Mikel Arteta was bitterly disappointed his young Arsenal side couldn’t make it to the Carabao Cup final but having pushed several players into action off the back of little to no training, he was grateful for their efforts against a slick Liverpool.
Nobody could argue that Jurgen Klopp’s side were good value for their 2-0 win – sealed by Diego Jota’s brace – although Arteta couldn’t help but lament the fact his side failed to make their early dominance pay. That substitute Thomas Partey picked up a late red card that rules him out of Sunday’s game with Burnley rubbed further salt in Gunners’ wounds.
On his reaction to the defeat…
I’m very disappointed because when you have the final there, one game away, you have a level of excitement and you’re really looking forward to it. We did everything we could to put a competitive team and we had our moments in the game against a top side. In the first half certainly when we had the chances, we have to score and in the second half, at the beginning, the same thing. The first time they went past our halfway line, they scored a goal with a bit of luck and that changes the tie. The second time we gave the ball away in a dangerous area after just regaining the ball and when they can attack the space between centre-back and full-back in one pass, it’s extremely dangerous because they have the quality to finish the game off.
On whether Tomiyasu should have shown Jota outside for the first goal…
He slipped, he was trying to block the ball, he almost had the ball but he slipped and after that, the ball goes through the legs, he miskicks and it goes the other way of the keeper. I think it was difficult to prevent that one.
On Thomas Partey getting a red card…
It’s a big loss and we have to learn from that. We played the last three games with ten men and against the top sides, you cannot do that because we are completely exposed. It’s difficult enough to beat them and with ten men, it’s then a real challenge. It’s not what we need, for sure, with the amount of players out, not to have him.
On how big a problem the red cards are…
It is, because it has happened for different reasons. We have to eradicate that completely. We want to be competitive and we want to be winning football matches and having a good sequence of matches again, we have to stay with eleven men.
On what tonight’s defeat tells us about the state of the team…
I’m extremely proud of the way our supporters have tried to help the team and the momentum we’ve created because I know what those players have done to play tonight. Five or six of them, they haven’t had any training sessions and they were still willing to compete. The way they competed against this team is remarkable. I will try to use that in a positive way.
On Arsenal still having a way to go to compete with Liverpool…
Yes, because you need to have a squad of 20 to 22 top players and to do that, it takes time.
On Tomiyasu stuggling with an injury…
He’s done incredible. We didn’t want to play him, we had to push him because Cedric and Calum were out. The moment that he knew that, he said he would play and he didn’t have any training session with us and he was still willing to play and compete the way he’s done today. I’m extremely proud and grateful to the players that we have.
On 14 red cards in his tenure…
It worries me because it’s a massive factor to win football matches. We’ve seen that. We’ve lost matches when we’ve played Man City here and tonight and that’s a big reason for it. We have to eradicate it and play consistently with 11 players, we have to learn big lessons from that. We can’t have any excuses.
14 red cards! That’s astonishing
Astonishing is if you watch them compared to offenses against us.
Nketiah s red was nothing compared to the Everton dude stepping at Tomi s head.
Parteys red was nothing compared to Brunos stepping on Xhaka .
And it can go on and on.
And if you add other games like Kane stepping on Robetson compared to potential contacat of Xhaka at City it is even longer
Classic denial deflection tactic. 14 is shocking. Accept it.
Classic deflection tactic, trying to simplify everything without any context?
Totally agree that some of them were very harsh and some of the fouls on us have been crazily unpunished.
Still 14 red cards is an absurd amount
How many were Xhaka?
All of them. Last night was Xhaka using his Swiss Mind Control.
Jan22 reinforcement is a must, otherwise we might as well giving away UCL ticket to our beloved north London rival, remember they put a strong intent by investing into Conte.
Sky showed this stat last night- the next highest of Premier league teams since Arteta took over was Brighton on (I think, someone please correct me if I’m wrong) six. SIX. To fourteen?! Obviously some of those will be towards the end of a game when the result is largely secured- I.e. last night- but there’s still the impact on subsequent games.
You’re right with Brighton having 6 but pretty sure it was Southampton with 8 that were 2nd. Still, that’s a big difference between us & 2nd. Feels like the early days of Arsene when we’d get red cards every other game
To be fair Arsene’s tally of reds were high as well
Disappointed, but yhis only makes me love Tomi even more. Also, Ødegaard and Martinelli kept trying and put in a setious shift. Still, wr definitely need a couple quality midfielders and a goalscorer.
