Mikel Arteta has insisted he is not thinking about Arsenal winning the quadruple but said he is excited by the possibilities that have opened up after Friday’s Champions League draw.
The Gunners will face Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16 and then a potential quarterfinal against surprise package Bodo/Glimt or Sporting Lisbon should they get that far.
Arsenal remain in contention across all competitions as they sit top of the Premier League ahead of next month’s Carabao Cup final against Manchester City, with a FA Cup fifth round trip to League One Mansfield Town to come next weekend.
«We are really excited being in the four fronts and the way the team is consistently performing gives you a lot of hope and positive thoughts about what can be coming,» Arteta said.
«But we can only focus on the present. That is where we are going to put our energy and that’s on Sunday.»
Asked whether had allowed himself to think about the possibility of winning the quadruple, Arteta said: «Not really, not so much on the outcome. I focus on what we have to do to continue in the manner and the trajectory that we are as a team and from there obviously try to improve it.
«Has it [the quadruple] been done? That’s how difficult it is. Let’s go game by game and let’s try to earn the right to continue to be there until the last stage of every single competition and then we will see what happens.»
Talk of the quadruple comes after a dramatic shift in mood following last weekend’s 4-1 win at Tottenham.
Arsenal had previously dropped points at Wolves — allowing a 2-0 lead to slip in a 2-2 draw against the bottom-placed team — and Arteta suggested he is learning to manage his emotions better during the run-in.
«It is something that I need, if not it becomes insane if you are like this [motions up and down] every single day, if you are happy and sad like this, you cannot be like this,» Arteta said.
«You cannot give your best with that. Obviously you have to be very critical with yourself, analytical with what we do and try to always be as good as we possibly can.
«I try to be as stable as possible, try to have perspective always about what a result or a performance brings outside or within the group and always try to be positive about it.»
Kai Havertz is set to resume training tomorrow while Max Dowman will play for Arsenal’s Under-21s against Ipswich Town later on Friday.
Arteta added «let’s see» regarding Ben White’s availability.
