ARTETA: "WE ARE AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN LAST SEASON"

"Tzolis was unbelievable today. The way he picks the perfect timing to play the ball is a joy to watch. It’s a big win for us. The league will be super hard this season, but tonight we showed we’re capable of performing at a higher level than last season. It’s an indication for us that we can perform at an even higher level than last season. It’s going to be super-hard to win the league. The margins you win the game by are very small."

Speaking after Arsenal's thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over fierce London rivals Chelsea in the third week of the English Premier League, manager Mikel Arteta made striking and ambitious statements. The successful coach of the red-and-whites, who made it 3 wins out of 3 and demonstrated their absolute determination on the path to the championship, expressed immense satisfaction with the character displayed by his team. One of the most notable points in the Spanish tactician's post-match press conference was his high praise for Christos Tzolis, who played a key role in the team's attacking organizations and had a massive share in winning the derby. Stating that he was amazed by Tzolis's football intelligence and perfect timing on the pitch, Arteta is extremely happy with the star player's form. Emphasizing that Arsenal, who narrowly missed out on the championship last season, has become even stronger both mentally and tactically this year, the young coach also drew attention to the ruthlessness of the competition in the Premier League. Reminding everyone that the quality of the opponents is increasing day by day and that every match is won by fine margins, Arteta promised the fans that they will watch a stronger, more concentrated, and hungrier Arsenal in this demanding marathon.