Exactly that – thought Martinelli & Odegaard were excellent.
Two weak gaols to concede. We need a stronger pool of players in CM. Hopefully, if Saliba extends his contact and stays, we’ll have proper back 5 options against top teams next season, and more competition in the CB position.
We’re gonna need a couple of new strikers by the summer…..
You could see them doubling up on Saka and Martinelli every time so they should take credit they knew we could hurt them now we just need to work on our link ups.
Been noticing that since City, every time either of those 2 get the ball there’s 3/4 opposition players drawn to them. Didn’t Saka have 7 City shirts around him at one point on NYD?
I noticed that yesterday too that in the 2nd half there were sometimes about 5 liverpool players all around Martinelli, and a minimum of 3 around Saka which took them completely out of the game
The main reason Martinelli was less effective was that Henderson (usually, sometimes Fabinho) shifted over to help Alexander-Arnold, who was completely outmatched by Gabi. They can do that because Van Dijk is so mobile, and so intelligent, behind them.
Tough to take but if this result even incrementally pushes Josh to open up the checkbook for a striker in this window (and it should), all good to me. To cite Wenger (with tongue only somewhat in cheek), top 4 is a bigger trophy for me than the Carabao Cup.
It’s funny isn’t it? Nobody really gives two shits about the Carabou cup at the beginning of the season but it’s somehow bloody difficult to win.
Out of all cups in January. Exact same game like last season’s Europa semi second leg f*ck up. Needs perfect conditions to win games. £250m spent. Behind Spurs. But he has a nice hairline and is enforcing a “culture” at Arsenal, all while having 14 red cards in 2 years. Incredible. Are Arsenal fans actually aware of how poor a job he’s doing? What positive changes can you see that he’s brought about? And why is this the only top club that becomes bonded to managers to such ridiculous lengths? Chelsea binned their greatest ever legend and won a CL… Read more »
You’re either high or on the windup, either way I thumb you down – if you can’t see the positive changes, get yourself to specsavers
What positive changes? Explain if you can?????
Defence that can defend
Strong goalkeeper
Positive attitude / approach Hale End graduates
Martinelli
5 new signings all improving the team and actually increasing in value since arriving
A fan base (except you) that’s excited by games.
Not getting slaughtered by big teams and actually giving them a game
Competing for top 4
Coherent press conferences
I get these are not 100%, happening all the time (yet) but quite a few of them were 0% happening any of the time a few years ago.
We have been slaughtered by Liverpool already this season. We’ve lost against Chelsea, Everton, Man Utd, Man City, and Liverpool.
You must be very proud of this?
And if we have, so what? Teams undergoing significant reconstruction tend to lose against exceptional teams that are settled in their selections and tactics. Arsenal losing against good teams isn’t personal and I’m sure neither the manager or the players wanted to upset you. “Accept it and learn from it” applies to supporters as well as the team and the manager. We’re improving but everyone knew it would take more than a couple of windows to get back to being a threat to the better teams. That’s happening – not as fast as we’d all like, but still, it’s happening.… Read more »
Exactly. He names the champions of Europe, pool and dominant City. Sure, you can be disappointed by losses, but those teams are miles away in their rebuilds, and are amongst the top 10 in all of Europe. I wonder what his expectations were? That in the last 2 years we either get a genius manager who makes the current squad world beaters overnight, or that we spend half a billion and get a fantasy team squad? Both of those are unrealistic and nothing else reasonable will be fast. It will take time and patience and unwavering support along the way… Read more »
Troll, not a supporter.
Nahhh u ain’t a gooner mate…
This lad always creeps out the woodwork whenever we lose and seems to have a perverse pleasure in moaning about Arsenal.
If it talks like a sp*d, walks like a sp*d and acts like a sp*d……
Burn it with fire before it breeds
Here we go with toxic negativity from reactionary clowns. They’re never around when good things happen are they. You’re just a fun / energy vampire. You should see a therapist mate. Seriously, whatever you’re suffering of needs addressing by a professional
I agree with some of what you’re saying but realistically the top 3 are out of reach and finishing 4th is a realistic possibility. We are 2 points behind West Ham with 2 games in hand and I doubt sacking Arteta would have the similar outcome to sacking Lampard. Arteta has made many mistakes and has much to learn but what you have written is reactionary nonsense. A bit of perspective wouldn’t go astray.
