Exclusive Interview with Mikel Arteta: The brilliance of Kai Havertz, the aura of Declan Rice, and why Arsenal’s finest is still to come

Benjamin Bull December 9, 2023

0 6 7 minutes read

Declan Rice and Kai Havertz are assisting, according to Mikel Arteta, who discusses with Sky Sports why Arsenal needed the suffering of the previous campaign to advance.

Since he is suspended, Mikel Arteta will spend Saturday at Villa Park limited to the director’s box, but he is looking forward to the good things. He says, grinning, “A really nice view.” Furthermore, he wouldn’t really alter any of those hallucinogenic sequences involving Luton.

Regarding the 4-3 triumph at Kenilworth Road, he tells Sky Sports, “I think you get more from winning it in the way we did it.” “First and foremost, you get to feel and experience all of that with the team. Sport is beautiful because of its uniqueness.

“And as well because you can take learnings from it, big learnings from what we did well and also the things we have to improve, to make sure we do not get into that position again.”

It’s comforting to know, though, that this Arsenal team can still find a way, even if they do. One of many significant late goals this season, Declan Rice’s header was another illustration of the winning attitude their boss has meticulously fostered.

“It’s just about injecting that desire to win and understanding that the game is going to take you through certain phases and certain moments that you have to overcome,” Arteta adds.

“You have to be outstanding in other areas to earn the right to win it when you are not at your best in some, especially in your own box. I could sense the team’s willingness to play in a challenging and exciting environment even at halftime.”

Up next is a much more difficult assignment against Aston Villa. On Wednesday night, Unai Emery’s team destroyed Manchester City to win at home for the fourteenth time in a row.

However, Arsenal is also doing well; they lead the Premier League and are motivated by their disappointment at not winning the previous year. If you ask Arteta if it hurts anymore, she gives a rueful nod. However, lessons have been discovered.

“One of them is that when you get to March, April, you need 24 players fully ready, all fit, at their best, because that is when the title is going to be decided,” he elaborates. “We were lacking that. There were some significant injuries that had a big impact on the team.

The next step is to grind at specific times, hold onto momentum while you have it, and avoid giving anything away. In order to learn from it, you most likely need to have had the same experience as us from the previous year.

“Sports is beautiful because it requires you to look forward, but it’s also like a reference point. It must motivate you even more and persuade you that you can truly accomplish your goals in a more convincing manner even though it is there for you to look at occasionally.”

In order to maximize their opportunities, Arteta has changed his team’s strategy, putting more of an emphasis on defense and resiliency. Is Arsenal being more subdued now? He’d rather use another word.

“I want dominance more than control,” Arteta declares. “Resisting the urge to breathe and exercising dominance in the appropriate location. That’s what we do. I have no interest in controlling certain portions of the pitch since doing so could bring us into problems.

“That is the art of the game – where that line is,” Arteta explains. “It’s similar to wanting to do the opposite when you have a blanket on and your feet are cold instead of pulling it up because your neck is cold.

“The balance is always precarious. There are players that will occasionally give you that. Occasionally, it’s a formation. Occasionally, you get that from the experience or the game state. It is artistic. However, for a team to be truly successful, they must be able to dominate.”

How ‘unique’ Rice is helping

Arsenal was prepared to pay a record £105 million for Rice in the summer because of this. After the 24-year-old’s victory over Luton, Arteta exaggerated his aura. But it’s merely a portion of what he’s offering. What additional attributes does Arteta hold in the highest regard?

“The way he dominates key aspects of the game,” according to him.

“First and foremost, it’s his intelligence, his ability to read the game, his decision-making both on and off the ball, his timing, where to look, how to execute, and when to pass the ball—all of which are extremely, extremely important, particularly given his position.

“In addition, he has the ability to read situations before other players do, whether they occur in the opponent’s box or in the middle of the pitch. That is a significant benefit.

From the beginning of the season, Arteta has been in awe of Rice’s impact. When asked to describe his impact on his teammates, the Spaniard goes back to a phrase he has already used.

It’s hard to describe, but if I had to choose an image, I’d suggest a lighthouse. When he was beside me and I was watching him play, I felt the same way about him.

