Mikel Arteta stress the fact that he needs to trust his players for the final 8 games in the Premier League as he insists referees must protect youngster Bukayo Saka.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has stressed the need to trust his players for the final eight games of the Premier League.
The Gunners are fight to make it into the top four on the Premier League s they are behind fellow London club Tottenham on the League table.
Nuno Tavares was one of the players discussed in Arteta press conference but the Spaniard insists there is no belief problem with him.
“When I put a player on the pitch, it’s because I can see that they are in the right condition to [play],” Arteta said. “To show trust is giving them the opportunity when I believe that he is ready to do that. When I see in the moment that he is doubting, I don’t do him any favours by putting him in there.
“[Is there a belief problem] with Nuno? No, not belief. He needs to go through periods like I can show you examples of any player that has been in this squad. Not always good periods, difficult periods. But those difficult periods are the best moments to learn and to overcome and to have the ability afterwards to develop into a much better player.
“If you have the elements to change one piece for another it is simple, when you don’t you have to figure out what to do, without putting players in situations where they are not comfortable and trying to exploit the maximum qualities of the players and ask them to do things that they are capable of doing.
“Hopefully you can have every element just to change it and not lose anything. When you don’t have that you have to look for other solutions.”
Speaking about youngster Bukayo Saka, Arteta believes he is a target for defenders and needs to be protected by referees.
“Well the best players and the talented players are always going to be, closely looked at, and they are going to close the space and they are going to be tight on them. Bukayo has to recognise that is going to be the case. Referees have to recognise that as well, early in the game, and then try to protect them.
“I think he needs the protection that all the players need at this level, nothing different, nothing special.”
