Mikel Arteta had plenty to discuss when he faced the media after our dramatic, heart-stopping 1-0 win over West Ham United on Sunday.
The boss was asked about our late winner, David Raya’s contribution, his substitutions, injuries to Ben White and Riccardo Calafiori, West Ham’s disallowed goal and much more.
Here’s a full transcript from his post-match press conference:
on the end to the game:
What a moment, what an afternoon, what a week it’s been for us, so full of emotions. I cannot praise enough the attitude, the desire, the courage and the quality of the team shown throughout this week because there was so much at stake and today we knew against a team that is fighting for their life against a club has an incredible history, how tough it was going to be. I think we started the game so well, we created three big chances to go in front and we didn’t manage to do that, so we have to keep our heads cool.
Then we have the Ben White injury, we have to make an adjustment there. After then at half-time we had to make another one with Richy’s injury. After that, I said at half-time to the boys, we’re really going to go for it, so be ready because if the game is not panning out in the manner that we have to, we’re going to have to change it. And the finishers made a difference. Martin came in and had an incredible impact on the game with an action that leaves Leo in a top position to score the goal, and after that there are two moments.
One is David’s save, one against one, which is the story of the season again. And the other one, it’s in the most chaotic circumstances when two teams are playing for their lives. A call from the refs that I think is very brave, but very consistent with what they’ve been talking about all season. When I have to be critical, I have been, and today I have to praise them at least for giving the option to a referee to decide, away from the lights and the chaos, to give clarity to him to make the right call. When you look at the action in that way, I think it is an obvious error, and it is a free-kick and the goal has to be disallowed, so congratulations, because they made a big call in very, very difficult circumstances.
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on the importance of the late VAR decision:
Probably today I have realised how difficult and how big a referee’s job is. Because you’re talking about a moment that can decide the history, the course of two massive clubs that are fighting with their lives to achieve their objectives, nd the pressure is huge. It gives you a lot of choice.
on Ben White’s injury:
We don’t know, but he doesn’t look good at all, so he needs some further testing tomorrow probably and I know a bit more.
on the feeling after an important week:
Amazing. I feel so happy, so proud. Relieved as well, because we knew the difficulty of the game, but we’ve done it. It’s been a phenomenal week in every sense. What the team has done, the way we’ve played, the way we have approached games. Then what our supporters have done for us this season, all week and today as well. It’s phenomenal, I think it changes the energy of the team and we have to live in the present now and just think about Burnley because that’s the only important thing.
on moving Declan Rice into the backline after White’s substitution:
There are two actions defensively that we suffered in a little bit, I don’t think it’s because of his positioning, but the reality is I think we had to. But as well with the game that I expected, bringing Mosquera was going to lock something, we really believed that he can give us the fluidity and the chance to hurt them, but sometimes you have to make another change and the one on Zubi was tough, but I really felt that we had to put two attacking midfielders in that moment to generate all the kind of issues I’ve said, and thank God it worked out.
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on the impact of a win in dramatic circumstances:
It’s only two games to go after that, and we have created some big chances and we didn’t score, and the team had to stay cool. And I knew that they were going to have moments as well, because they don’t need much to create issues around your box with the players that they have and the set-up that they have. So, yeah, we navigated through that and I think it was a successful game.
on Leandro Trossard’s performance:
Well, that makes a difference for us. And as with everybody, it’s impossible to maintain the level especially with the demand on the players. I think recently he’s been really, really good. I think the games that he’s in played this week has been phenomenal, and he’s made a difference.
on David Raya’s save:
When you talk about magic moments, this is certainly one of the most needed moments as well to pull off with that save. He was incredible.
on if it’s the biggest save of the season:
I don’t know. He’s made a few to be fair. So, yeah, that says how good he’s been.
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