Arteta Unfiltered: Every Word Before the Community Shield Showdown
Mikel Arteta’s Pre-Community Shield Press Conference: Everything You Need to Know
The Big Picture
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta spoke to the media for the first time this season as the Gunners prepare to face Manchester City in the Community Shield at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. This marks Arsenal’s first visit to the Welsh capital since 2007, and they’re looking to claim the first trophy of the new campaign.
Squad Fitness Updates
Good News: Key Players Returning
| Player | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Bukayo Saka | Available | Trained today, will train tomorrow, expected to be involved |
| Declan Rice | Available | Same as Saka – trained well, on track for Sunday |
| Mikel Zubimendi | Available | New signing integrated quickly, trained with the group |
Important Point: All three players have been following individual recovery programmes from their international duties and Arteta says "what I saw the last two or three days, it was really good."
Still Recovering: Longer-Term Absentees
| Player | Timeline | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Jurrien Timber | "Few weeks" | Progressing well, on the pitch doing increased volume/load work. Needs to start training with the group in the next week or so. |
| William Saliba | Long-term | Arteta confirmed this is a more serious, longer-term injury situation. |
Callout: Arteta on Timber: "We want to make sure that every step that we take is the right one… he’s such an important player for us."
Transfer Window Talk
The General Approach
- Excitement & Opportunity: Arteta calls it "a very exciting part of the season" where "there’s an opportunity as well to evolve"
- Timeline: Working to be in "the best possible condition to compete for every possible competition" in 13-14 days (when the window closes)
- Two-Way Street: Confirmed players could leave as well as arrive: "There’s an opportunity there to go both ways"
On Specific Links (Quansah & Konsa)
No Names Policy: "I’m not going to talk about any individuals obviously."
But he did confirm:
- Club ambition is "big"
- They want to "improve the squad" and "evolve the squad"
- They’ve "detected some areas that can be strengthened"
- That’s what they’re actively working on
On Selling Players
"We have certain possibilities that we can explore if the right possibilities come across. But so far, with the numbers we have, we are happy; obviously, we need to accept that certain players will probably have to move."
Community Shield: More Than Just a Friendly
Why It Matters
- It’s a Trophy: "We’re going to have a really strong opponent, but we are really excited to start the season, to start with the first trophy as well"
- Earned Right: Arsenal qualified by winning the Premier League last season
- Hunger is Real: "You can tell how hungry the players are, which is a good sign"
- Energy is High: "All the internationals are back, and we can’t wait to start competing"
Is It a Season Marker?
Arteta’s Take: "That’s what we want… I love the way the players have come back, most of them earlier than expected, really fit… The moment they start to look at each other and look at the squad that we have and what we are building, there is a lot of excitement around it."
Target: Best Version on Day One
"The best version has to be on Sunday, and that’s the intention: that we have the best performance and the best way to start the season by lifting the first trophy. That’s the way we have prepared the season – from day one, to be at our maximum level because that’s the standard for us."
Young Guns: The Next Generation
Ethan Nwaneri (17-year-old midfielder)
| Aspect | Arteta’s View |
|---|---|
| Talent | "Unquestionable the talent, the desire, the love and the passion he has for the game" |
| Development | "Opens your eyes in terms of how much a young player can evolve in such a short period" |
| Loan vs Stay | "I want him to be at the club, but… Ethan needs to play football. If he stays here, it’s because we can guarantee that he can have those minutes" |
Max Dowman (15-year-old prodigy)
- Status: "100% with us… he’s done the pre-season, and he’s in our system in every effect"
- Playing Time: "How much he’ll play is like anyone else, he needs to earn it"
Myles Lewis-Skelly (versatile youngster)
- Role: "Depends what happens with the squad, how he trains and the position"
- Strength: "There are a lot of players that can play in various positions, and this is a huge quality we have in the squad"
Star Players: Odegaard & Saka’s Next Level
"With him [Odegaard] and Bukayo as well, I see something else. Obviously they had some issues last year and they couldn’t have the consistency levels that they know they can bring to the team. So there is a big margin and a big gap there that I think the team is going to benefit from because I can see the desire in them."
Translation: Both captain and vice-captain had injury-disrupted seasons last year. Arteta sees massive room for improvement and hunger to prove themselves.
