Mikel Arteta on transfers, Arsenal’s lack of goals and Odegaard’s struggles
Mikel Arteta faced the press on Friday afternoon to preview Arsenal’s FA Cup third round clash with Manchester United on Sunday.
The Gunners boss answered questions on several topics, including the January transfer window, Arsenal’s struggles in front of goal and the form of captain Martin Odegaard.
Here is a selection of what he had to say.
What profile of player do you look to recruit in this window?
“First of all, someone who can impact the team. Bringing in bodies doesn’t help at all, it is just someone who can immediately impact on performance and bring something we don’t have. In this market it is very difficult to achieve.”
Do you believe the solution is within or do you need to go into the market?
“My players. 100 per cent.”
How do you get more out of them when it has become a familiar story?
“It depends. If you look at a sample of a game, or two or three, that is a very short sample. You cannot use that. We don’t use short samples because they don’t correlate to team performance. When you look at a year or two, team performance, the scores, the amount of players that are involved, then there is no discussion. But we have to focus on our players.”
Small sample size referenced earlier, this season 13 of 30 games you’ve scored one or less, it feels like a problem bigger than a small sample?
“When you are a team that has scored more goals in the calendar year in the Premier League [than anyone else], I don’t think that can be a problem.”
Martin Odegaard has been so consistent in recent years, but he’s only scored once, why do think those goals have dried up a little?
“Because there are moments sometimes, probably sustaining and again when you go to probability and when you go to samples, sustaining an attacking midfielder scoring 15 goals like he did two years ago it doesn’t happen because it hasn’t happened in 50 years. Even they’re aware of that, on the other side of the coin. So he’s trying, he’s trying very high, he had some big chances. Missed some opportunities, just help him and make sure he is comfortable enough to take the shot when he needs to do that because he’s so good at it.”
Is Odegaard’s drop perhaps in part to do with Saka’s absence as they had such a strong partnership.
“It can be an element of that, obviously, he’s come from an injury and the first maybe week or two you have that extra energy and then you play every three days, he was ill for over a week you know, so that plays a part. There are a lot of circumstances but it is inevitable to think when you have such a chemistry with that player and you’re not next to each other that you’re going to notice something that is different.”
Most signings have been versatile, when you look at a forward, do you now want a specialist?
“Well in the front position in comparison to what other clubs have done and the spending that we have there, we are very far from it, for very different reasons. First of all because we already have very good players and because we have many necessities in the squad to achieve in that period.”
Spending has been focused on the back line, are you aware of that and will that now change?
“Yeah very aware because we have certain limitations and we have a lot of gaps and a lot of things to cover to become the team that we want and then the availability of those players, even if you want them and sometimes it’s not possible.”
Ian Wright said you need help because if it carries on like this you won’t score. Your response?
“I have so much support from the board. I continue to have it, and we are all seeking and willing to do the same thing, which is to win the maximum amount of football matches in the way that we want to play, to achieve the goals we want, which is to win trophies. That support continues to be there, but we have our limitations.”
Are you having discussions with those above you?
“We always have discussions with those with the one above, discussing how we can improve the team. Whether if the market is open or closed because we have to plan for the necessities are right now and what the necessities are medium and long term so those discussions are always open.”