Arsenal Buzz

🗣️| Micah Richards: “Arsenal are not going to approach the game (Carabao Cup final) and play a second-string team, not at all. When you look at the Premier League, Man City have been off, we’ve talked about Chelsea and Liverpool, Man United are coming back stronger now, this is an opportunity for them (Arsenal) to capitalise on two big trophies. “I look at the Champions League and the way Arsenal play defensively, I said it a couple of weeks ago, they can win it, they would be one of my favourites, they have a better chance to win that because defensively and they always nick a goal. “With the Premier League, I thought it would be closer now and I thought it would go to the Man City game but they’ve got the little edge on that now. “If you’re looking at Arsenal’s potential route to the Champions League final you’d take that all day and then you’re thinking you’ve got that little buffer in the Premier League. I’d be looking at the League Cup thinking it’s a trophy but it’s not the biggest trophy. If they were to lose that, I wouldn’t be losing sleep over it because they are in a perfect position now to win two humongous trophies. “Arsenal would beat Barcelona. If Barcelona play that high line then Arsenal would absolutely batter them. If they take it back five yards, Barcelona could absolutely batter Arsenal. “Martinelli, 100 per cent, would absolutely love to play against that without doubt. Even Gyokeres, he’s not the quickest but he’s a strong runner, all his goals before at Sporting, that’s what he used to do. “I think if they play a high line against Arsenal, Arsenal would absolutely batter them.” [The Rest is Football via Metro] #afc

🗣️| Joe Cole on the Premier League title race: “I just can’t see Arsenal dropping that many points now. If Man City win their game in hand it will be six points, then if City beat Arsenal it will be three points. But City have got to beat Arsenal and I can’t see that. Do you know what I mean?” [via Metro] #afc

🗣️| Joe Cole on the Carabao Cup final: “I’m not working on the final, I’m going as a fan, which I actually haven’t done for a long time. I fancy Arsenal, I think Arsenal beat them. Having watched Man City live, I fancy Arsenal – but it’s a great game for the neutral. “I’ll make another prediction, I think there will be a bit of needle and a little bit of nastiness on the benches. There’s a lot of tension building at this point in the season so look out for that.” [via Metro] #afc

Kai Havertz has been called up to the German national team for their upcoming matches against Switzerland and Ghana. 🇩🇪

🗣️| Thierry Henry: “For me it’s winning the league. I know we have a game at the weekend and a final is a final. But if we win the league it’s a massive statement to what we can do after. Keep that core and build on it. Again, I went a bit too far with that one. Just win the league if you can. “I don’t think it’s going to be as easy as people think but that’s my natural way. If there are still points on the board, obviously someone can catch you. “Even my self did I doubt it at one point that we could win with Mikel Arteta? Yes, I did because the results were making me feel I don’t know if we can, if we could. “He did find a way. He had to learn on the job. Do you know how tough it is to arrive after someone like Emery, Arsene Wenger, after me talking about whoever. “He found a way, serious about everything, all the details.” [Sky] #afc

🗣️| Frank Leboeuf on Declan Rice: “The guy has been the best player maybe in Europe or in the World. For most of the time, he has been at the top of the top.” [ESPN] #afc

🗣️| Steve McManaman on Declan Rice: ‘I think when you think of his role and you look around Europe, you have Pedri who is beautiful, Vitinha is great, but the way he plays I’d certainly say he’s the best because he’s a different type of player to them. But he’s so effective, last year he was amazing and he’s stepped up again this year.” [TNT] #afc

🗣️| Steven Gerrard on Declan Rice at Arsenal: “He’s going from strength to strength. I think he’s one of the best in the world. I think he has become one of the best in the world. “It was a fantastic move for him. I wish we [Liverpool] signed him here, actually. West Ham did a great job under David Moyes, I think David Moyes has really schooled him in how to play the position tactically. “His confidence from playing well for England and being around that group of players, he’s just gone to the next level now at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta. “Fantastic coaching from him and he’s up there now in the shout to be one of the world’s best in that position and in that role.” [TNT] #afc

🗣️| Piero Hincapie on the Carabao Cup final: “We’re really focused on the final, which is a very important final. We’re going to train very hard to get to the final in the best way possible and to win the title. That’s the most important thing.” [via @HaytersTV] #afc

🗣️| Jamie Carragher on David Raya: “We think Arsenal are going to go on to win the Premier League. If they do, he has been one of the biggest reasons why. Not just this season, but the actual signing and changing Aaron Ramsdale for him.” [Sky] #afc

🗣️| Declan Rice on David Raya: “He deserves every bit of credit he’s getting. I wish people could come in every day and see how he trains. Because the intensity he trains at and the level that he trains at there’s no reason why he’s not doing what he’s doing on the pitch it’s incredible to see him every day. “The effort with the lads, he’s turned into a real leader for us and when you’ve got a keeper like that it gives everyone confidence and yes, he’s incredible.” [via Metro] #afc

🗣️| Thierry Henry on David Raya: “This guy should be in contention to be player of the season because what he does for Arsenal every single time. “It’s very difficult sometimes to see what a goalkeeper does but he cannot make you win the game. ‘He can make you hope that you’re not losing it by making saves but he does that two to three times every single game. It’s just outstanding.” [CBS] #afc

🗣️| Declan Rice ahead of the Carabao Cup final: “The lads are already talking about in there, we’re excited, we’re ready. And like I said at the minute every game of football we go into, we believe we can win, so we’ll be ready and looking forward to it.” [CBS] #afc

🗣️| Declan Rice on the Carabao Cup final vs Man City: “Definitely, it could be the start of something. It’s the first trophy that is up for grabs. If you win that, the momentum after that that takes you forward is massive. “But Sunday is going to be a great game against them, and it comes down to how much you want it. Arsenal are back in a final for maybe the first time since the Carabao Cup final in 2019, I think. “So, how do you want it on Sunday? How much do you want to win a trophy for this team and these fans?” [CBS] #afc

🎥| This is great from Saliba and the club! #afc

🗣️| Eze: “I don’t know if I could dream of scoring a goal like that. It was a good goal, I just saw the opportunity to shoot and thank you to God that’s worked today. “It’s a special goal for sure, I’m going to remember it for a long time and hopefully it’s the first of many in the Champions League for me. “I’m going to be watching this one for a long time to be fair. [Leverkusen are] a difficult team to face, we saw that when we went there, and we knew it would take a moment like this to put the game in our favour.” [TNT] #afc

🗣️| Declan Rice on Eze: “He’s got one of the best shots I’ve seen, left foot and right foot. We need to keep getting him in those areas because, honestly, he’s frightening. Around the edge of the box, left foot and right foot, there are not many players I’ve seen hit the ball better than him. We need to keep giving him the ball around the edge because he can make things happen.” [TNT] #afc

🗣️| Mikel Arteta on David Raya’s saves vs Bayer Leverkusen: “I don't know what they generated, in two games it was a set-piece last time and then a header before that and today an action. He makes an incredible save, that's why he's here, he's absolutely amazing.” [@arsenal] #afc

🗣️| Mikel Arteta on Eze’s first season in the Champions League: “Comparing the minutes he's playing now with his career, he's playing much more now than in any other season, so that tells you as well the consistency he's showing, he's always fit. “Today he had to come off - he has a lot of minutes in him, but he's handling the pressure of the situation and the expectation very well.” [@arsenal] #afc