Every word Mikel Arteta said on Arsenal win, injury issue and transfer deadline day deals

Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta faced the press after victory over Aston Villa(Image: Darren Staples / AFP via Getty Images)

Mikel Arteta spoke to the press after his Arsenal side continued their perfect start to the season with a very hard-fought win at a place where they have historically struggled to find victories. Aston Villa didn’t muster a single shot on target during the game, which was a testament to the defensive effort of The Gunners.

Arteta was full of praise for the work rate and effort of his team, and in particular Eberechi Eze, whose arrival in the second half changed the momentum somewhat in Arsenal’s favour. Christos Tzolis had a less-than-impressive game; this again raises questions of whether the left-hand side must be improved before the deadline on Tuesday.

There was some question marks about the time that remains in the transfer window for Arsenal. Their next test is a much tougher one, as Chelsea, who have also won both of their games, come to the Emirates.

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Here is every word the Arsenal manager said:

Just a word quickly on Bukayo Saka, he's a difference-maker tonight. Talk me through his impact on the game, but have you noticed at the start of the season as well?

Well, I prefer to talk about the squad. I think it was a squad victory today. Everybody that was involved in the game, in any capacity, made a difference for us.

And that's a big message for all of us, because with the depth that we have and with the quality that we have, if we really make that count, that's going to be a massive welcome for us.

You obviously lost it last season, so how important is it to feel like this is a step forward?

Well, I was still in my tummy and I spoke to the players about it. That image when the players were on the floor, totally battered, it was a really difficult one to take. And yeah, we used that to bring energy, to bring more conviction on the pitch, to understand the difficulty of the challenge that we had ahead, especially against a team that was so successful last year and then they lost a few days ago in a really big way.

And you expect that reaction. And it's a stadium, it's a really difficult one, big matches, and they make those moments count. And today we have to suffer, we did suffer, and we have to be really dominant, and we were, so I'm really pleased.

The contrast then between last season, when obviously Villa came back and here, particularly in that second half, and you just had such great control, what's your reaction to that?

It was very different. And that shows our maturity, that shows the strength that we have in the players, we changed momentum, and to understand what the game needed, and we brought our own leadership in the team. People really can hold the ball and have really dominating spells through the ball and in duels.

And I think they've done it, and Ebs comes in, he makes a difference to win the game. Ezri makes a debut in really difficult circumstances, but it's not easy emotionally to come here and play, and he looks so composed, so calm, so in control. And for all those reasons, I think that's the reason why we won the game.

Just on Ebs, coming in at half-time, obviously this time last year was kind of taken off at half-time, so a very big contrast in what happened today. You said he played a role in winning the game, how did you feel he did, and what were you looking for in comparison to what you'd seen in the first half?

To trust him, and we knew that he could create an action, he created three actions, that he put people almost looking at the goalkeeper, one against one. But as well, I had to trust him when he made those rotations, especially on the right side, and Cash’s goal. Last year he lost him, we conceded a goal.

And this year, I think he learned his lesson, because every time something was happening, he was at it, and I think he helped the team in every way.

It felt like a very tightly contested game, with your inability to zero shots on target. Was that effort, determination, the capacity of the application of your team, is that what's so key to winning these type of affairs?

100 per cent, and in the Premier League, away from home, when you come to these quality squads, these quality coaches, and they know how to make life really tough for you, you really have to be at it, and I think consistently throughout the game, and individually, I think we did that really well.

Just quickly, you've lost Leo and Gabi, and we're expecting to see Gabi probably go at this point. You've only brought in Christos on the left, are you looking before the deadline closes to fill up that spot on the left-hand side?

As I said, we are trying to improve the squad, and until tomorrow night we're going to try to do that. I've been disconnected from the world for 24 hours, because I think my energy and focus has to be on the match, and I will get back on it now.

Just on that theme, do you think you've got enough variation and options in forward areas, or do you need more?

It depends if everybody's fit or not. We can talk about today, but that scenario might change. We knew that with Willy out; we had an injury in the back line, we knew we were in big trouble, so we had to do everything.

And today, Mosquera, he could not continue. So we know that the depth has to be really big when you're fighting for four competitions, in the manner that we play as well. So we're going to try to do that.

He's fine, but he was feeling like he was about to have something, and that's why we have the bench that we have, and that's what we have to bring in Ezri.

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