Full transcript of Wenger's pre-match conference ahead of Aston Villa clash

Arsene Wenger faced the media ahead of Sunday’s clash against Ast
on Villa. Below is the full transcript of his Pre-match Conference.

Good morning Arsene

Good morning.

How is Alexis Sanchez?

Well we’ll test that tomorrow. It’s unlikely that I will risk him on Sunday, but we’ll see.

 
And your signing Gabriel, is he ready to go now?

He’s ready to go. He will be in the squad certainly and he started yesterday his training and he looks fit.

What can he add to the squad?

He’s a specialist in the centre back position because we played many times this season with centre backs out of position with Debuchy, with Monreal and they did quite well, but he gives us another specialist in his position. We have now 3 and with the fixtures in front of us, that is of course needed.

Do you feel you can get on one of those long runs like you had up until October or November last season?

That’s our target you know, but we want complete focus and commitment, and be completely concentrated on what we want to achieve, I think we know we have some ground to make up for and the fight around the top 4 is very difficult but the target is of course consistency now.

On Aston Villa, they are struggling to score goals but still a tough opposition?

Yes there is distortion between the quality they have to go forward when you look at the names they have on the team sheet, because Benteke, Agbonlahor they can  score goals, but I think they've suffered a lot, Benteke was out for a long time when everybody’s there, it looks like a team quite dangerous going forward.

What did you see in Gabriel that you felt he was right for this club at this time?

What I see is first of all a great quality for a defender is his level of concentration physically capable to adapt to the premier league because he has good size, he’s quick as well, great commitment level in the challenges, he’s young 24 years old, and it’s a good age for a central defender as well.

What is the thinking behind Joel Campbell going out on loan, and does he have a long term future at this club?

Joel Campbell has extended his contract. He needed games, and I believe that here it was a bit obstructed for him because we had too many players in the same position, and after 6 months, he worked very hard every day and didn’t get enough chances to play, so I wanted to give him a chance to continue to get experience at the top level.

Can you tell us about contracts regarding Mikael Arteta and Francis Coquelin?

Look on Mikel Arteta we have nothing to announce yet, on Coquelin it’s 99% he will stay here.

Are you still looking to buy in this transfer window?

If I wake up in the morning and somebody stands in front of my door and is an exceptional player, I will open the door, but it looks very unlikely now.

Looks very unlikely?

Yes. I can give you my address if you want.

You don’t want me standing at your door. If you sign me you’re going down the hill. Is there a particular position you still feel you need to strengthen?

Look number wise we look alright now. And quality as well.

In terms of mood at the camp, is this the best that arsenal have been feeling about themselves this season?

Maybe, but we have to be very cautious with the moods in our job because the strings are very quick. It helps to get the next result, you need a good balance between optimistic mood and urgency as well. We are in a job where you want the level of concentration very high, and that’s what we want to achieve now. The next 4 months will be a decider for our season, so we have to be conscious that our commitment has to be 100%.

How much belief do you think the win at City has given everybody?

It helped of course because we were questioned about that last season, we couldn't do that last season in the premier league and to get that big weight off our shoulders helps.

The big game tomorrow is Chelsea against City. What result would be in the best interest of Arsenal?

When 2 big teams play each other, you want always a draw. Most of the time we get it.

So that’s how you think it would finish tomorrow?

It could yes be a draw, i think a draw would be an acceptable result for Manchester city because it wouldn't kick them out of the title race for the championship and they are just 5 points behind, they are not out of it. With 8, it may be much more difficult.

Do you think the fans are expecting too much from Gabriel Paulista too soon? Do you think he’s gonna need time to adapt?

You have always to give some time to adapt, especially a player in the defensive position because you need to know your partners, at the moment he does not speak a lot of English you know and that can cost you goals. If you mix going forward with going backward, it can cost you. It’s a position where you need to know your partners and you need to communicate as well.

How do you cope with him not speaking the language?

We try to teach him the important words. Offside, look at the linesman.

When everybody is fit, you have an established pairing in Mertesacker and Koscielny. Have you told Gabriel he can be first choice?

Yes of course. He comes for that and we are in a job where the competition exists, and the best of the moment play you know, the form swinging as well, nobody is absolutely in top form for 365 days, so you have to accept that.

Do you feel by getting your business done early, have you answered your critics who said you have left it rather late in the past?

I left it always late in the past because we couldn't always finish the deals before, and because I’m not the only one who decides. I’m very happy to do it very early in the season. In this case we had a very good basis in the negotiation because there was a clause in the contract. In Spain, every player has a clause in his contract, so that’s a very good basis. Always you start negotiations and so we can get quicker to find a deal as well, and they were interested in Joel Campbell as well, so it made it easier, but the delays are not always only on your side to decide.

Does it make it a refreshing change for you like “I don’t have to worry about the last few days”?

Yes but I don’t mind. What we want to do is to do well, and if we have to wait until the last minute we had Welbeck on the last day of the transfer period, and I’m very happy we've done it. You wait as long as you can, but you just want to do well.

Bringing Paulista in isn't gonna solve all of Arsenal’s problems defensively this season is it?

Why, do you want more issues?

Was that all Arsenal needed, bring one player and then you don’t have any problems at the back anymore, or is it a collective effort?

It’s a collective effort of course, first and above all, it’s a collective effort to defend well, but we have shown recently that we can defend well. Now everybody is focused on it, and that’s what we wanted to do, but as well we needed one player, because the achilles of Koscielny are no guarantee, and Per Mertesacker has played all the games since the start of the season, so we needed somebody.

You mentioned Welbeck is he still out with the thigh problem?

Yes, he’s back, he’s very short, if I would gamble, gamble, gamble, he could be available for Sunday, but will be a big gamble after such a long time out, but he is definitely available for next week.

And Oxlade Chamberlain is available for next week as well?

Chamberlain I think next week’s game at Tottenham would be a bit early for him.

You started with Wojciech last week. Has he been knocking on your door to keep his place in goal for the weekend?

Look, of course he works very hard, he responded very well Wojciech he’s 100% committed in training, he works harder than ever, at the moment the competition is there, I have just always the decision of who plays the next game.

How is Jack progressing?

Very good, jack is one more week on fitness regime, and he should join the squad in 10 days.