Presser points | Arsenal vs Spurs | Ange Postecoglou

Ange Postecoglou spoke to the media at Hotspur Way on Tuesday afternoon, ahead of the north London derby in the Premier League at the Emirates on Wednesday evening (8pm).

Here's what he had to say...

Ange on the latest team news and how Tamworth's artificial pitch affected the players...

"It takes a fair bit out of the players, so we've had to do some extra recovery and we won’t train until this afternoon to give the boys a chance to recover. The only one who picked up an injury was Timo (Werner). He picked up a hamstring injury and we are waiting on the results of that scan. Everyone else, apart from being sore, pulled through okay. In terms of incoming, Richarlison is available."

On both teams having injuries and if there's no good or bad time to play a NLD...

"Well, you have no choice, that's the fixture. You’ve got to accept it. We have been in this situation for quite a while now and hopefully there will be some light at the end of the tunnel in terms of players coming back. Like I said, Richy, and it was good for Mikey to get an hour on the weekend. The situation is what it is, but it's a big game tomorrow night, a big game for the club, big game for our season, big game for our supporters, so I’m looking forward to it."

On any movement in the transfer window...

"It’s hard to say. Like most other clubs, January is a difficult month to really have any certainty about anything. There are a lot of things which need to come together. I think I said last week the club is working really hard in that area and if there are any developments we will let everyone know. "

On no departures due to injuries, and a potential loan for Will Lankshear...

"We can’t afford to let anyone go at the moment. Some of the young players, Alfie Dorrington went out on loan and we will probably do similar for young Will (Lankshear) because he hasn’t really played a lot. Aside from that, we are looking at incomings if anything happens."

On the intensity of the NLD...

"I felt it was intense from the moment I arrived, but at the same time I've never tried to be disingenuous about this stuff and say, 'this means the world to me' when I've literally just arrived. You get the context of the game and what it means to the club and supporters and what it means for our season. From that perspective, right from the first time we played them, I was well aware. It's like being up in Glasgow, you're well aware of know what it means and the ramifications of both the positive and negative. This year is as big as they ever come, especially for us and our season. We have to start winning games in the league and there is no better place to start..."

On a win in the NLD being a turning point...

"I don't like framing games in terms of turning points, because then you've got to go up to Everton and face David (Moyes) at the weekend. So, there are no easy games, but in the position we're in in the league, irrespective of turning points, we need to start winning games and moving up the table. While this is a massive challenge tomorrow night, there is an opportunity for us to do that."

On how involved he is day to day with Antonin Kinsky...

"I'm involved as everyone else. They've all been big games for him for different reasons. Obviously, the Liverpool game goes without saying, but it was a hell of a challenge for him up at Tamworth, too, especially with the way they play and their ability to put pressure on goalkeepers. I thought he handled it so well and helped us nullify what was a big threat. He's handled everything really well. I haven't spent any extra time with him. Burchy (Rob Burch, our goalkeeper coach) obviously has and part of the process, because it has been a bit of a whirlwind, is to make sure he's settled, especially off the field. He's moving to a different country, so to manage everything around him is equally important. So far, he's been really good at embracing the challenge we've thrown at him and I'm sure he's looking forward to tomorrow as well."

On Lucas Bergvall's adaptation to the Premier League, and if he's ready to start every game...

"He's definitely growing, which is not unusual. He's 18, coming from a different country and league. It was always going to take him time to adapt - to training more than anything else. We've seen in recent weeks he's really making an impact now and I think he feels more comfortable and confident in himself. There's so much more to come from him with his age and where he is experience-wise. It's been a big year for him, moving to a new country and a big league and a big club. Even playing for the senior national team with Sweden as an 18-year-old, all these things are pretty significant moments and you look at how young people handle them and he's handled it all really, really well. He's kept his head down, kept working, waited for his opportunity and he's doing well."

On how Lucas and Archie Gray, also 18, handle the big stage...

"Well, it is just upbringing and the kind of people they are. I'm sure it’s a bit of DNA, nurturing, environment and everything. That’s what we’ve tried to do with the players we’ve brought in. Those two and Mikey is only 17 and guys like Kinsky, Destiny, Pape and Micky van de Ven, who come across as young players, whatever challenge we’ve thrown at them irrespective of where they are right now, a few are injured, they’ve handled it well from being a young person in significant moments."

