Every word Mikel Arteta said on Saka fitness, Odegaard Arsenal return and Tuchel appointment

The Arsenal boss has spoken to the press ahead of the Gunners' Premier League clash with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium

What stage is Saka at after coming off against Greece?

It’s not a serious injury. He’s evolving really well. He’s done a few things in the last few days when he came back from the national team after the second game. We are hopeful. We have a training session this afternoon and he did some bits yesterday, so let’s see if he can make it on time.

Was Havertz not going with Germany precautionary?

Yeah, he had a few issues and we’ve been dealing with that. He’s been absolutely brilliant. He has very good communication with the national team and the manager. They understood the situation. We have modified everything that we could do here and if he trains well today he has a good chance to be fit and available.

Martinelli the same?

Gabi landed yesterday afternoon, so we’ve had a very short time to be with him. Yesterday he went outside to do a little bit and see how he’s feeling. Today will be another step to understand whether we want to take the risk if he’s fit. I know what the player is going to say ‘I’m going to be fit’.

Any progress on Odegaard after conflicting reports?

He’s not going to be fit for this game. Next week will be a different story. In that later stage of rehab, where he is at the moment because he’s doing a lot of stuff already, he needs to clear some markers. There are certain things he needs to be comfortable with doing, especially with the ball. Next week will be crucial to understanding how close he is.

READ MORE: Mikel Arteta provides huge Arsenal injury update on Saka and seven others ahead of Bournemouth

READ MORE:Arsenal press conference LIVE

White, Timber and Zinchenko - any of them back?

The three of them are quite close. Today we will have to push and see who is because we are stronger with the numbers, especially on our right side. Hopefully we have some positive news today and we’ll have some players back tomorrow.

Havertz said that the Bournemouth game last season flicked a switch in him and gave him confidence. How do you see that and did you imagine he’d get his good at that point?

Probably not, but I think that was a turning point for sure. The players took ownership which is the best thing and they decided to do something for the player. It made him feel special, respected and admired and that everyone was wishing the best for him. The connection with the fans after that day was huge as well and it started to click. Since then it’s been incredible. His contribution to every match and what the does to help us win games is incredible. That’s very positive obviously.

He said he feels like he embodies what this club is about…

Absolutely. He’s an amazing role model, the way he behaves every day, the way he is as a person, how much he loves to play football, how much he loves to compete. Again part of that at the elite level is handling and managing difficult situations and he’s done that.

What’s your reaction to Tuchel’s appointment at England?

They’re gonna learn a lot. He’s one of the best coaches in the world in my opinion, the way his teams are set up. It’s very exciting times. I spoke to a few of the players and they had a smile on their faces straight away. That’s a good sign.

How’s Partey?

Yes, Thomas is fit.

How vindicating is it for you to see how Havertz has done despite the initial doubts?

We believed he could do it. We believed he could bring certain things to the team that we didn’t have, certain qualities that we were lacking. It was a big question mark though, because he wasn’t producing what we required at that level a year ago or two years ago. We believed changing the environment could affect him in a really positive way. Every conversation that we had with him was very reassuring that you’re gonna have a player who will try his very best to achieve the objectives. Then you have to make it work. Now we are in a great place.

Are you concerned you’ve not kept a clean sheet in the past three league games?

Especially with the way we conceded certain goals and the little things we have conceded to concede those goals. There is room for improvement there. It’s about being very consistent and making sure that we play with a level of urgency, creation and focus in every action because in the last few games, especially at home, the way we’ve conceded the goals I’m not too happy about.

What’s Bournemouth’s biggest threat?

That they’re very well coached, a super competitive team and very clear on what they want to do. They should have had very different results in my opinion, especially against the big teams. It’s going to be a big challenge going to them after the international break. With the courage, the intensity and the quality that they play we have to be at our best tomorrow.

What does it say to you that England couldn’t find an English coach to be the manager?

I understand the opinions and the feelings. That’s the responsibility for the FA to say the first filter is only English managers or the filters are any manager from any country and we select the best for the moment that we’re in right now. I understand that it can feel sad for some people not to have an English manager. History tells you how important this could be as well. I think I would take a lot of pride as well that a lot managers and a lot of people would do anything to be the England manager. That’s related to how we’re treated in this country as foreigners. How much we love the passion, the respect, the history and the way that things are done in this country. I can say personally that you feel so related to where you are even if you are not from here. I think there are very few countries that could say that.

