Arsenal press conference LIVE - Latest updates from Unai Emery: Europa League, Mesut Ozil and Reiss Nelson
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Your support makes all the difference.Join us for live coverage as new Arsenal manager Unai Emery faces the press ahead of the club’s trip to Cardiff City on Sunday.
Arsenal enjoyed their first victory under Unai Emery last weekend and the Gunners will be looking to head into the international break on a high when they travel to Wales this weekend.
After disappointing defeats to Premier League big boys Manchester City and Chelsea, Arsenal fought back to beat West Ham 3-1 on Saturday, with Nacho Monreal and Danny Welbeck scoring either side of an Issa Diop own goal.
Emery will likely be asked questions on that performances, while you can bet the likes of Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and today’s Europa League group stage draw will all be on the agenda. Follow live coverage below.
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Arsenal’s results so far:
- Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City
- Chelsea 3-2 Arsenal
- Arsenal 3-1 West Ham United
Progress made during West Ham match?
Good afternoon. It’s a lot [to take in] but it’s usually the things we need because we’ve only played three games. The pre-season is important but we didn’t have every player. After, we need to know the combinations with the players. We want to do the high pressing against the opposition. Then after this game I analysed it with the players.
We started the match well but then we lost the control for moments in the game. Then we finished the last 20 minutes really well. I am very, very happy firstly with the three points but then also how the team worked to win this match and how we finished the last few minutes. I want to continue that in the next match this Sunday against Cardiff, a different game, but just to continue our momentum.
Emery's reaction to Arsenal's Europa League draw?
First it’s three teams and we’ll have the recipe for them. After this, we want to go far in this competition. Each match is different and each match involves a lot of travel. For some, the travel is very long but it’s like that. The adaptation for these three teams needs to be positive and we need to face them with ambition and our interest to do well in the competition.
More Europa League draw reaction
When you play two matches in a week, you have more time to prepare for the matches, to prepare the players physically. When you play three matches in a week, it’s hard. There’s less time to prepare for the match and work physically, but we want it like that. We want to play three matches in a week with the league and the cups. After the international break, we are going to play a lot of matches. In this moment, we are not playing every player in this squad because we’re only playing one match every week. But I am sure we’re going to use a lot of players after this international break.
Latest on Mesut Özil?
He’s training normally with the group, in every session this week. We started on Tuesday and every day he has been training with the group. He’s OK. Also I’m looking at him well every day.
Reports of a bust-up with Özil?
I know there are lots of journalists who are working in the TV and the media. The news is not true. In my career, I do not stop for news when it’s not true. When the news isn’t true, it isn’t true.
Will Reiss Nelson be joining Hoffenheim today?
It’s a very big chance for him and the level there is important. We think he needs, because he is very young, he needs to take a new level to play, a new level also to take minutes, to take experience and it’s for that reason we were speaking at the club with the coaches about this possibility. And also, with him, we decided together: club, coaches and the player. It’s a good chance for him to take minutes in and play, and then come back with us because I think he is signing a new contract with us.
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