Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta attended the post-match press conference following their 2-0 victory over Brentford.
You managed to rest and protect several players, but Brentford still caused multiple injuries to Arsenal – how do you summarize the game?
Yes, I really enjoyed this game. The word "rest" is fantastic to use here. Yes, we had to make some adjustments.
We worked extremely hard in every aspect this week – mentally, physically, and in terms of the game’s demands. Tactically and technically, we were asked to play again just three days after the last game, with one less day of rest than the opponents.
Even so, we still managed to beat a well-drilled, organized team with such a performance. They know exactly how to create good chances, and they did that very well. It was 1-0.
We knew that wasn’t enough. Beyond that corner kick moment, I don’t think we were thinking about anything else. But the game is always full of variables, and we needed that extra energy to seal the win.
Maybe it’s when we’re not at our best that we have the courage to keep the ball under pressure, intensify the attack through excellent movement and purposeful passing, and finally score the second goal to win the game.
Are there any worrying updates on the players?
Yes, obviously none of this is good news. Declan Rice had to come off. We don’t know the extent of his condition yet.
We’ll have to assess him tomorrow. Mosquera also came off injured. Of course, there’s no sign of the other injured players returning either.
So we have to adapt. It’s a collective decision, but when I look at the players who haven’t had much game time – like Ben White, his performance was reassuring; Martin, who had been sidelined, was able to play the full 96 minutes straight away. Noni, and Victor, who also got some minutes today.
Let’s talk about Merino – he keeps proving he can also be an excellent striker.
I think his performance today was amazing again. The way he scored was very clever. His timing, movement, and finish were perfect.
But in terms of his overall performance, both with and without the ball. I remember he played a pass to Odegaard, who didn’t get it, and then he ran 40 meters to chase the ball near the corner flag. Then he tracked back and won it back. He’s in great form and momentum, making the team stronger.
Talking about the fans and their support – you asked them to be here at 7:30 as before. Thank you to all the fans who came, because we needed that energy today.Regarding Rice, he couldn’t continue, so we’ll just have to wait and see tomorrow.
What’s his condition?
Rice can walk, but he can’t play.
Talking about the fixture schedule issue
The problem is the length of playing time and when they play. We have a game on Wednesday night and another on Saturday morning. It’s true that players can play, but if possible, it would be great to have a bit more time to recover and get the players in better health.
Talking about Arsenal finally keeping a clean sheet, especially considering it’s the first since November.
I think we failed to achieve this in four games for different reasons. We conceded from set pieces against Chelsea and Sunderland. The other games were slightly different.
Today, if it weren’t for David’s brilliant save, we might have conceded early. But apart from that save, we didn’t give the opponents many chances.
Which part of Mosquera is injured exactly?
Yeah, we have to wait and see. It's probably part of the knee or ankle, we don't know. He could not really tell us exactly how it was but he wasn't able to continue.
Talking about Merino’s tactical system
I’ve said this before in press conferences – it stems from his curiosity and desire to learn. Maybe also from his wish to help the team. He knew we lost Victor at the start of the season, Kai was sidelined, and Jesus was injured, so we needed a solution, and he did an excellent job last year.
I think he’s taken it to another level this season because he can do more things. I think the team is very grateful for that, and he’s enjoying the role himself.
A few weeks ago, when talking about Ben White, you mentioned he had to prove himself when the opportunity came. I guess you think he did that tonight, but how much have you missed him during his absence?
Personally, I’m really happy for him. I think the other players are too, because he’s always been a key player in our team.
Suddenly, for some valid reasons, his playing time decreased, he was absent for a period, and then he needed to win his place back – but Ben White is doing well.
