Arsenal will host Leicester City in the upcoming EPL 6th round match on September 28th at 22:00 GMT. Before the match, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta attended the press conference and answered reporters' questions on the team's injury situation, tactical arrangements and future outlook.
Injury update
Regarding the injury of goalkeeper David Raya, Arteta said that he will have to wait for 24 hours for definitive information and emphasized that the decision to play the player or not will be based on his health. At the same time, he also revealed the recovery of other injured players: Jurijn Timberlake has taken part in training and is expected to be in the matchday squad, while Mikel Merino has taken part in part of the training but is still some time away from making his comeback, and is expected to undergo a more comprehensive assessment next week.
Tactical options and player form
Responding to a question on whether he will risk his injured players against Paris Saint-Germain, Arteta emphasized that it is not a question of risking but a decision based on the players' fitness. He also said that the team will make a final decision before the match based on the specifics of the match against Leicester City. For the team's unity and fighting spirit in the absence of Ödgö, Arteta expressed great satisfaction and believed that the team has excellent team spirit and leadership.
Dealing with Criticism and Staying Focused
In the face of criticism and accusations from the outside world, Arteta has shown great professionalism. He believes that if the criticism is real and affects the team, then it needs to be taken seriously and improved, but if it is unfounded and does not affect the team, then it should not be taken personally. He emphasized that staying focused and dealing with issues properly is part of the job, and that his relationship with the players and coaching staff is very strong and will not be affected by a momentary win or loss.
Future Outlook and Tactical Deployment
For the upcoming match, Arteta said that his team will continue to pursue possession and attacking soccer as usual and hope to build stronger momentum with it. He also revealed his anticipation for the return of Mikel Merino, believing that the midfielder will bring exceptional soccer intelligence and attacking threat to the team. Speaking on defense, Arteta emphasized the importance of players' mentality and team spirit, and said that the tacit partnership of Gabriel and Saliba is the key to the team's sturdy defense.
Preparation for the match against Leicester City
Arteta expressed his high level of vigilance and respect for tomorrow's opponents, Leicester City. He believes that Leicester City is a strong team and manager Steve Cooper knows Arsenal's tactical characteristics very well. Therefore, he asked his team to do their best to face this tough battle.
