Every word of Mikel Arteta's pre-Newcastle presser

Mikel Arteta spoke to the media at the Sobha Realty Training Centre for his pre-Newcastle United press conference on Friday.

Here's what he had to say on the following subjects...

on the sad passing of Billy Vigar:

Some shocking news, when I got home yesterday,. Straight away, I was thinking about the family and how difficult it is to go through something like this in a very unexpected way. Hopefully [the footballing authorities] will dig in and understand what happened, why it happened and try to avoid these kinds of things. Really sad news and our full support with the family and our thoughts with all the loved ones.

on Martin Odegaard’s availability:

Martin will be training with us the next two days so hopefully he'll be available for the game.

on Bukayo Saka's fitness:

Yeah, nothing to report there. I think he's played the games that we anticipated, he did well, he feels good and he will be training the next few days.

on if there’s been a scan on Noni Madueke's injury:

No, not yet.

on rumours surrounding William Saliba signing a new contract:

Hopefully it will be everybody in the world [reporting it], Arsenal included, very soon. That's what I'm hoping, but let's leave the club to announce that when it's all done.

on how important William is for us:

He certainly is and he's been instrumental in everything we've done in the last few years. It's great to see a lot of players willing and so driven to come into the club. That means that they are happy, they feel valued and they see that this is the best opportunity for them to continue their careers and fulfil the ambition of the club.

on how much pride he takes in Saliba’s form:

It's very impressive what he's done at his age because sometimes we tend to forget. But his consistency, I think, the way he's progressed, I think the way he's matured as well as a person and his role in the team has grown year after year. I think he's built a partnership with Gabi especially, but also with the backline and the keeper that has the best defensive record in the last three years I think. He's been pivotal to that.

on if we have the best defence in the league:

I know we want to have the best team in the Premier League and in relation to every phase, I think the contribution of every player is critical. We start from our frontline and the amount of pressure and work that they put into any defensive line, any goalkeeper, is tremendous. So it's something collective, it's a team sport and in anything that we do, everybody has a pivotal role in that.

on if he's proud we've conceded twice in seven games:

Yeah, especially as one of them was a free-kick that you cannot do much about, and one was an action in that there are things to improve, but overall I think we've been consistent. It will be key to maintain that level.

on if Newcastle are completely different without Alexander Isak:

No, because he wasn't playing against Barcelona and what could have been in the first 30 or 40 minutes could be very different to the result. I always praise the work that Eddie and the coaching staff have done there and the way they have managed to create such an atmosphere, especially at home, and a very clear identity of playing football, they make it really difficult. We know the test, we know that we're going to have to be much more efficient than we've been lately when we played up there to win the game, and we're going to work on that in the next two days.

on the thinking behind kick-off tactics:

I like more the one where you put the ball in the back of the net straight away instead of kicking it for a throw-in! There are a few patterns and a few ways that teams have done it over the past but there are some tendencies as well in relation to the game that we expect. You expect certain things that you can do to try to avoid certain pressure in the first minutes. It's all down to preparation, I think.

on if we would only kick the ball straight out away from home:

It depends. First half, second half. If you concede and it's two minutes to go, it depends. I think the context of the match and the results make you decide what's the best thing to do now.

on if he’s considering any other kick-off tactics for the future:

Probably, yes.

on how much Saliba has exceeded his expectations:

Probably all of them, I would say, especially the way we started our relationship. Probably we had different expectations or ideas of how to create the best pathway for him to fulfil his potential. But I think at some point we got to the same conclusion, to the same line, and we started to work together. From there, with the help of all the coaches and players, everything started to flourish because it was clear that the potential was there. It was about timing and especially, in my opinion, creating the right environment and players for him to deliver what he could do.

on Saka’s next goal involvement being his 100th in the Premier League:

100, 101 and 102, hopefully on Sunday! I think that's in less than 200 games as well, which is a really impressive record. That tells you again, when we talk about consistency of attacking players, creative players, that's very rare to find. And at his age especially, more. But that's the talent that we have.

