Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal played with much more purpose after the break as they put a sluggish first half behind them to beat Brighton 1-0 at the AMEX Stadium courtesy of substitute Alex Lacazette’s 66th-minute strike.
After the game, the boss chatted faced the Amazon Prime Video cameras…
On the win…
We know that we’ve been struggling with results recently. The fact we won against Chelsea was a big boost. It was more related to results than performances. To come here, three days later, and get another win is massively important. As well, I think we did it in a convincing way. In the second half, we played much better. At the end [of games] in the Premier League, you have to hang on in the last few minutes. I’m proud of the boys and happy with the result.
On Lacazette’s instant impact…
You always hope [subs make an impact]. Laca is in a really good moment, he’s full of confidence now, he’s playing well and we knew we could use him. We wanted to change the team in the second half and give some freshness and I think the boys who came in did really well.
On his team playing with more purpose after the break…
That [‘purpose’] was exactly the word that we wanted. The actions that we were having with the ball, the spaces we were attacking [in the first half]; we were not a threat in certain areas. We did it straightaway in the second half and looked much more confident and re-energised. We played football much more than we did in the first half.
On there being new energy about the team…
I’ve said it a few times that when you lose the amount of games that we did recently, to maintain the spirit high is a big challenge. I think we have managed to do that. We have made some decisions, of course, you have to in this period. We have some young kids that are helping but as well, I must say the experienced players have been spot on to try to balance the energy and that frustration you get when you get defeats, which can be damaging.
On building confidence…
I said the best medicine is wins. When you win a football match it’s a different world, it’s a different story. The picture looks much better at the moment, we just need to have that consistency and go again against West Brom and try to win again.
On if this year has been different to what he expected…
It’s been entirely different to my whole life. Any managerial career is hard enough and considering the context we are in – the pandemic, all the problems we had recently – it’s been quite a challenge. I’m enjoying it but I’m suffering in some moments. As well, I must say that I have some great people around me. I have a great organisation, a great club which has support for us and I’m really grateful to be here.
On the impact of the youngsters…
I’m not surprised because I know the talent that we have, it’s just to get them in games like we did in the Europa League, like we did in the Carabao Cup and in certain moments in the Premier League. It’s part of the process and now they need the right senior players amongst them to shine. They’ve showed for me the most important quality which is the personality to come to any ground and play with freedom and enjoy being a footballer, it’s all about that.
On sticking with the youngsters…
We have senior players, we have young players, everybody is contributing and helping. They are in the squad because they bring something to the squad and maybe now it’s going to be more talk about them. As well, I would like to be very fair with the senior players who are always pushing, always challenging everybody and helping those young kids all the time.
will judge him once willian is available again. Great substitution today though and nice half time team talk.
It seems that this was in his plan all along given from the amount of media we couldn’t actually credit to performance about the training days.
Here’s to hoping that it’s really a delayed response from a team of relatively new players, and that he actually has been waiting to unleash the youngsters as soon as possible.
Say what you will, but it’s a possibility, and I’m looking forward to all the ‘so-and-so-outers’ being clammed up as the club approaches a stable season.
Tbf he did drop Willian for Pepe in the Southampton game and he is playing Gabi and Smith-Rowe ahead of Pepe now. I’m pretty sure he’ll keep the same team
Pepe not his fravorite, will judge when willian becomes available next game
And if Arteta picks Willian again, I hope the player surprises us positively.
But if W retains his form, and MA keeps picking him, there could be a even more nasty dressing room and MA would fully deserve the criticism, as was the case during his delirious ramblings a few games ago.
As it is, our opponents are already working out how to negate our new attacking midfield.
Arteta’s got a bet going with Per to see how often he can deflect praise away from the young players every interview…
“…and now they need the right senior players…”
Hmmmm
they need mesut ozil
Have a day off
Load of bullshit jimbo
why is it bullshit? where are we in the league without super mesut?
or do you think a 1-0 win agains brighton will solve our problems?
He has been in decline for years, doesn’t track back, doesn’t work hard enough, doesn’t want to fit into Arteta’s system, engages in a PR war with the club.
He’s not coming back get over it mate
Because Arteta’s system is world beating right?
Never said it was but I think it can be effective as and when he has the players with the requisite skill set, work ethic, attitude and quality to enact it. Work ethic and attitude being key to why Ozil is left out. How many number 10’s like him are excelling at the top level these days?
Point is he is finished at the club whichever way you look at it and we all need to move on.
38 1-0 wins would solve all our problems
LOL. I see what u doing right there.
Super who?
anyone for Costa on a short term deal. 6 or 18 months? I know he is another old Chelsea cunt but surely he would be an upgrade to Eddie. He would suit the football we are playing more than any of our other strikers and might add a little bastard to our attack?
Another over 30 year old has been. Just what we need to accompany Willian.
Don’t get me wrong, he would be far from my first choice. But considering how toothless we have been he might be worth a punt if we could get a short term. I would rather they spend a few £100M on Erling Haaland but
Would rather give playing time to Balogun. I think Laca and Auba still have something in them, we just need to start playing better and more fluid.
I think a CM and a CAM (or a player we can use as CM or CAM depending on the situation, like Santi) is a priority. I have faith in ESR but if he gets injured, we would be lacking again.
