Every word of Mikel’s pre-Liverpool presser

Mikel Arteta was back at Sobha Realty Training Centre for his pre-Liverpool press conference on Friday.

Our manager was asked all about Wednesday's UEFA Champions League loss at PSG, this weekend's trip to Anfield and more.

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

on how he’s feeling post-Wednesday night:

I'm more settled. I think it was one of the saddest, but one of the most proudest moments that I have had as an Arsenal manager for many obvious reasons.

on if he still believes we were the best team in the Champions League:

100%. I'm watching the impact, I'm watching all the stats because they were the best stats and the best goal difference in the semi-final, so it's very clear. But it's not about the winning probability or what you've merited, it's actually making it happen and making it count. When you look at the important stats that normally give you the best platform to win football matches, it's crystal clear who was better.

on what needs to happen next season to ensure we can win it:

I think if we raise the probability even more, instead of five expected goals against three, it's seven against zero, then it will be much closer. But 5-3 normally you are in the final, and you should be through, but it doesn't guarantee you anything, only that you've done so much good work. If you face PSG, who are one of the best teams, and they blow you away and you don't even know what happened, you shake hands and say: ‘we're still not ready, this is our second season in the Champions League.’ When you look them in the eye, you play the way they suffocated in the way we did against them and it's still not enough, because I think they go your way, or they added quality or over-performance in certain areas that are critical to winning a football match, you have to accept that. That's a sport, and in particular, football.

on whether we need more firepower to convert the chances created:

That's very volatile, and regardless of the players that you have, it happens. Nobody can predict when you go to the semi-final and it’s Inter against Barcelona, and you could predict who was going to score, how he was going to score, it's impossible. The right-back had the first chance of the game, he missed it, the centre-back that is left-footed scored with the right foot. Then against us, Hakimi, he shouldn't be in the game for the last 10 minutes of the first leg, so he could not play the second game and score when the expected goals was 0.07. These are all random things in football.

on having to lift the players for the final three matches of the season:

But this is what we are, when we get so close to winning big trophies and you don't achieve it, it has to be part of that journey. We have to be able now to go immediately into a different competition and perform at the highest level, that's it.

on giving Liverpool a guard of honour:

They deserve that. They've been the best team, they've been the most consistent, and what Arne and the coaching staff have done has been fascinating, it's been really good. They fully deserve it, and that's the sport. If somebody's better, you have to approve and accept and try to reach that level.

on ending this season strongly to consolidate second place:

That's how we felt in the manner that we went out, we’re very, very proud, but make sure that we finish the season in the same way. You cannot win the Premier League, that's clear, but the last 16 days that we have with three games to go, make sure that we make ourselves proud at least to compete and end in the manner that we deserve.

on how close we’re getting to winning trophies:

We are there, because with the amount of points that we have generated in the last few seasons, we could have two Premier Leagues. So we know how close - we are there, we are providing the numbers that win you titles. We have to be a little bit luckier, but still do better to make sure that nobody has a season better than you. In the Champions League, with those numbers, you have a big probability of winning. That's why a lot of people were thinking that we'd go all the way.

on whether luck has gone against us this season:

There are many factors we need to judge and go our way in that decision. In that clinical moment, the ball goes to the post, out, in, that's the fine margins. So I think what we have to try to do is to amplify the margins. The bigger the margins are, even if those things happen, then it will be very difficult for the opposition.

on trying to send a message for next season against Liverpool:

It's about this season, it's about the amount of points that are still available to win at the end, and finishing in the position that we want and we have to do that.

on using the guard of honour as motivation for next year:

Yeah, something has to drive you, motivate you, and pain for this is a good one to use sometimes, you know, when you really want to do something, but it's the right thing to do, usually as a motivation for next season.

on if the belief we have has been impacted by not winning a trophy:

It's a part of the sport, and if you win it once, then the challenge will be to win it again, and it will be more difficult, and this is the cycle of sport.

on if we were one of the best teams in the Champions League:

I accepted that point, and looking back as well, I think we are one of the best. If you want to take it literally like this, then do so.

on if we’ve taken a step forward this season:

Yeah, for sure in the Champions League we have, because we did better than last season, but not what we want, because we want to win it.

on our progress in the Premier League:

