Layth Yousif
Layth Yousif represented The Gooner at a recent ‘Club Day’ back in August and got to ask Mikel Arteta, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Laurent Koscielny a few questions, a selection of which are in the current issue of The Gooner. We are running the rest on the website during the international break. Today, we begin with the questions asked of club captain Mikel Arteta.
You said that you are going to launch a serious [challenge] for the Premier League and the Champions League. What is different this year?
I think the fight that we’ve been together through some tough moments. I think this has been really important for the group. As well we have been adding quality, more quality every year and we haven’t lost any of the top players like in previous years. So this can only be a positive thing. The problem we have in England is we have five or six teams competing for the same ambition and through a long cause or journey it is not easy to achieve that.
Looking back at last season, how was it being captain of a team when you were injured so much?
It’s another experience in life. You can’t predict what’s going to happen. It was a tough year for me personally and professionally because I couldn’t develop in what I like doing most. At the same time, it was a very nice experience to captain the team. To be behind the scenes and try to give to the players and everybody here, the best possible chance to deliver in the best atmosphere possible to help the club be successful. So it was a good learning process.
What are the biggest differences playing at Arsenal and at Everton?
The biggest is here [at Arsenal] you have to win every game, the demand, the only good thing is to win. A draw is not good enough. If you fail to succeed in a competition, you’ve failed and ambition is obviously much higher and the pressure is higher. As well, the quality of the players you play with is higher. So for me, it’s only positive. I really enjoy it. I was a big fan of Arsenal before I even joined here, Arsenal are quite big in Spain as well. So you don’t get surprised when you come here, how big the club is.
Everton are a massive club with passion and support but what made you join Arsenal?
Sometimes you feel like you have to change and I felt the year before I left, I should have left. When you don’t have much more room for improvement as well and your aims are a bit bigger, you feel a bit restricted and that’s how I felt. They knew that when I was there and I will always been really grateful and I had some amazing times over there and I love Everton. It was my first club here in England and the way they looked after me was incredible and I have a really good relationship with them but sometimes it is time to move. I would rather do it quickly when I feel it’s coming than too late.
What would you say was your best game for Arsenal then?
There are special memories when you play your first home game for a club, it’s really special. It was for me at Arsenal because I really believed that this was the best club for me and when I signed for the club, I felt really privileged. When I put my armband on as well, it was one of the nicest days. My kids have been growing up here so it’s been a really nice process.
Are they [your kids] Arsenal fans as well?
Yes, massive!
What would give you the most pleasure, winning the Premier League or the Champions League, and why?
That’s a hard question. I think the Premier League is so special and to win it now, with the competition that is involved, would be unbelievable because that means that throughout the whole year you have been the best team. You went through difficult moments, been established, been really consistent and I think it would be a great platform to have that confidence in the long run. It is hard to choose but maybe the Premier League.
Coming back from your injury, how has it been joining the team again?
I’m so happy and so pleased to train every day, to compete with the team, to be involved in the games and the travelling. I have missed it a lot and when you are away, you find out how hard it is for the people that are now injured like Danny Welbeck, for example, and Tomas Rosicky. I have been there and it’s not easy at all because in football it’s all about the daily process and only what you do in the day is what counts. When you’re not out there, it’s like you don’t exist but you learn a lot for that as well.
You moved from Everton to Arsenal on deadline day. Tell us a bit more about exactly what happened, did you get the offer last minute?
It was a few days before and a few years back as well, two years before but they couldn’t get the deal done with Everton and it happened on the last day. It was a very stressful day, it was on and off, on and off but it happened at the end and it was last minute yes.
So you had contact from Arsenal before but it just happened on the last day?
Yes
How do you work to get yourself into the starting line-up after an injury?
As hard as you possibly can. I knew that when I was back from injury, I was at a disadvantage compared to the other players because I was out for eight months and that’s a long time to catch up. My aim is to stay fit and do as much training as possible, perform the best I can and when I have the chance to play I will do my best, as I always have. So if it comes it comes and if it doesn’t come it means that the team is doing really well and we are performing which is not a bad sign at all.
Who would you say is the most skilful player at the club?
I would say Alexis.
Why?
Some of things he does but the speed that he does them is incredible. His reaction times are at another level.
Who is the biggest joker?
Santi would be one of them.
Why?
He is so funny. A very funny guy.
You talked a bit about the team changing and going forward in the next couple of years, winning more trophies hopefully. How has the team changed in the years you’ve been here?
When I joined the club on the last day of the transfer market, the club was in a very unstable situation. They lost two and drew one game at the start, one of the worst starts of the season they’d had. They sold the best players in the previous two years as well and there was a lot of turbulence at the club. That connection between fans and the club wasn’t there. There were a lot of different opinions on how things had to be done and after that, they started to correct everything and start to get closer to each other and started to invite new ideas. Now I think the relationship is really strong. The support we get when we play at home and the ambitions and what the fans are expecting from us, everything is really good.
What changed?
I think it was the biggest fight. When Arsenal moved to the Emirates they were going to spend 220 million and they ended up spending 430 million, so they had to balance the books. To balance the books is not a secret. Arsenal is not a club that will get one guy’s billions and just spend and spend and spend. They want to run the club in the most fair way and the best way to be safe for the future, not only for the present, and they did that. It was very unpopular at the time but they did it because they thought it was the best way to do it and I give a lot of credit to these people because to go against opinion wasn’t easy to do. I know they’ve been through very difficult times because it was much easier the other options but the way they’ve done it they’ve managed to settle that situation and now they are in a really strong position finally to kick on if they need to do anything.
What’s it like to work under Arsène Wenger?
It is a privilege, you learn a lot from a guy who has such a big spirit and believes in football. I think the way he treats everybody and the way he looks after the club, it’s very rare to see in this world. When he’s been here for such a long time, it’s not only because he brings trophies, he brings success or he brought something different to England. He’s a special man.
How would you sum him up?
He is one of the most loyal people I’ve seen in football. He works incredibly hard. He’s completely obsessed about football and then he’s got a passion about developing players. He’s patient, he understands. He seeks things out that other people don’t see in young talent and he’s a person that you can learn a lot of things from and I would say he’s one of the most intelligent people I’ve come across.
