Arteta reluctant to say he has regrets
Questioned on whether he has any regrets about how this season has gone, Gunners’ boss Mikel Arteta said: “I wouldn’t use that word.
” I can guarantee you, I give you my word, that we have all tried our very best.
“Do we want a different outcome? Especially how close we’ve come again? The answer is yes, but that doesn’t undermine a lot of incredible things that this team has done.
“Again, in the context that we’re there, in the opposition that we play, with the circumstances that we have, it’s impossible to undermine.
“So, be the best of the rest and feel that pain to be better, and then we will get better at the small margins that can define winning big trophies or not.”
Arsenal vs PSG for Ordonez?
Arsenal have reportedly reached a verbal agreement with Club Brugge over centre back Joel Ordonez.
The 21-year-old caught the eye during the Belgians’ run to the Champions League knockout stage.
But according to Inside Futbol, PSG are ready to hijack a move for the in-demand Ecuadorian.
Mikel explains Havertz transformation
Asked to reveal fit-again Kai Havertz’s gym metrics, Mikel Arteta said: “All of them.
“Power, acceleration, muscle mass, the way that he has increased certain capacities in his body, his agility.
“The last three years in his career have been so condensed that he hasn’t had time to do that and this has been a window and he really wanted to use it.
“The staff explained the opportunity with his physique to go to a different level and the things that he can improve. It can help him mentally as well as being more effective as a player.
“He got on board with that, he worked hard, you can see his presence and he destroyed all the metrics that we had in the gym for the last ten years.
“I was talking to the medical staff the other day. For someone that is not in the team to have that mindset, the only thing he has done is raise the standards in the building.
“The other ones in the building who are injured are looking at him and thinking: ‘I’m going to look bad if I don’t do the same’, so that’s part of the culture.”
Record-breaking Kai eyes return
Mikel Arteta is considering unleashing a “transformed” Kai Havertz on Newcastle on Sunday – after the German broke numerous Arsenal records in rehab.
Havertz been out since February following an operation on a torn hamstring suffered during the Gunners’ mid-season warm-weather camp in Dubai, and was initially ruled out for the rest of the season.
But Havertz has stunned Arsenal’s medical team with his progress in the gym, completely changing his body shape in the process, and has defied the odds to be in contention to face the Toon.
On whether Havertz could make his comeback against Eddie Howe’s high-flying side – who could leapfrog Arsenal into second with a victory – Arteta said: “He looks in great shape.
“It is unbelievable. His work rate… a lot of credit to the medical staff for the work that they’ve done throughout the last few months. They’ve been pushing each other.
“We know how important Kai is for us. He’s improved a lot of the metrics that are very important for a striker to give himself the best chance.
“And you see the transformation on him, which has been really impressive.”