In the Premier League we've done a step backwards. With the points that we have created, it's clear that we haven't done as good as last season, that's obvious.

on if he’s already talked about recruitment for next season:

It's about this season, because it's not finished, we still have three games to play.

on if Liverpool or Man City will be the team to beat next season:

They will hold that trophy and somebody has to come and take it out of their hands, and I'm sure that we're going to have a lot of contenders and very well-prepared contenders to raise their level again and make it very difficult.

on how he picks himself up:

Look at things with perspective and be very analytical and very critical with what we've done, with what we are doing, and when you have those pictures and those things in front of you, it gives you a lot of hope to continue on that route and keep insisting and trying. That's the sport.

on how the players are feeling:

Well, my sense is that it was a very emotional moment, a very sad moment. We put a lot of hope and energy and work into that, and we didn't get the outcome. We need to go through that to become stronger and better. That’s what we’re doing.

on if criticism bothers him:

Not winning trophies has bothered me a lot yes, because I love winning and absolutely hate losing.

on his message to the supporters:

Thank them for their support, for their belief, for the energy and the way they have supported and been in and around the team. It's been a great journey, a journey that we wanted to take further to end up winning it, and we weren’t able to do it. Everybody just has to live the standards, improve, and we know that the margin will be very small, very short again. I feel that we can do it, that's it.

on judging success between teams:

I don't judge that, and I'm not. There are two words, success and failure, that are not part of my vocabulary.

on if we need someone to score 25+ goals like Salah to win the title:

Yeah, I would look more broadly. I think if you score over 90 goals, you have a high, high probability of winning the Premier League. It doesn't guarantee you, but you have a high probability if the defensive record is very good as well, and very dependable as well, against who and in which moment this striker, this winger in this case, has scored the goals and how many points he is contributing to those goals as well.

on if he thinks a new attacking player is the answer:

I have to make it more clear. In January it was clear or not? I told you, because you were in the room I think many times, I made a very clear statement, and the statement continues the same. I want the best team, the best players. If we have three goalscorers over 25, bring them in, we're going to be a much better team, yes.

on if goalscorers are the hardest players to find and recruit:

Probably there are, because there's not that many who have put those numbers. I mean, it's something that's in the start, there's not that many in the Premier League, and to do that. We'll try to improve, but certainly improve the ones that we have right now, and love the ones that we have right now. It’s too easy to look elsewhere and don’t use the moment to judge players, especially. I was asked a lot of questions about certain players in this room, always in certain moments. But when other players are out of form, other players that we're discussing, I had zero questions in the last 11 months. So, it's relative to the context, to the moment, and the narrative that you want to generate, and I understand that.

on if he’s excited for our summer plans:

Very much, yeah. Already with the players that we have, and having everybody fit and available, we are a super strong team. What we've done in the Champions League semi-final, we haven't done in 20 years at this football club, with the actual players that we have right now. So, yeah, very, very positive.

on how he frames success and failure:

Assess what we do, and what we are doing is something that we merit. What is happening by luck, what is happening, and understand the reasons why we do it? And what happens today doesn't mean that the same process, the thing that is good, is going to be good tomorrow either. So, don't get carried away with that, and don't get too critical or too low when something doesn't go your way. Because we can easily be in that final. And then what? Doing exactly the same thing. With those stats, you could be in the Champions League final. And then what? So now, because you know you have to think differently, it's too simplistic. We cannot work that way. But this sport is too volatile to think that way. Too simple, too easy.

on if that’s his own or a collective mindset:

There are people that work in the sport that understand that. And you see that with the results, that you can beat a team and go 4-0, and the next week you draw 2-2 against a team that is being almost relegated. And then what? Doing exactly the same thing. So, this sport, and in particular football.

on why Ethan Nwaneri hasn’t featured as much lately:

There are moments when players are used more and less, and he's played a lot. He's played probably more than anybody expected, for sure. And in the last few games, because of the games and the context, we decided not to play him that much. It can change very quickly.

on how to teach players to be more consistent:

Well, with habits, training every day, talking about what kind of behaviour we need to achieve what we want to do, and then raising the demands, like always. The higher the demands and the standards are, the more consistent you're going to be, because it's normal for you. But the standards are so high that for the others it's not normal, so then normally you're going to be better than them.

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