Any team news updates?
No. Everybody has trained this week and everybody is fine and has been training and hopefully we have a full team to choose from apart from Reiss, who you know has been injured for a few weeks now.
What satisfied you the most about Bournemouth?
The way we played, the way we performed, the performance, getting the points and continuing on a good run.
The way you started is different from last year, what do you put that down to?
For sure the players that you have available and the players that we had at that time, we are in a different moment. A year has gone by - and I can give some examples especially with our development players and where they are today - it’s a completely different scenario. Good momentum, good energy around the place and let’s keep going.
READ MORE: Arsenal press conference LIVE: Mikel Arteta on Europa League draw, Pedro Neto links and Fulham
What do you expect from Fulham?
A really tough match. They come from a really good run in the Championship last year, they did extremely well, they haven’t lost a game yet in the Premier League and they played against three difficult opponents and it will be a very difficult game.
What do you make of Mitrovic?
When he’s around the box as you can see last season, he scored 43 goals in the league and he already has three this season, that tells you the efficiency that he has in these areas. He’s one of the main threats of Fulham.
Are there any transfer updates?
Not right now.
What is your reaction to Pepe leaving?
It’s been three years and he had some very good moments, some others where he hasn’t really contributed much in terms of minutes. We decided for every party it was the best decision to allow him to go. He needs to play minutes, he needs to play football. He was really adamant to do that and we decided that it would be best for everybody to do it.
What’s the mood ahead of Fulham?
The mood is really good, the energy is really good. We have to put in another good performance and earn the right to win.
Will you go all out to win the Europa League?
You have to go all out in every competition where we are present, try to win it. Go step by step obviously and let’s see what the draw brings.
What’s your response to the story about Arsenal being on the Financial Fair Play watchlist?
We are compliant and have heard nothing so I don’t know what that is.
So that will have no bearing on any potential incomings?
No, I think the club has been very disciplined all the time and with a very clear vision of how we want to do things, the limitations we have and how we have to deal with things. In that case, nothing changes.
It’s your 100th Premier League match tomorrow. Were you aware of that?
No I wasn’t. They just told me. Time flies!
What does it mean to you to hit that milestone?
It’s such a privilege to be in this football club for so long and reach that number. Hopefully we can extend that for a long period and bring joy and a lot of wins.
What’s going to happen with Hector Bellerin?
There are still a few players where we’re discussing their futures and we will try to find the best solution for all parties.
What have you learnt in your 100 Premier League games?
How difficult and how beautiful life is when you win or lose. Especially that. Looking back and analysing the journey and how many things have happened and the way every decision counts. Consistency is so important so just do what you believe in and it will work out.
Have you always been behind the project or did have you doubts along the way?
We are human beings, we doubt, and when the environment turns around and you don’t find a way to win matches even though you deserve to do that, you have to find ways to adapt. At the end though you have to feel because you have to find a way to transmit it especially to our players and supporters around the club.
How will you make sure the club keep their standards up with two games a week now?
It’s a completely unprecedented season, not only because we’re going to be playing here a lot of weeks with two or three games in a week, but especially because we have the World Cup coming up and we don’t know how it’s going to effect things. So we have to look at the overall picture and every decision has been done according to that.
What do you make of Gabriel Jesus’ start and will Aubameyang going to Chelsea bring you a wry smile?
With Gabi we are exceptionally happy with the way he’s settled and with the way he’s performing, with what he brought to the club in general as well. In relation to Auba, it’s his future and we wish him the best.
Will you go and have a coffee with him?
I normally don’t do that with players.
Did the fee get on top of Pepe?
I don't know, I think Nico has tried to deal with that in the best possible way, he is not responsible for the price a club pays for him. He has tried everything, his attitude and the way he is, is just phenomenal. You just have to meet the person because you just love him for the way he is. But then in terms of the decision you have to make on the pitch, who do you select, we made other decisions and obviously that has had an impact in the chances he had to prove his quality.
Could Pepe still come back?
He needed minutes, he has been craving minutes sand talking to me a lot about that, I couldn't guarantee that right now, what he was looking for. At some stage, if you extend that period for too long then frustration comes in and the level of performance won't get what we want and we decided that was the best thing to for all parties.
Will it be a failure if you don’t get in the Champions League after such a big spend this summer?
I think it is a question for all of the Premier League teams that are buying 6, 7, 8 players in their starting XI. You ask the question, what is failure? We have to perform, we have to do it week in and week out, we have started well and we have to focus on the next match, that is it.
What lessons have you learned from Pepe?
I don’t know. The club and whoever decides to bring players — whether I’m involved or whoever was involved in the past — it was always with the best intentions. We believed, they believed at the time that it was the best player they could get in the market to have an impact on the club. Some days it is not that easy. You see that everywhere. You get a top, top player, put him in a different context and suddenly it doesn’t work. This industry is quite complicated. We try to minimise the risk as much as possible but at the end of the day they’re not machines, they’re human beings and they need all the factors to go right to fulfil their potential.
Do you look at the pots before the draw?
Inevitably you do it, you look at the travelling, the way the games are going to come in, what would be better or worse. At the end of the day we have nothing to do with that, it’s pure luck. Let’s see what it brings today.
Does Pepe going mean you will sign a replacement?
If we can implement the plan that we have, we will try to do [it]. In that plan, that [Pepe leaving] was something that could happen. Now it is a reality and we have been preparing the last two months in order to achieve what we want. Whether that is possible or not, we will see.
If you don’t manage to implement that plan, confident squad is still strong enough?
We have done it in a different way. At the start of the window we signed players before getting other players out. Now we have done something different, we have let a player go and maybe [we’ll] be able to recruit somebody. But it’s not a guarantee because the players are still not here. What I guarantee is the day the window closes, for me this is the best team in the world and I will try to get the best out of them, that’s it.
What is the transfer window like at the moment? Is it crazy in the final week?
If you look at the players who are coming, the amount of money spent, the level that the squad had and what they are adding, it’s something that I haven’t experienced in this league. You saw that yesterday with the transfers and I think it’s going to be very powerful.
Is it tougher to get anyone with Premier League spending being so high?
Yeah, but the record in terms of performances that the leagues have produced last year, it’s the highest ever. When you look at the points you need to achieve certain things it’s never happened before. The level has raised so much for every team in this league and you can already see that in these first few games with surprises and results.
Are you confident you have a squad that can handle Thursday - Sunday?
That’s what we hope. There are things you cannot control like injuries and suspensions. We have to maintain the level of performance that we have right now and the demands of this club are to do it every three days.
READ NEXT:
UEFA Europa League draw LIVE: Arsenal and Manchester United learn group stage opponents
Arsenal on course to benefit from upcoming new Champions League format amid UEFA announcement
Arsenal can complete £50m Pedro Neto transfer on one condition as Wolves stance may offer hope
What Wilfried Zaha has previously said about joining Arsenal amid fresh transfer links
Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: All the latest updates and rumours from the Emirates Stadium