on the biggest challenge facing Eddie Howe’s side:

It’s a lot of games that you have to dominate when you play against them, now we have to be ready because they continue so rapidly, so quickly, it’s a really intense match. We will prepare for that, we know that as well, but increasing especially our efficiency and two very specific key things I think it gives us the best chance to win the game.

on plenty of players having signed new contracts recently:

Extremely happy, every time I sit with a player and we discuss with the club and what their intentions are, the first thing they say is that they want to continue with us, they want to win with us, they want to continue to grow with us in this environment. That’s a great thing to have because it’s not always the case. We don’t take it for granted, but that means that obviously the club is doing really well as well to make their people and the staff feel very valuable and happy here.

on how the club has evolved since he was playing in the team:

I think the circumstances were different because we moved to the Emirates, the club had other needs, so it would be difficult to compare. What I can say again is that I’m extremely happy that players are feeling so committed and so willing to continue with us because we want to do the same and continue with them because they’ve been exceptional for us.

on if there will be some news on Bukayo’s contract soon:

I would love that, From everything that I know, he’s a player that is extremely happy and proud to be here and have the role that he has at the football club. Things will develop in a natural way like they always do. We know, everybody knows, how important Bukayo is for us, so hopefully we can do it.

on how much pride he takes in players wanting to stay here:

I was quite direct with him because when you hear that noise, and you can understand there are certain expectations. At the end, players have feelings have been educated in their families maybe dreaming about something one day and that’s a really natural thing to have. When I saw that with William I asked him the question, he said no, I want to stay here, I want to play here for you, I’m very happy in his own way, so that’s great to hear!

on Real Madrid’s reported interest in Saliba:

In general, I don’t want to be specific but it was obviously the amount of noise that was around certain clubs. We don’t have to name any teams but there are not as well that many that can come and get William out of Arsenal. So it was clear, and again, he was so transparent and honest from the beginning.

on the atmosphere at St James’ Park:

Incredibly beautiful; I think it’s one of the best football atmospheres in this country. As a player, as a fan, as a coach, you want to live in this atmosphere; they play every single ball with you. It’s electric, there is so much support there and it’s one team, one city, I think that makes it different as well. It’s such a challenge and opportunity as well, so it’s a great game to play.

on what he took from their game against Barcelona:

There are two ways to look at that game with a tactical view, it’s on mute or put the volume up and I decided to put the volume up just to understand. In every decision, there is an emotional contribution and certainly when you have to play your game and the way you want to play there, you have to be able to do it in that atmosphere and I think that’s beautiful.

on his conversations with Saliba in the past that helped them get on the same page:

There were a few, the last one it was unfortunately over the phone, because it was during Covid. I said: "Listen, I have to be honest, the last thing that I want is you being here and you not playing the football that in my opinion you have to play in order to continue to develop." The club was on board with that and after that, when I saw him and looked in his eyes, I said: "in my opinion you are ready, what do you think?" And he said: "yeah, I’m ready." And then everything started to flourish.

on what it was that made him ready during that year:

When I started seeing in training the things that, in my opinion, are the basics that you need to absolutely dominate to play as a centre-back in this league.

on how important the first five minutes of games in tough atmospheres are:

The first five minutes are the most important minutes for the first five minutes, and then the next five minutes until the referee blows the whistle. It is everything, momentum, tendencies and feelings in relation to how the team is feeling in that moment on the pitch. But at the end, you need to be dominant for long periods of time to win there and that’s what we’ll try to do on Sunday.

on if we’re going to keep the same philosophy from our 1-0 win at home to Newcastle last season:

Every game will be different. I didn’t like the first minutes that we played at the Emirates against them, I like other parts of it. There are a lot of parts I liked about the games we played at St James’ Park, but not especially when we conceded the goals but we will have to be better. I think the level is better, their level will rise, our level will rise and we’re going to have to be at our best. If we do that, we’re going to have a good chance to win the game.

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