A thumping 4-0 defeat at Anfield may have derailed Arsenal’s unbeaten run but Mikel Arteta is taking heart from the reaction of his players in the immediate aftermath of the defeat and also in training.
The Gunners have the chance to get back to winning ways when bottom club Newcastle visit the Emirates in the early kick off on Saturday and know a win would temporarily lift us into the top four before some big clashes elsewhere.
Asked about the mood in the camp this week, Arteta made clear the recovery began before the players had even left Merseyside.
He said: “Not only there [in training], I really like the reaction that we already had in the dressing room at Anfield after the game and how some players showed leadership and described what happened in a really honest way and looked forward.
“This is something that in a season is never going to be like this [completely smooth], there are bumps in the road, [bad] results, injuries, issues that you have to deal with and I really like how the team has reacted.”
Pressed on the players speaking up, he added: “This is something that before, it didn’t happen. I’m really pleased that it’s happening at the moment.
“We have to put [it right] on Saturday in front of our people. After a defeat you need to win and get into that game with that mentality.
“The preparation is important but what is more important is peforming well, playing as good as we can and then we’ll be closer to winning the match.
On taking the positives from last weekend, he added: “Absolutely, there are a lot of things you can learn. You see the standards that they have to raise to compete with those teams in the league and how consistent they do it for every game and how consistently they do it throughout the game. They dominate every area and that’s why they are so successful.”
Despite an upturn in performances in recent weeks, Newcastle travel to London as the only club in the top four tiers of English football without a win this season. They also have a terrible record in N5 having not won at the Emirates since 2010.
It’s a record Arteta is keen to extend.
“Let’s keep going,” said the Spaniard. “It’s a new game, there are obviously some changes happening there, you can see the momentum is building.
“It’s different. You can see in the last game they played some different things – new manager, new coaching staff so let’s be prepared.
“I’m really looking forward to the game. After a defeat, you want to put it straightaway in a different context. We are in a good run. We play at home. We’re going to have our people right behind us and we’re going to perform well. First of all, [focus on] playing as well as we can and then we’ll be closer to winning the match.”
Here’s hoping this translates onto the pitch on Sunday.
Don’t really want to be missing out on 3 points here before going to Old Trafford.
Come on you Gunners!
We always lose to stuttering United sides. And if they have a new manager bounce then we are so screwed. So yeah, anything less than three points would be a very worrying turn of events.
Arteta has never lost as Arsenal manager to a United side ie a club with United in its name!
Though Newcastle have scored more goals than us this season, crazy…
Hope we keep Arteta’s record up in the next two matches, preferably with wins.
Is that true? That’s a great stat
I hope he’s right. Anything less than 3 points from this game & any momentum has stalled
It is mad to think in just four more days we could be dealing with the ArtetaOut brigade again.
Football management is so tough man. No wonder their faces shrivel up like a disregarded plum after a few seasons.
Some of them have faces like that before they even start in management to be fair.
You’re thinking of Sean Dyche, aren’t you?
One amongst many 😀
I’m not sure if I like Arteta’s chances in a bare knuckle, shirts off, pub car park brawl with Jurgen.
But I’m pretty sure he could definitely take Eddie Howe.
That’s my big take for this weekends game. And it’s made me strangely aroused.
Stupid sexy Flanders😳
Let’s teach the toon football lessons
Bloggs says we’ll climb temporarily into top 4 with a win.
The last I checked, West Ham are 3 points ahead of us and a healthy goal difference of +9 to our miserly -4.
A win will only lift us temporarily into top 4 if we score 14 unreplied goals.
Stranger things have happened.
“Newcastle travel to London as the only club in the top four tiers of English football without a win this season. They also have a terrible record in N5 having not won at the Emirates since 2010.”
Jinx. Just watch as we give them that first win.
Wonder if Joe will play on the weekend? Haven’t watched any Newcastle games this season but it’s clearly not going well for them so far, anyone been keeping tabs on his progress there?
Yep he’s been pants
But but but……that would mean a lot of this anger was irrelevant ? Surely not.
https://arseblog.news/2021/08/official-joe-willock-sold-to-newcastle/
That’s what happens. You score in 7 successive games or whatever, it stops as soon as you sign.
We really need a bounce in this game. The future is indeed bright.