MY ACCOUNT
Mikel Arteta acknowledged that Arsenal playing in Europe next season “changes a lot” to attract transfer targets and he is demanding more from his in-form side.
Arsenal have taken 25 points from their last 30 available to them in the Premier League (W8 D1 L1) – no side has earned more points over their past 10 top-flight games – to leave them fourth in the league.
The Gunners, who are a point ahead of fifth-placed Manchester United and have played three games fewer, host Leicester City on Sunday as they search for a fifth straight league victory.
But Arteta warned his players that they must further extend their winning run to compete with the top teams, while he commented on how potential signings will be impacted by Arsenal’s position come the end of the season.
“To be with the top teams you have to win consistently and do it in a convincing way,” he told reporters at Friday’s pre-match news conference.
“I need even more than that amount of victories [four in a row] because there are teams in this league who do that for 10, 11, 12 or 18 times, so still the margin is pretty big.”
On any potential transfer dealings, he added: “There are two things: the amount of games that you have to play and the amount of players you need in the squad.
“The players you are losing or retaining in that squad, and then the [players] that are available, which playing in the European competitions changes a lot.”
Arsenal appear favourites to secure the last spot in England’s top four, but Arteta insists he is taking each game as it comes heading into a crucial period of the campaign.
“I don’t know, the only matter for me is how we train tomorrow and how we play on Sunday,” he responded when asked if his side were top-four favourites.
“The rest, this is football and it’s so unpredictable: nobody knows what can happen. Our only focus is on performing and winning matches.”
Stand-in captain Alexandre Lacazette, whose contract expires at the end of the season, has provided more assists than any other Arsenal player in the Premier League this campaign (seven).
His two assists in the 3-2 win at Watford last time out took him to 100 goal involvements in all competitions in his Arsenal career (70 goals, 30 assists in 196 games), and Arteta has been pleased with the Frenchman, whose contract will be discussed in the close season.
“We have discussions as you know and at the end of the season, once we know where we are, we will make a decision altogether,” Arteta said of Lacazette’s situation.
“I don’t want anyone to think about something else that is not that. The decision, we agreed, is to do it in the summer and we’re going to do it as soon as the season is finished.
On his lack of goals, Arteta responded: “I think he’s been very close and that’s why we have to keep pushing him and giving him support that he plays with that confidence and hopefully on Sunday he can do it.”
The Arsenal boss has also been impressed with Lacazette’s fellow attacker, Gabriel Martinelli, who has stepped up after the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Barcelona in January.
“Gabi is playing in a different position because Auba certainly in the last few months played as a nine, but Gabi has shown big signs of where he’s moving,” he continued.
“Certainly the capacity that he has to score goals and be a threat in the final third and I think his contribution all around in his game has been exceptional. He totally deserves the amount of minutes that he’s been playing.”