Would you be open to managing England?

I look English! I've been here so long.

I’ll tell you right now, the feeling I have, for me this is like home. I've been here for 22 years. I have that feeling towards it because I always feel respected, welcomed and inspired by this country and the history of football and how you get treated daily. I think that’s something you should be really proud of as a country.

You brought Wilshere here…

Not me, we. We brought him here. And he’s been phenomenal.

There are suggestions he might be leaving. How good can he be?

He’s been great. Everyone knows about the career, about his character and he’s a really special personality. His attachments to the football club are unique. He has this aura and charisma and a way of connecting with people. He’s been an inspiration for the kids because of his history, what he did and the manner that he did it. What happens next is his decision.

Pre-season about almost sequencing game plans for specific opponents that come up that are similar to each other in a period of time. Actually been able to come into play this season, how that's gone.

Yeah, well, we try to plan in the international breaks what we're going to have next and what are the similarities of those things and with the limited time that we have, OK, what are the patterns, what are the things that are going to be efficient, you know, that we can work on in the majority of the matches. For the next one, it's a bit different to the previous one, especially because you play certain games at home and then away and the sequencing is a bit different. But it's true that the weeks are going to look different. We have more minus twos and minus ones to train compared to the previous one.

In terms of that efficiency, has that been a different challenge for you this year or is it something you and your coaching staff are kind of used to now?

It's an opportunity, you know, that after analysing everything, how can we simplify the game in a really efficient way to be super clear with the team what requires in that specific moment to be better than the opponent and win the game.

Seven games now before the next international break. Martin are you confident that at some point during these seven games you'll get him back playing?

Yes, hopefully, yes.

Tomiyasu had a setback? How long will he be out.

We don’t know that (how long he will be out for). It doesn’t look like, hopefully, a long period but we have to see when he comes back how he reacts to the load and to the impact on the pitch as well. But we really need him, he has been incredible, his work rate, the amount of hours he has put in to get back. He did it and he was in great shape - and now he has got something else again. But, we are all behind him. He needs our support and hopefully he will be fine.

Ten candidates for the England job, many of them were back in August, you haven't signed a new deal at Arsenal yet.

No, I didn't speak to them. I'm not one of those ten!

Think you might go into international management one day?

I'm happy enough right now with all the responsibilities and the amount of things we want to achieve and do here. So, at the moment, I'm not thinking about it. Bournemouth, Shakhtar, Liverpool in the next little week.

Better place mentally to handle these kind of challenges now, switching between competitions, three big games in eight days?

We certainly have more experience to do that. In the past, in the previous period, we showed that under very specific circumstances, different contexts, we were able to perform and get the results that we wanted. So, now we have a different challenge and availability is going to be key as well because we need certain players back as quick as possible. Some very important ones as well. That's going to make the process better and more efficient.

You almost played for England didn't you?

I was thinking about that the other day. I was actually talking to Edu about that at lunch. Yeah, I would have done it.

Was it Capello who approached you?

Yeah, I would have done it. I feel very proud about it. I was very realistic, looking at the players Spain had at the time, and how big a challenge I had. You need to know your level, that is very important. Look in the mirror. At the end it didn’t happen. But it was good, at least to think about it.

Are you disappointed it didn't happen?

It was OK. If you cannot do it, you cannot do it. I wasn’t prepared to fight against the world.

Tuchel's experience as a club Premier League manager, will that be perhaps slightly advantageous for you when it comes to the load for some of the players…?

Well I think all the managers understand are the ones we have at the club level but the reality as well is that they have the responsibility to do the best for the country and to fulfil the duties that they have in the role, which is to win all of the games. And with those demands you have to make the best decision that you think for the day and it's very difficult and I understand that for anybody to look one month ahead, three months ahead or looking at the previous history.

Smiley England players now Tuchel coming - that include Raheem?

I don't know if Raheem was in there.

Did Ben White have a specific facial expression?

You didn't ask me about Bukayo or Declan, we have to assume that those two were happy then?

Well, yes, clearly - and that Tuchel happy with them. But important to get Raheem back in England side?

If that is what he decides he wants. He is in a really good moment right now, in the last training sessions he was exceptional. Raheem at his best can compete with any player for sure.

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