On Richy's return...

"It's just good to get Richy back, he's had an unfortunate season for us, but last season when he played, and even the little bit he played this season when he injured his hamstring, he fights and scraps for everything, and he's got quality as well. Just having an extra attacking player, with him and Mikey (Moore) available now makes such a difference in what we can do during games, between games, in terms of the way we play. We've taken our time with Richy this time, for sure. He's been harassing me for the last 10 days to be involved, but we've tried to stay disciplined with that and he's looked really good in training, he looks like he's ready to go, so really happy to get him back involved."

On having sympathy for Arteta with Arsenal's injuries...

"I don’t know how much sympathy they’ve all had for me - I am not sure... I certainly have empathy, which is probably a better word. I understand how challenging it is for any team, irrespective of the size or quality. With all these things, it is where the injuries hit, the areas they hit and the significance of the injuries all make it challenging, but I am sure Mikel is not going to let that get in the way of him putting out a team tomorrow night that will want to beat us."

On injuries, and context for criticism...

"I always put context around how you analyse and critique performances, others choose not to and they purely go on outputs. If you look at a team and they lose and don’t score goals, it’s poor play or poor players or poor coaching or whatever. I think in the context of cohesion and fluidity, if you’ve got injuries and disruptions, that does affect what you do. We’ve obviously been hit really hard, but they're starting to accumulate for most clubs. I'll be very surprised if any club goes through unscathed the way the season is going so far. Bournemouth have had a couple now, Brighton... there are a few clubs who are now starting to rack up a few. Obviously us with our fixture schedule, we've probably been hit harder than most, but I'd be surprised if any club comes through unscathed this season."

On learning about the NLD from last season's game against City...

"Nothing I didn't already know. I said at the time, I totally understand it, I don't agree with it, I would never go into a game wanting to lose, that was the basic principle. It didn't mean I don't understand the rivalry between the teams. Trust me, when I was up at Celtic, there was only one other result they looked at, and if their weekend was going to be perfect, then it meant an 'L' for the other team and a 'W' for us. That was a perfect weekend, not just a 'W' for us, so I understand that, but it still doesn't mean I'll go in any game wanting to lose. I don't care what the fallout is from it."

On Mikey Moore being ready to make an impact...

"He has worked hard at training and you could see at the weekend he needed some game time. He started off pretty slowly but by the second half I thought he grew into the game. We used him significantly in the first half of the year and he made a real impact, particularly in Europe, I thought he did really well. That’s why we kept him with us and why he is part of the first team set-up. It’s good to get him back because he is a player we know can make an impact in games."

On comparing the atmosphere at Tamworth and Arsenal...

"As I said after the game, credit to Andy (Peaks, Tamworth manager) and his players and the people of Tamworth at the football club. I thought they did themselves proud on the day with the way they presented everything. 90 per cent of the crowd were very good and enjoyed the banter. There was 10 per cent who were pretty unacceptable. The stuff I heard was pretty vile and detestable, and getting things thrown at me, not a great experience, but we’re kind of expected to be the bigger person... I would have loved to have turned around and not be the bigger person in that moment, but you deal with it and go on."

On 'ticking off' a win at the Emirates...

"Yeah, look all of these things are challenges we need to overcome. Everything to one side, you know it’s a derby and a big game, so irrespective of what’s gone on beforehand and even if we were flying in top position, it wouldn’t change the significance of this game. You understand it is a standalone fixture in that it means a hell of a lot to our supporters and to our club. So, that’s the focus and that is what we’ve got to hone in on in terms of us wanting to really bring our best performance of the day so we can make our supporters happy and also in the context of our season, it’s just really important we start winning games in the league. That is where the emphasis lies. I don’t think things like turning points or significant moments, I don’t see in that prism of where we’re at, we’ve had some pretty significant wins and yet we haven’t kicked on from them this year. If we do get the job done tomorrow night, we’ve still got to make sure our focus then is on another challenging game at the weekend."