In this video
- Arteta said the defeat was strange because they have not lost that many, but he thinks it is a moment to reflect. The players' pain showed who they are, and it has to help them learn the lesson.
- One player picked up an injury last weekend, and after scans he will be out for weeks, Arteta said. Another pushed to be back earlier than the end of December, and they made a swap to bring him into the squad.
- Arteta said Declan Rice was quite sick after the game and did not travel. William Saliba is still not available, and Trossard picked up another knock where he had the previous issue.
- Arteta said they had analysed the opponent's manager and identity when news came that afternoon of a new manager. It is not the first time, so they looked at his past and focused on themselves.
- Asked whether training intensity was a cause, Arteta said no, because they do not have time to train. Missing players means loading others more, and he called that a really dangerous circle.
- Asked how worrying the injury is for such a young player, Arteta called it part of the journey at this level. It could have been worse, and he can use the time to keep improving.
- Asked about signing players in January, Arteta said they are focusing on bringing players back, hopefully within weeks. Those weeks matter, as a lot starts to get defined in that period.
“No, because we don't train. I mean, today we've done 20 minutes, so surely it's not because we overtrain the players.”
Mikel Arteta delivered Arsenal’s injury update ahead of their Champions League match with Club Brugge, confirming that Declan Rice is out due to illness, Leandro Trossard injury, and William Saliba unavailable.
The Gunners are once again dealing with an intense injury crisis, with key players like Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Micky van de Ven already managing limited minutes or long-term layoffs.
Mikel Arteta praised the returns of Gabriel Martinelli and noted the incredible progress made by Gabriel in his recovery. Still the limited availability of players like Calafiori and Viktor Gyökeres leaves the team thin in crucial areas.
When asked about potential January transfers, Arteta remained focused on recovering the current squad rather than looking for reinforcements, although he acknowledged how vital the next few weeks will be for defining Arsenal’s season in both the Premier League and the Champions League.