“I had the impression that this guy had something extra, a distinct presence, even while he was playing for West Ham. Something similar is probably needed by the team.”

But did he ever think he would become this excellent so quickly? The playing style of West Ham and Arsenal couldn’t be more dissimilar, but Rice has adjusted with ease. Arteta grinned.

“Every idea that went through my head was really optimistic. Naturally, we anticipated that he would be an expensive player, but he was already performing at a very high level, so all of my predictions came out to be very favorable.

“Then, the outcome has been very, very quick and that is credit to him and how he has adapted, and also how everybody else has been extremely supportive and helpful with him.”

‘Intelligent’ Havertz starting to thrive

It has taken a little longer for Chelsea’s £65 million acquisition Kai Havertz. Supporters were irritated by his difficult season debut, and Arteta acknowledges that it affected Havertz psychologically.

Arteta responds, “I think everybody feels what is around them,” when asked if he needed to be helped up. “When something isn’t going well, it can affect you. Positive energy has the power to affect you as well.

“However, I believe he sensed the backing of his entire team as well as his club.” He is now sensing the support of our people, which is tremendously significant and has the potential to greatly increase his potential. For this reason, I believe that the current iteration is excellent.”

Granit Xhaka’s replacement in Arsenal’s midfield was never going to be easy. According to Arteta, “He was a huge player for us.” “Yes, Granit is missed. Because I adore him as a person, I also miss him.”

However, Havertz did more than just adjust as he scored his third goal in four games in the victory over Luton. It has also been up to his manager to decide how to make the most of him.

“We have to do that with each and every player,” says Arteta. “We are not limited to a single concept of what we desire. Ultimately, we must tailor that job, that position, and all of its requirements to the unique attributes of the player in order to enhance those attributes.

In the end, we want him to have the most beneficial impact on the team, so if something isn’t working, we have to modify and alter it a little. I believe that in order for him to provide that, he must be at ease.”

Havertz certainly appears more at ease now. Despite being a completely different player from Xhaka, he demonstrated his effectiveness against Luton by creating more chances, having more shots, and winning more duels than any of his teammates.

Havertz’s off-the-ball mobility was visible in both his goal against Luton and Gabriel Jesus’s, as he dragged two defenders away from his teammate. This is in addition to his height and physicality, which provide Arsenal with an outlet for direct passes.

“There is a big quality of his and it’s his football intelligence, how he reads the spaces, the timing of how he uses those spaces, how he moves in relation to his opponent,” Arteta states.

“It is very difficult to see that and, in my opinion, it is one of his best qualities.”

Why there’s more to come

Havertz might not start, but Arteta will try to capitalize on those attributes at Villa Park. Although the discussion around David Raya and Aaron Ramsdale is still prevalent, competition for spots exists throughout the squad, especially when injuries are taken into consideration.

Arteta believes there is still room for development.

Even though Arsenal is the second-youngest team in the Premier League, they appear to be a more experienced team than they were a year ago, steelier and harder to beat. Actually, compared to last term, their starting lineup is younger, with an average age of 25 years and 11 days.

I really believe that as a team we can improve tremendously and that there is still a great deal of room for many individuals to advance,” Arteta says. “They’re also ravenous. They have a strong desire to pursue it, and we have excellent individuals to guide them.”

It’s clear where their progress is going next.

“We need to win big trophies first and foremost,” Arteta says. “We didn’t carry that out. To achieve that, it’s important to pay attention to how we train, play, behave, and handle challenging circumstances on a daily basis.

“Despite some serious injuries that the squad is now dealing with, they are still winning, playing, and performing exceptionally well. The team is responding to that, which is a significant challenge.

“So, it’s just about going over every hurdle, and in this league, you have some small ones and some huge ones that you have to overcome to be in the position you want at the end of the season.”

It remains to be seen if they succeed. Premier League crowns are determined in March and April, as Arteta himself stated.

For now, all that matters is Saturday’s match at Villa Park and making sure that Arsenal is the team that celebrates at the conclusion, even if he is unable to participate personally.