linked with the Barcelona job.

Arteta came through the ranks at Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy before joining French side Paris Saint-Germain.

The Spaniard, as a result, has close ties with Barca and Spanish newspaper Sport has linked him with a sensational return there one day.

But asked about those reports,

Arteta said:

“What I can say, I’m extremely happy, I’m proud to be where I am.

“I think Barcelona now they are in a really good path, I think they have a phenomenal coach, a coach that has been an absolute legend in that club and has lifted the whole place and you have to be very respectful of that.”

Arteta has impressed during his time at Arsenal and the team are currently sat top of the Premier League.

The Spaniard is having to juggle the World Cup coming up this month and he has admitted it is a balancing act as he tries to protect players.

 

Read Also: Thursday’s Transfer Gossip: Jorginho, Dia, Bellingham, Gundogan, Kvaratskhelia, Dalot, Choupo-Moting, Martinelli

 

“Every day I feel responsibility to protect them, to guide them, to get the best out of them but we are playing for Arsenal at the moment and that’s what they have to focus on.”

“When they played for England or their national teams, they have to focus on the national team and on England, and this is what we have too.”

No more was that balancing act evident than on Sunday, when Arsenal played Nottingham Forest, and Bukayo Saka suffered a kick to his ankle.

Arteta was seen deep in conversation with the medical team, before Saka was eventually hooked.

“The conversation was easy – ‘’he’s in, or he’s out’ – but in between we can’t have a player (injured) for five, six, seven minutes,l.”

“So you are on the pitch or you are outside the pitch, if you’re going to be outside the pitch then sit on the floor and get off.

“But we have to make a decision and that’s it because we cannot delay a situation like that because every minute that a player is not 100 per-cent to play is costing the team and we need to make those decisions quickly.

“We’re using obviously our brains and our common sense, but obviously he had a kick.

He was uncomfortable with it, we made the decision to get him off and now he’s feeling fine.”

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