Arteta Discusses Rice’s Fitness, Rejects ‘Reset’ Idea, and Outlines Palmer Strategy

Mikel Arteta, manager of Arsenal, addressed reporters ahead of Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Chelsea, scheduled for 16:30 GMT. The following are the principal statements from his press conference: Arteta stated that he possesses “no clarity” regarding Declan Rice’s availability for the Chelsea match, noting that the player “hasn’t trained yet.” He indicated he would observe captain Martin Odegaard’s training session on Saturday, adding: “He’s available, he’s fit, then we make the decision.” Regarding Kai Havertz and Mikel Merino, both substituted during Wednesday’s loss to Inter Milan, Arteta commented: “[We have to] wait to see how they react. Kai’s was quite a nasty cut. Mikel wasn’t feeling great and we decided to substitute him at half-time.” Arteta expressed his conviction that a minor adjustment would enable his team to regain its form: “Nobody works harder than me, I guarantee you that. We don’t need a reset. In one particular aspect we need to go from 95 to 100. I will not tell you what that is.” Addressing the approach to Chelsea’s playmaker Cole Palmer, Arteta remarked: “That’s a question that all the managers in the league have had and he’s still managed to impact games. We will have a plan for Cole and all their threats, and to exploit their weaknesses.” Arteta acknowledged that a lack of victories “affects the mood and energy” within the squad, stating: “There is nobody in this room or outside who wants to win more than I do or the players do. That is impossible. I sense a big belief in what we do as a team.” Regarding his players’ mindset following four games without a win, he commented: “They are paying attention, they are hungry and they want to work. Their desire is unbelievable. They are a joy to work with.”