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Here is every word from Mikel Arteta’s post-match press conference following Arsenal’s big win over Club Brugge
Mikel Arteta faced the media following Arsenal’s big win over Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League. Goals from Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli separated the sides in a competitive match in Belgium.
There were plenty of talking points before and after the game. Jurrien Timber missed the match despite travelling, while Gabriel Jesus returned after 342 days out, and Marli Salmon made his debut.
Martinelli’s goal made him the first Arsenal player to score in five successive Champions League appearances, and a fifth clean sheet was kept in six matches as qualification for the last-16 is all but secured.
Here is every word Mikel Arteta said in the post-match press conference:
Another win in the Champions League, 100% record and just an evening filled with positives for you?
Yes, a really positive evening, and I think it's very difficult to win away from home in the Champions League. We've done it with a lot of absences, especially in the back line. This morning, we lost two players, and I love the way the team reacted to that collectively and individually.
For example, what Christian Norgaard has done just talks about how much better he makes all of us with his attitude, with his commitment in the manner that he prepares and is able to perform. So yes, overall a really positive night.
Another big positive was seeing Gabriel Jesus back out on the pitch. How pleased were you that he got that opportunity and what did you make of his contribution?
So happy for him. I think you can see how much we all love him. It's been a very, very difficult and long journey.
For 11 months, he's been fighting against another very difficult injury, and to see him back with that smile, with that energy and with that quality in his first performance with us is something really impressive, and we're all delighted for him.
One of the tragedies really of his injury in January was that he was just finding some fantastic form again and making a big contribution. Do you believe he has a big part to play for you this season?
Yes, especially if he continues to perform in the manner that he's doing and the energy that he's putting in training. I think he brings something else, and I was really happy to see that.
And for him as well, for his confidence to grow, for his teammates to feel him as well, because some of them haven't played with him. So Gabi has a really special quality, which is that suddenly he connects everybody around him, and that's something that we as a team need, and it will make us better.
Firstly, what are your thoughts on Noni’s first goal and then his overall performance?
Unbelievable goal. When you talk about individual quality and individual action and magic moments, that's it. A player that is able to pick the ball that far, dribble past people and finish with the quality and the power that he's done.
The same as Martinelli as well. I think at this level you want to win games, you need individual players to step up and to do something different. So I'm very happy because now we have some players back in the front line and you can tell how much better we are with them.
Obviously, Bukayo [Saka] has been the guy in that position for so long. How much has it helped now having Noni really pushing him and being there behind him every minute?
Yes, maintaining the level. They both have different qualities as well, and it's great because we're going to need them. We are playing every three days, and players with that freshness and with that bite in the teeth as well.
Understanding that they have to perform at their level, and this is the standard that we set. It's something really good.
This is the fifth time where you've responded from a result that you didn't win by winning the next game. That must send a strong message out, and how are you’re responding to those difficult results?
That's what you want immediately after a defeat to win a game. The way that they presented it, it had its challenges, especially when we lost again another two players. But again, it shows as well how stable we are.
The standards that we set ourselves and the capacity that the team has to win in different ways. Today I think was a great example of that.
I just said on Madueke again, obviously Bukayo has made that position his own. But when Madueke plays like that, scores two goals, does it give you a bit of a headache? Is he almost undroppable when he plays like that?
It's about consistency. So any player that plays and we have the same example is willing to have those standards and play consistently. It's not a game, it's two games, three games. It's when you do ten games in a row every three days and that's the level that we have to hit.
In terms of the backline, we saw the 16-year-old Marli Salmon come on in the second half. What was the thought behind that and how do you think he played in that short period?
The thought was as well from yesterday, the fact that we had to play Christian as well. We had to really consider it because we were playing a really good side that had some really good results in the Champions League at home as well. But we knew that as a some point we had to use him.
He was ready, he was prepared, he can play as a centre-back or as a full-back. I'm delighted, so young, 16, he's playing in the Champions League, so what a great effort from him as well.
In terms of the young players you've had in the last couple of seasons, how much pride does it give you to just give them a bit of game time for the first team?
That's great, that's what we want. That's why we put so much work and everybody in the academy put so much enthusiasm and work. For a long time, you have to prepare those talents. So thanks to them, because when we need them, they are there, they are ready to perform. So that's great.
With Noni, you say that you've need him to be consistent over 10 games. Is that something you've spoken to him about?
Yes, in terms of actions and the level that they leave the game in every single action, after, after, after, every action. That's the challenge for him.
And in terms of six wins in a row, how much of an achievement is that? You've had some really difficult games as well. You couldn't have expected at the start of the season you'd have had this record.
No, and probably as well, looking back at the players that we've missed. But it shows. And they were all very different games. It's a completely different game to the Bayern Munich one, or the one we played in Bilbao, or the ones that we played at home. But it's good, the team can adapt to any context. And there will be confidence as well, that we can come to these grounds and win again and that's something great.
Where you have Gabriel Jesus coming back into the squad, does it give you a different striker profile to Gyokeres going forward?
Yes, I think they can be more different. Both of them with great qualities, but very specific in what they bring to the team, and individually in their actions and relationship that they need around them as well. So it's good to have two very different players there.
Is Jurrien Timber okay?
I hope so.
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