If Balogun signs a contract and shows he is committed to the club that has developed him since childhood he will imho get chances.
If he wont & is off showing a lack of loyalty to Arsenal then you do not play him.
Let’s get him on a 200k 4 year deal. Maybe he and the other older Brazilians can party on Easter too and miss the fixtures with “symptoms ” that have nothing to do with Coronavirus
The absolute worst thing we could do is to sign another sloth legged old player lacking motivation. He’s in the MLS/Middle East stage of his career
Would rather spend nothing than sign players like him, Eriksen and Isco
Our older players are killing team spirit with cliques and political manoeuvrings. Blocking young players’ paths to the 1st team (bye Balogun and Nelson), wasting funds that should be put towards REAL targets (eg Partey, Gabriel). We’re already bloated, and seeing the full effects of it this year
As if we don’t get enough red cards already!
Imagine the strop whenever he gets dropped! Hardly what our team spirit needs.
No.
If it wasn’t for his recent injury record I would agree with you. He’s had a terrible last few months with atleti. Then gain it doessounds like an Arsenal signing, ex-chelsea, way past his prime, out of form and injury prone!
After a long time was looking at the league table, we are only 6 points behind Chelsea After all our troubles.
Arteta surely appreciates winning games more than playing Willian. Hope he can on Partey’s return sort out the midfield as well, tired of watching Xhaka and Elneny playing there despite the back-to-back victories.
What a relief 🤣🤣🤣
The picture does look better.
October 5 to December 25: 5 points in the league
December 26 to December 29: 6 points
So… Willian starts again when cleared.
Gawd elpuss
why you all going on about willian
so boring
Because He’s a lazy cunt, and our manager has a soft spot for him.
many of you have a soft spot for the manager
He was a new player at the club this season coming off a great last season at chelsea ( He looked a decent addition when we got him, but unfortunately perhaps he was playing well for a final contract?)
Hindsight is wonderful, We all have 20/20 vision after the event.
It is though imho understandable Arteta gave him a good run of games to try & settle & reproduce his form.
Unfortunately he hasnt.
He is a proven top level prem player who arrived on a big contract ya just cant bin him straight away.
A voice of reason on here? Whatever next? IMO Arteta knew he had a glut of young talented footballers coming through, but wasn’t certain whether they were match ready (who was?) Rather than splash out the hundreds of millions that would be required to buy top quality talent (and wasn’t available) in these positions, he took a punt on older premiership ready players – in the knowledge that they’d be gone in a few years and wouldn’t block the youngsters’ path to the first team. As it transpires, this hasn’t worked – but I understand fully why he took the… Read more »
Feel like we will get even better when Partey returns. Xhaka, Ceballos, and Elneny are just so slow on the ball. Also Partey makes whoever plays alongside him much better as shown in the Man U game where Elneny looked class
better to bring mesut back in january to create assists
Too many idiots think they see the wisdom in not being able to use a player of high wages at all, wasting the entire 350k. I wonder if Arteta is willing to swallow his pride now that everyone knows he is no Tier 1 manager right now.
a very foolish move to not have a player of ozils class at least on the bench. arteta has been a disaster so far taking us even futher down from where emery left us. this is without doubt the most boring football i can ever reameber in 25 years. however many are somehow blinded by the belief a bunch of kids are going to save us they will no doubt do well but i can see us finishing aboue 8th this season standards are continuing to drop at the club and we are now in reality a midtable side who… Read more »
I do think Ozil would be a decent 350k a week bench warmer. However that boat has likely sailed.
We do not know what has happened ‘behind’ the scenes. He has been very poor value for money in the last 2 years at least.The club needs to move on.
I’ve a feeling there’s more to dropping Willian than just ‘illness’. We know Kia Joorabchian phones Sky to complain about Jamie Carragher’s comments on Willian. I wouldn’t be surprised if he put something in his contract about having to start a certain number of games a season. Maybe Arteta finally put his foot down and illness was the best excuse.
Just don’t play will-i-aint!!
Looks better but we will need to get over next 4 matches. All winnable. If he can do that, we will be in better shape and it will have vindicated his stay of execution. Still not fluent and rough patches but at least defensively, we were reasonable yesterday. Arteta sensible went for pretty much similar players at risk of fatigue so there would be some reason to feel they would lag and the game was frankly pedestrian. With exception of Auba for Laca, starting 11 was similar. Auba I feel needs to play left berth. Good to see Martinelli started… Read more »
Slow slog up the table but we need to bag all points next four matches, start to rack up a tally of goals. Very congested around the 26 pt mark at the moment with Spurs also there and its 6 points off us. BUT some of those teams have 2 games in hand over us and the GDs are better. If we can carve out wins, we will be in top half closer to top 5 spot but it will be a slow climb up the ladder given competition this year. Edgy win over Brighton which is one of the… Read more »
He makes a good last point. The youngsters also need the respect of the seniors, the support and the considerable training time with them. Because so many youngsters get it too fast and they don’t realise there are additional pressures they won’t have faced before with such consistent intensity. Especially from fans and social media. To deal with that they need consistent performances and that can only be done with those prerequisites. Fortunately we have a master in game states in Mikel who knows when and how a player might shine in a potential matchup vs an opposition strategy. So… Read more »