How Arsenal's lead in the premier league table shaped Arteta's pre-Wolves presser
Mikel Arteta used Wednesday's pre-match news conference to deliver a mix of practical team updates and philosophical reassurance as Arsenal prepare to visit Wolves. With the club sitting top of the premier league table, Arteta emphasised preparation, tempered expectations for immediate returns from injured stars and signalled a possible rethink of matchday routines after a run of warm-up fitness scares.
Fitness picture: Calafiori and White back in training; Odegaard and Havertz still short for Wolves
Arteta confirmed Riccardo Calafiori and Ben White returned to training and are in contention to face Wolves on Wednesday (ET). Both players had recent issues in warm-ups or during matches, but the manager indicated they trained on the day of the presser and looked likely to be available.
Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz, however, remain out of the matchday plans for the trip to Molineux. Arteta said neither will be fit for Wolves but expressed optimism both could be back in the squad for the weekend fixture. That timeline means the manager expects the core creative and attacking pieces to be available for the crunch of fixtures that follow the midweek game.
Arteta also noted the club is managing recovery for players returning from injury and working to keep fringe players integrated while they rehabilitate. He said maintaining a strong squad dynamic is important when rotation and forced changes are frequent at this stage of the season.
Warm-up concerns prompt review of routines
The manager addressed a recent cluster of fitness problems that have occurred in pre-match warm-ups. Several players suffered knocks or were unable to start after late issues, prompting coaching staff to examine the club's warm-up processes.
Arteta described the incidents as unusual and flagged that the team is studying whether customary pre-match routines need adjustment. He outlined the dilemma plainly: warm-ups serve to ready players physically and mentally, but unpredictable problems in those moments force sudden tactical reshuffles and last-minute changes that complicate match preparation.
He floated the idea of trialling different approaches — and even questioned whether the traditional extended warm-up is always beneficial — while stressing the need to learn and adapt rather than cling to habit. That pragmatic stance underlines how the coaching staff is trying to limit avoidable disruptions as the season enters its decisive phase.
Title belief rooted in daily work, not wishful thinking
With Arsenal perched at the summit of the premier league table, Arteta was asked whether he feels his squad can go all the way. His answer was unequivocal: confidence comes from daily preparation and the standards the players have maintained across competitions, not from imagining outcomes.
He called the club's current position a privilege earned through consistent work over many months and urged the squad to embrace it while remaining grounded. Arteta made clear that focus must be on the immediate challenge — getting a result at a notoriously difficult Wolves ground — rather than on rivals' histories or past achievements.
On the opposition, he warned that Wolves will offer a tough test and praised the job their manager has done. Arteta returned repeatedly to the theme that doing the basics well gives his team a “big chance” to win, underlining a belief in process over projection.
Off the pitch, the club also announced a major contract extension for one of its key attackers, a move that cements long-term plans as the squad prepares for the run-in. With a busy schedule and a slender margin at the top, the manager’s combination of medical caution, tactical clarity and steady confidence will be central if Arsenal are to convert their position atop the premier league table into silverware.
