Every word Mikel Arteta said on Bayer Leverkusen, Odegaard and Timber injuries, Dowman plan

Here is every word Mikel Arteta said in his pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal’s match against Bayer Leverkusen

Mikel Arteta faced the press ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League last-16 second leg. After a draw in Germany, the Gunners know only victory will see them through to the next round.

But the game comes in a week which ends with a League Cup final against Manchester City on Sunday. Leandro Trossard did train, but both Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber did not, and Arteta gave an update on the pair and whether they would make the final.

There was naturally a lot of attention too on Max Dowman, who scored his first goal in the Premier League. In addition to Arteta’s animated behaviour on the touchline.

Here is every word from the press conference:

Saturday felt like a huge moment in the season, we saw your celebrations as well, so did you feel like it was a significant moment?

Yes, it was a significant moment, a really nice moment to live together, but that's in the past now, the full focus is on tomorrow.

We've seen Max show his talent since the beginning of the season, but the manner in which he scored and how he impacted the game was pretty special, so how proud were you of him and what's he been like since?

Well, very much obviously, to do what he did in such a moment, very rare to see or impossible almost. He's done it and now it's football and what you've done a few days ago is not relevant anymore, it's about the next one.

And on the game tomorrow, can you just ask some fitness questions, please? So there's no Jurien Timber and Martin Odegaard in training, are they out for tomorrow?

Yes, both of them are out, yeah.

Leandro Trossard was back, is he available?

He's okay, he felt good so he's available.

And any other fitness questions?

No, not any other things.

And with Leverkusen, last week it was a tight game against them in Germany, a well-organised side, so what are you expecting tomorrow?

Well, very much the same, watching them play against Bayern Munich at the weekend, very similar, so again, really well coached, a team with a very clear structure, very good individuals, obviously, we are in a stage in the competition that we are in right now, so we know what we have to do and in front of our crowd, with our people, putting all the energy in the world again, hopefully we're going to do it.

I know you say you're moving on, but just reflecting on Saturday, in the six-and-a-bit years that you've been here, can you recall anything like that feeling that you had there?

Every feeling is different, we've had so many beautiful moments throughout this period, the reason one obviously is the one that you had more recently, that's why it's very special, but as I said, let's have another wonderful one tomorrow.

I know there'll be a will probably just to keep everything calm around Max, so with that in mind, is there anything that you've put in place, like maybe any players that you might assign to him, maybe mentor him?

Well, I think we have the leadership group obviously, and certain individuals that are very close with him, the most important one is his family as well, and he's in a very good place there as well, and him, because he's used to a lot of things, he takes it very normally, and he knows that this sport is about today.

Just one player I want to ask you about in relation to that, your captain is Martin Odegaard, but he's also been a player who came through at a very, very young age as well, how important could he be to Max?

Yeah, all the experiences that the players have and they can share and explain is very useful, because probably he's going through things that some of us in the past would have been at his age, not many, but Martin is a really good example.

I'll have a go, I know you don't tend to talk about players that aren't yours, but I'll ask you about a player that used to be yours, which is Dinos Mavropanos, who had an excellent game for West Ham and did Arsenal quite a huge favour, could you just speak a little bit about what it was like to work with him and how thankful maybe you are for his efforts as well?

Yeah, a very, very good character, a player that was signed just before I arrived as well, and he had a long-term injury as well and he didn't get that many minutes, but good to see him doing really well and that's it, and all the players that have been with us, we wish them allthe best.

And in all the jubilation of the game against Everton, we didn't really get to offer the opportunity to ask about the penalty that you didn't get in that game, and there's been a lot of talk and noise around that afterwards Kai Havertz appeared to get clipped in it, and it was reviewed very quickly, what were your thoughts on that decision?

Yeah, watching it back when we were watching it live, very disappointed that we didn't get a penalty because it was very clear.

Just on Martin, obviously he's missed the last few games, it must be difficult for him at the moment because there are so many big games, and you've got a cup final on Sunday against Wembley, which he ostensibly will be leaving the team out, is he in contention for that?

Yeah, so we're really pushing, he really wants to try to be available, but we'll have to wait and see in the next few days when he trains with the team how he feels, we know the game that we're going to be playing in a few days again, and the more players that we have the better.

On Saturday you seemed as passionate and animated on the touchline as you have in a long time, taking your jacket off, kicking every ball, you spoke about the need for everyone to enjoy these moments, are you genuinely able to do that?

Yeah, I love those moments, and when the team needs help and the crowd is pushing there, I think in any way that we can contribute, help, support the players, give them confidence and energy, we have to be there, and I think it makes a difference, and we noticed immediately the moment the crowd got more relaxed, more positive, the atmosphere changed and the players started to make better decisions, and we managed to win the game.

This is the fourth season now that you've been on the touchline during a big title race, how are your emotions compared to previous seasons, is it more intense now, or how does it compare?

Probably the will to win increases year by year, when you've been so close as well, but yeah, stay focused, live the present, enjoy it as well, because we have to feel privileged where we are, and then obviously have that will, that bite to make it happen.

We were asking about the Cup final, have you got a sense of whether Jurrien might be available for the Cup final?

We don't know, I think with him it will be a matter of days, but not sure.

And obviously you brought on Cristhian when Jurrien came off, and I think maybe some fans and some observers would have thought that might say something about Ben White's fitness, that he might not be able to play an hour, was that the case, and do you feel like Ben is in a position where he can start big games now?

Yeah, he's in a much better place, he's been very unlucky this season in certain moments, he had very, very good moments as well throughout the season, so we need everybody available, we know what Ben gives us when he's at his best, and he trained today, he feels good, so we need everybody's contribution.

Just after the first game against Leverkusen, you said that the team didn't have enough of an understanding of how to attack the block, without giving the game plan away, could you just talk a little bit more about that, what you need to do better?

Yeah, especially in the first half, and especially a lot of actions that we didn't even finish the action, and we allowed counter-attacks there, which is the worst thing that we can do, against them as well, so we will step up, we'll make better decisions for sure, and be more of a threat in that intention.

A lot of ties are finely balanced, do you think that the experience that you've had in this competition over the last couple of years will help the team handle the emotion and the occasion?

A lot of factors will contribute for us to be in the quarter-finals tomorrow night after the game, and we need to put every single element that we have to be in our favour to achieve that.

And just one on Max, if I can, just after an impact like that, is your instinct to keep playing him, or to protect him and pull him out?

Depending on the game and how he reacts, I think his reaction has been really positive, and in relation to what we need in the game, there's always a possibility.

Do you think he's ready to play regularly now?

Yeah, regularly, depending on what you call regularly.

Leverkusen's midfield two were exceptional against you in Germany, and they seemed to staff your game plan a little bit. What did they do that actually stopped you guys, and how have you looked at preventing this again?

Yeah, they have a lot of quality individually in a lot of areas of the pitch. As every team, they have their strengths, their weaknesses, and we'll try to target them.

Noni has been big in the competitions, coming on in Germany, winning the penalty. Do you think it's just his character to come on in the big moments, or is it just him repaying the faith that you put in him to come on and do the big things?

No, I think Noni’s got the personality, especially when things are difficult to step in and make aggressive decisions. He has the quality to deliver, for sure.