YOUNG GUNNERS BREAK RECORDS | Mikel Arteta | Arsenal 5-1 Bolton

A great result, but you must be so proud seeing so many young faces on that pitch? Yes, a really positive night in every sense, the result, the performance. We gave minutes as well to our senior players and they really showed a lot of quality tonight. And on top of that, as you said, we gave the opportunity to quite a lot of academy players. They responded really well and it's just so fulfilling to see their faces, their reaction, how much it means to them. So, great night. Can I ask Jack Porter in particular, he's broken so many records, can you try and sum up what he was like in the build-up and what he was like when you told him that he'd be restarting? Well, we told him yesterday and he was over the moon straight away. I think he spoke to his family and they weren't prepared for that. It's a big step, it's a big occasion for them and I think they were nervous about it. But I think he reacted really well, he was really composed yesterday in training and today as well. His teammates really helped him as well on that and what an experience and what a way to break a record. Just on Ethan's first goals for the club and with the second one, I think there was probably a moment where he could have passed but he was confident to shoot. I was just wondering what he felt about that moment and what that says about him? On the second one I was really happy for him because he scored. I'm very happy because I know the reaction of his teammates if he wouldn't. So, I think overall, again, I think he was really good. I think it was a really strong performance for him. I think he really feels part of us. You can tell that he's playing with that confidence, that belief and the understanding of what he needs to do on the pitch. So, very impressed. On the senior players, there were a few moments where maybe Gabriel, when he came on, was directed. Maldini let's go. In the first half, Jakub went up for a few headers instead of having Josh go for them. Were those moments really key for you as well to have those senior players guiding the younger ones? Yeah, they were already doing it in training yesterday, giving them advice. I think the boys feel really comfortable with them because it's a magnificent group of players. They can be themselves. If they have any fears, they can ask questions and they will be happy to help. It's great that they show that leadership as well and that sense of caring, which is important and we all need it at some stage in our careers. That was a really good moment. Yeah, it was very good. I think he's getting better and better. I think physically you can tell that he's making steps. The moment the game opened up a little bit, you know what he can do, how he can deliver. He was involved in a few goals, so a very positive night for him. How have you got Otis Sturm? We don't know yet. What kind of injury is this? Is this a thigh injury? He's got a muscular injury, yes. There's a few youngsters, a few young keepers around the club. What was it about Jakub Portis that made you go for him and not a couple of the other options? Well, Jakub has been training with us since pre-season and we were confident that he could do the role. Obviously he plays in the national team, we've seen what he can do and we believe it was the right choice. A lot of the fans will be now thinking, with Ethan, especially with Henry, he obviously makes a bench every week now. How close is he to getting a few more first team minutes? Well, he got 94 tonight. Ah, in the league. Let's go, it's another step. I think it's ahead of what anybody could expect. In his journey with the first team, he's always ahead of what everybody expected, I expected as well. He deserves that and he's part of us so he will have the minutes. You said one time that you dream of having a team full of academy players. Is that a dream for you? There's so many young players coming through. I have all the kind of dreams. It's a nice one to have. It's a possibility. What is a reality of a dream is the team that we have that I have to manage. How many of these players have school in the morning? There are a few. There are a few that are going to have to be there. I think it's going to be great. They were buzzing after the game. They spoke to the players just to thank them as well. It was a nice moment. What were you doing at 16? At 16 I was in Barcelona, living on my own in La Masia and training between the B team and the first team. Do you see any of yourself in Jack? In Jack? No, I wasn't thrown away like this. I had a situation at 17 when I went to Paris and I went from playing the B team to Paris which was a big step. I know a little bit how it feels. But I had a little bit more time to prepare than Jack to be fair. Did you talk to him about that experience? Sorry? Did you talk to him about that experience? No, I haven't. There's always a lot of talk about how relentless the schedule is. You guys have played three games in seven days I think it is. What I want to know is how do you switch off from football because of the high pressures that you're dealing with week in, week out? At the moment it's not easy. Obviously the time that we have at home with our families because the rest of the day we are preparing one game, thinking about the next game, the line-ups, the travel, the game scenarios that we can face and how we can be prepared for that. So at the moment it's really busy but it's what we want. We had an incredible week in every sense. Emotionally, physically, in terms of learning as well as a coach, we have a lot of issues that we have to deal with and from what I had in my mind in the international break to actually what happened and the players that were available, it was very different. So it's been good. Have you got any hobbies that you do in your spare time? My biggest one is to spend time with my wife and my kids when I have time. Tennis is one of them. I don't have a lot of time to play. My kids are trying to get me to play PlayStation, Mario Kart, these things. But I'm not a big fan of that yet. This summer a lot of youngsters that are part of the club have decided to pursue their careers elsewhere. When do you think sets apart the current group of youngsters that you've got if there's that left in the summer? I think it's the timeline in your career. You start to dream or to pursue certain objectives, targets and when you have accomplished them you want something else. At that moment if the team, the club cannot provide that, you need to do it elsewhere. It's something natural I think.