Tactical Evolution & The Changing Game
Football is Changing Fast
- Last Season’s Shock: PSG vs Bayern Munich tie showed "something we probably haven’t witnessed before"
- World Cup Impact: Brought "very different stuff"
- Rule Changes: "When the rules change, everything changes and the game evolves"
- Adaptability Key: "Everybody will have to adapt quickly to certain changes"
Arsenal’s Evolution Plan
- Internal Growth First: "Elevating the quality we have, and elevating individual performance, has to be the main focus"
- Recruitment as Backup: "If we cannot do that for whatever reason, then we have to think about recruiting"
The Guardiola Chapter & Maresca’s Arrival
Pep Guardiola: "Best Coach in History"
| What Arteta Said | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| "I’m probably going to fall short in the way I can praise what he’s done" | 4 years as assistant gave him unique insight |
| "Escalated the Premier League to a different level" | Raised standards across the entire league |
| "Brought standards to something that we haven’t witnessed before" | Daily excellence, not just match days |
| "Done it in many different countries and leagues… in a really consistent and sustainable way" | The hardest thing in football |
| "He’s elevated all the coaches and teams to work in different ways, and he’s made all of us better" | Rising tide lifts all boats |
Light Moment: "I don’t know if as coaches we’ll miss him so much! It’s so difficult to play against him…"
On Pep’s Departure Timing
- No Inside Info: "100% not [I didn’t know]"
- But Had a Feeling: "You could sense it in the last year that there could have been a situation of it happening"
- Pep’s Unpredictability: "He could wake up in the morning and be so excited about what he sees around him and carry on doing it – as he has done for 10 years"
Winning the League WITH Pep There
"It’s obviously one of the biggest challenges I have faced in my career… When I arrived here, I had a sense, in terms of distance and years, of how far we were behind, because I was there to witness the daily operation and the level to be able to win it. To do it in the time that we’ve done it, I think we should feel proud."
Enzo Maresca: The Chosen Successor
- Arteta Knows Him Well: "I know Enzo has the character and especially the knowledge to do an unbelievable job there"
- Proven Track Record: "He has demonstrated at every level, when he’s gone to the Champions League, what he’s done at Chelsea and now at City"
- Right Choice: "They can probably pick anybody, and they’ve gone for Enzo for the right reasons"
The Crazy Transfer Market
Arteta’s Honest Reaction: "Yes, it has [surprised me]. I wouldn’t have bet on that to be fair."
But he accepts the reality:
- "That’s the market… there are clubs that are happy to invest or they believe that the valuations of those players are that, and that’s fair"
- "In the end, the value of the player is what somebody can pay for you"
- "Someone is happy to sell and someone is happy to buy, and in the middle, a player is happy to move… So I think that’s fair."
Current Team Assessment
"I think we’re in a really good place, doing some really good things, and we’re still adapting. We have a few days towards the first trophy, and then the Premier League is going to start a few days later, and I think we haven’t compromised anything; we’ve taken every situation with a lot of naturalness to get the team in the best possible condition."
Summary: Key Takeaways
| Category | Bottom Line | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness | Saka, Rice, Zubimendi | Timber: weeks away | Saliba: long-term |
| Transfers | Active in both directions | Targeting specific areas | Window closes in ~2 weeks |
| Community Shield | Treated as major trophy | Best version targeted for Sunday | High hunger/energy in squad |
| Young Players | Nwaneri: stay if minutes guaranteed | Dowman: in system, must earn it | Lewis-Skelly: versatile option |
| Stars | Odegaard & Saka have "big margin" to improve | Fresh, hungry, consistent | |
| Guardiola | GOAT coach per Arteta | Made everyone better | Proud to beat his City |
| Maresca | Perfect choice for City | Arteta endorses fully | |
| Market | £100m+ fees surprising but "fair" | Value = what someone pays | |
| Evolution | Internal improvement first | Recruitment if needed | Rules changing = game changing |
FAQ: Your Burning Questions Answered
1. Will Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice definitely play on Sunday?
Almost certainly. Both trained fully today, will train tomorrow, and Arteta said "if they are in the condition we expect them to be in, they will be involved." He also noted their individual recovery programmes have gone "really good."
2. Is Jurrien Timber close to returning?
Progressing well but still "a few weeks" away. He’s on the pitch doing increased work, but needs to join full group training first. Arteta won’t rush him: "we want to make sure that every step that we take is the right one."
3. Are Arsenal definitely signing a defender (like Quansah or Konsa)?
Arteta won’t name names but confirmed: "the ambition of the club, it’s big, we want to improve the squad… we have obviously detected some areas that can be strengthened. That’s what we are trying to do." So yes, defensive reinforcement is a priority.
4. What’s the plan for Ethan Nwaneri?
Arteta wants him to stay but only if he gets playing time. "Ethan needs to play football, and if he stays here, it’s because we can guarantee that he can have those minutes. Otherwise, it’s just something that is not good for anybody." A loan is possible if minutes can’t be guaranteed.
5. How does Arteta really feel about Pep Guardiola leaving?
Deep respect and gratitude. He called Pep "the best coach in the history of football for many reasons," credited him for raising Premier League standards, and said "he’s made all of us better." But he also joked coaches might not miss facing him! He fully backs Enzo Maresca as the right successor.
Final Thought
Arsenal head to Cardiff with key players fit, high energy, and a manager who believes his team can hit maximum level immediately. The Community Shield isn’t just a preseason friendly to Arteta—it’s the first trophy of the season, and his squad is hungry to lift it.
COYG!