Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta on Hull’s Fight in Pre-Match Presser

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Mikel Arteta spoke on the eve of Arsenal’s Premier League game against Hull, Matchweek 10, which kicks off at 3pm on Saturday 7 November at the Emirates Stadium. Hallam Farai is the referee.

The Arsenal manager covered Bukayo Saka’s injury, Konsa’s fitness, William Saliba’s possible France call-up and his respect for Hull’s rise. Arsenal are top of the table with 24 points from nine games, while Hull are 11th with 11 points.

Arteta on Hull’s journey

“It’s been an incredible journey. I think what Sergej and the club have done from last year again: promoted it and then performed in some of the difficult games that they’ve been through and the way they have competed and their right to get results. It’s really impressive, we’ve been discussing that with the boys, the kind of thing that we expect tomorrow and to make sure we at least are clear about what we have to do to beat them.”

What he said

Arteta spoke warmly about Hull’s progress since their promotion. He pointed to how they have performed in some of their difficult games and said Arsenal have discussed with the players what to expect from them.

What he meant

Analysis: the emphasis on being “clear about what we have to do” suggests Arsenal are preparing for a tough opponent rather than treating the game as routine. Hull have drawn five of their nine league games, with two wins and two defeats, and have scored 11 and conceded 10.

In their last six matches Hull have not won, with four draws and two defeats. Arteta’s praise for the way they have competed fits that pattern of close results.

Attacking from the start

“Yeah, we want to attack the game tomorrow right from the off, and we know the momentum that we have right now; we need to increase that momentum, especially going into the international break, because we know what’s coming after November and December.”

What he said

Arteta said Arsenal want to attack the game from the first minute. He described the momentum the team has now and said they need to add to it before the international break.

What he meant

Analysis: the momentum he describes is visible in the results. Arsenal have won five of their last six matches and drawn the other, a 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich. They have scored 11 and conceded three in those six games.

In the league they have won eight of nine and scored 14 goals. A fast start at home against a team that has drawn five league games is consistent with his stated plan.

Saka’s recovery timeline

“No, we’re talking about obviously weeks. Let’s see, after the international break, he’s going to start hitting the pitch and start to have more activities, how he feels, but unfortunately he’s going to be out for a while.”

What he said

Arteta ruled out a quick return for Saka, who is out with a thigh injury. He said the winger is expected to be out for weeks and that his on-pitch work is due to begin after the international break.

What he meant

Analysis: Saka will not be available against Hull, and the manager gave no return date. Training is not due to start until after the international break, so the next league games are likely to pass without him as well.

Saka is the only Arsenal player on the absence list for this game. Hull have seven players listed as injured: Hughes, Gyabi, Matazo, Ansah, Butland, Gourna-Douath and Targett.

No pressure on Saka

“I don’t want to put these guys under too much pressure, they are doing their best to get in shape. Bukayo is desperate to get back with the team, but he’s still quite far away.”

What he said

Arteta said he does not want to put injured players under too much pressure and that they are doing their best to get fit. He added that Saka is desperate to return but is still quite far away.

What he meant

Analysis: the words “still quite far away” back up the timeline he gave a moment earlier and point to a cautious approach to the rehabilitation. He is not setting a date that might push Saka to rush back.

The message is that the squad must manage without Saka for now. Arsenal have taken 24 points from nine league games and scored 14 goals.

Konsa fitness

“Yeah he’s fine, he was feeling much better today, we took him out for precaution and for the amount of minutes that he was playing but yesterday and today he’s feeling good.”

What he said

Arteta said Konsa is fine and feeling good after being taken out as a precaution. He linked that decision to the number of minutes the player had been playing.

What he meant

Analysis: Konsa is not on the absence list for this game, and the manager’s description of a precaution rather than an injury fits that. His reference to minutes played comes in a week when Arsenal played at Liverpool on Sunday 1 November and at Slavia Praha on Wednesday 4 November.

Arsenal have played three matches in 12 days in the sequence that ended with the trip to Slavia.

Saliba and France

“Well, we’ve been in very close contact, I think they’re announcing it at 5pm this evening, so they have all the information. Now it’s about them, Zinedine in this case to make the call, and we will accept whatever it is.”

What he said

Arteta said Arsenal have been in very close contact with France about Saliba. He believed the squad announcement was due at 5pm that evening and said the club will accept whatever decision is made.

What he meant

Analysis: Arteta has left the decision to the France manager and said Arsenal have given over all the information. He did not say whether Saliba has any fitness concern, and none appears on Arsenal’s absence list for the Hull game.

The call-up decision affects the international break, not Saturday’s match. Arsenal’s next fixtures after the break will show whether Saliba has been away with France.

Focus on beating Hull

“It’s now about tomorrow, tomorrow is the main focus, everything that we’ve done I think comes back to tomorrow and maximising what we’ve done in the past with tomorrow’s game and go there, be better than Hull and beat them.”

What he said

Arteta said the Hull game is the main focus and that all of Arsenal’s earlier work leads to it. He said the aim is to build on what the team has done and be better than Hull.

What he meant

Analysis: the phrase “maximising what we’ve done in the past” ties the game to Arsenal’s results so far, including eight wins in nine league games and the 1-0 win at Liverpool on 1 November. He keeps the message on the next match rather than the break or later fixtures.

That is in line with his earlier remark about the momentum Arsenal want to increase going into the international break.

Confidence check: Confident

Arteta sounded confident going into the game. He said Arsenal want to “attack the game tomorrow right from the off” and that the aim is to “be better than Hull and beat them”.

The league table backs that tone: Arsenal are top with 24 points from nine games, having won eight, lost one and conceded five. They have won five of their last six matches in all competitions.

He was not dismissive of Hull, though. He called their journey “incredible” and said Arsenal want to be “clear about what we have to do”. Hull are 11th with five draws from nine league games and seven players out injured.

How to watch

Arsenal vs Hull is not shown live on UK television: Saturday 3pm kick-offs fall in the UK broadcast blackout.

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