Mikel Arteta praised his players’ courage after Arsenal produced what he described as a “very, very complete performance” to beat Inter Milan 3-1 at the San Siro and make it seven wins from seve...
Mikel Arteta praised his players’ courage after Arsenal produced what he described as a “very, very complete performance” to beat Inter Milan 3-1 at the San Siro and make it seven wins from seven in this season’s Champions League.
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Arsenal struck early through Gabriel Jesus, only to be pegged back when Petar Sucic equalised eight minutes later, before another Jesus goal restored the lead before half-time.
With five minutes to go, Viktor Gyokeres added a third from long range to seal a victory that guarantees Arsenal a top-two finish in the table and a place in the last 16, along with home advantage in the second leg of the knockout phase.
“I’m very happy, super proud of the players,” Arteta said. “We talked about doing something special tonight, and it was going to require a very, very complete performance to have the opportunity to win, and collectively, I think we understood the game really well.
“We had the right emotional control, the right aggression, and then individually I think we were super good, and we had some big, big individual performances. The level of courage we had to show, the conviction. If you really want to help this team, it has to be there.
“There are some risks, and you know that [Inter] have the capacity to open you up very well in the manner that they played. But we knew that we could hurt them as well, but we had to be really consistent.”
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Arteta was quick to highlight the impact of his squad across the 90 minutes, including those introduced from the bench late on. “Not only the starters but the finishers as well, they had a massive impact, and they certainly did that tonight,” he said.
He also singled out Cristhian Mosquera after the defender marked his return from injury with 75 minutes in Milan, having been expected to be out for another two weeks. “He [Cristhian] was unbelievable,” Arteta said.
“He would have come back two weeks later, and the staff and himself have done an incredible job to be earlier. In the Champions League at this stage, the first game, it’s a big task – and I think he’s fulfilled that tonight in a great way.”
Speaking to the media after the match, Arteta also said the win reflected Arsenal’s work across the campaign so far. “We’re very proud, not only for tonight’s game, but what we’ve done in the competition so far in seven matches. With one game to go, to be already in the position that we want to be is a massive prize to the team, because we know how difficult it is, and then tonight it was a test.
“Probably we didn’t have the necessity in terms of the points, but we really had the hunger and the desire to come to a place like this, against a top, top side, and prove what we are and what we can do. I’m really pleased with what I’ve seen.”
Arteta also welcomed Jesus’ contribution and the strength Arsenal now have in the forward line. “This is great, we’ve been missing Gabi a lot, and I think it’s going to raise his confidence level and the team’s, because we have now different profiles in that position, like we have with the wingers, and the fact that those players are playing at that level. Viktor comes in and has a great impact as well in the game. It’s only making us better, and that’s what we’re seeking.”
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Pressed on how his forwards delivered in such a significant away win, Arteta pointed to the balance across the team, and the work behind the scenes to get key players ready. “If I had to write it, probably that would be it. I’m very happy with that, and I’m very happy as well with most of the individual performances. I think we were incredible, you don’t win in San Siro in the manner that we’ve done.
“Mosquera is supposed to be another two weeks before coming back, but the medical staff and the sports scientists, they’ve done incredibly well with him to work every single hour to give him the chance to play. Today he had to play against top strikers, I think he’s done an incredible job.”
The Arsenal manager also underlined the importance of managing minutes across a demanding run of fixtures. “A lot, because we played the fourth consecutive game away from home in four different competitions in 12 days, I think it was. So it’s crazy, in the manner that we’ve done it, we’ve been able to do that because we have rotated, because players feel important, players are fit to play when it’s needed. Myles had to play 95 minutes, and he does it, and he does it really well. That’s the only way to sustain the level, the demands and the objectives that we want.”
Arteta said it was too early to talk in definitive terms about trophies, but made clear Arsenal’s aims for the season. “We’ll see. It’s too early yet, but the aim is to get to May with the possibility of winning, and every day we have to make an effort, to have the energy that we’ve played today, to have this ambition, and if that’s the case, maybe we’ll take it.”
He also stressed what the seven straight Champions League wins say about Arsenal’s mindset. “First of all, the ambition and the conviction that we have that we can compete against any team. Then you have to do it on the day. In order to do that, a lot of things have to go your way, and you have to put a lot of things on the table to make it happen. I love the attitude of the team.
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“To come to this stadium, in that atmosphere, against the opponent that we have, because they are really good and they make it so hard for you, because they stretch you so much. In two passes you are open. But we played with a lot of intelligence, and we have to manage the game, we’ve done it, in the Champions League, it’s a very important thing. The starters made an impact, the subs made an impact, and that’s all the ingredients that you need at the end of the game if you want to have the option to win here.”
On the challenge posed by Inter, Arteta admitted the threat had been on his mind. “Last night I didn’t sleep very well because I had that feeling that they’re a team that in two passes gives them an opportunity. It happened two or three times, and losing the ball in certain spaces is very dangerous. We had two-on-two, and every time it was difficult. But we played with a lot of personality. We were also lucky when it was emotional. The team did very well.”
Attention now turns to Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Manchester United, with Arteta keen to move on quickly from a big European night. “It’s very difficult [to win seven in a row],” he said. “But that shows the consistency, and not only that, the desire of the team – to constantly go to the next round and try to improve and be better, and win, and win, and win. And that’s what we want to do, and we’re not going to stop. Let’s see how far we can get in the competition, but so far, very happy.
“Let’s enjoy tonight, and we have another massive game on Sunday against [Manchester] United as well, and then we will look after that one.”
Category: General Sports
