Mikel Arteta: "The finishers come off the bench"
“What an amazing place to play football,” says Arsenal’s manager. “For 20 or 25 minutes it was so intense, with many direct routes. The finishers come off the bench and win the game.”
On Martinelli being mobbed by his teammates after scoring 36 seconds after coming on: “The way they look after each other is genuine,” he says. “They really want the best for each other and they recognise someone that works every single day in the manner that Gabi does. You can go through struggles or through moments, and recognising that and having that capacity to connect with him, I think it will mean a lot to him.”
“I was sure that Gabi was going to react like that. You raise the level to Gabi and he was going to do that. They are the moments that hopefully are going to give him the confidence again to go, as he is an outstanding player. It is very difficult emotionally to leave players out. I know how much they want to play this competition and what it means to them.”
“Every time you give the line-up you are disappointing a lot of players. To have that spirit, I looked on the bench and I looked at him [Martinelli], and in his eyes I saw he was ready. Leo [Trossard] as well. They play with a confidence and that connection between them as well. Really good. I think that is going to help us a lot this season. It is going to be key this season.”
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Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Match report: On a night when Arsenal were without seven key men and yet to find a way through a club that are the ultimate in resistance Mikel Arteta’s solution came from the bench, writes Sid Lowe from Esatadio de San Mamés …