What top 3? I only see a top 2. Chelsea were just runaway leaders in the race for 3rd spot and will soon be overtaken ( most likely by the spuds unfortunately). We just need a bit of luck with players being available and we will surely be in with a chance for 3rd. We might even end up 7th but city and liverpool aside nobody looks special
Except Chelsea have something that we (or Spurs or, for that matter, Liverpool) don’t have–a seemingly endless number of high-level substitutes and loanees and, if that fails, an almost unlimited ability to buy more. That’s why it took Klopp, smart management, and lots of patience to return Liverpool to the top, while Chelsea win no matter who is in charge.
Arteta can do no wrong with some blind and delusional fans. They will kiss his A$$ no matter what.
Some people think a new manager comes in and all of a sudden we’ll be a Top 3 side competing with City, Liverpool and Chelsea straight away.
No understanding of what it really takes to be at the top.
You flip flop so much it makes my head spin.
Are you even an Arsenal fan?
Chillax dude
Oh dear. Still bitter about us cancelling the game at the weekend?
It’s as clear as your trophy cabinet what you are, sunshine.
Desperately disappointed with the result and performance but… First game I went to this season was the Norwich game where we won 1-0. That was the first step forward in getting us back to where we belong. At the end of that game 3 or 4 idiots behind me booed the team and demanded Arteta’s removal. When asked by a bunch of other supporters what they thought they were up to they replied “we are Arsenal, we should be beating Norwich 5-0”. It’s difficult to define just how mental some of our fanbase is but I fail to see how… Read more »
When it really matters this team screws up and Arteta hasn’t changed that. There isn’t any captain material to replace non-captain Auba. We are still miles off…
We were miles off before Arteta arrived, non-competitive w top sides with no mental strength. Remember the beating by Man City before Arteta arrived, it was embarrassing for the club for the squad not to turn up. That doesn’t happen anymore. Sure we lose games like any club but we are competing now. Cant disagree that we still shoot ourselves in the foot too often.
Lacazette is a fine leader on the pitch. Tierney was captian at Celtic as a kid. Odegaard is captain of Norway now. Ramsdale looks likely. I don’t know what you’re talking about.
The parsity of the squad was evident by looking at the bench . Even with a half fit side on the pitch there was little there to call on apart from Partey who came and went without any real effect. It goes without saying that we need reinforcements but it’s hard to defend the lack of players with so many on loan elsewhere because we can’t actually find anyone to buy them.
14 reds. Sign of pushing too many players too far into the red zone. We need to rotate more … and we need a bigger squad.
Most teams would have as much or even more if they were getting players punished same as ours. You look at Aubameyang getting a red for accidentally stamping on his opponent and a week later a West ham player goes through Pepe with a leg breaker and nothing given. That palace player that kicks Saka off the ball, that Everton guy that stands on Tomi’s face, those are straight reds for any Arsenal player. Sometimes it becomes a thing while other teams get a “talking to”. I won’t highlight that Kane tackle on Robertson and others.
I thought the teams were oretty even homestly. The difference was Jota who is in fine form. So Im annoyed we lost but at least it wasnt because of VAR or an early Red
Turned it off after their second goal so haven’t seen Partey’s red but guessing, like most red cards, it was a stupid lax in concentration. We can still beat Burnley without him. And with useless Leicester City gifting three points to that toe crust down the road from us, we have to win Sunday to keep the pressure on the competition.
Same here. He needs to rest after AFCON anyway and we’ll need him more against Wolves
Send the private jet to Turin today 🛩
Feels like Partey just excused himself from having to play the next games. So soon after his AFCON disappointment. He’d better rest up or warm up to the cold.
Liverpool were just too good even without Salah & Mané
They still had a striker, we didn’t
Laca is what? a goalkeeper?
We had no European football this season meaning we had fewer games and better placed to compete domestically. However we are out of ALL competitions by January (This is the REALITY). Can some one explain how that has been an improvement?
They can’t. Not with stats and not with facts. They argue their points with wishy washy comments like “if you can’t see it… You must be…” “It’s clear for all to see!” Or, if they’ve truly got their backs to the walls they will say “You’re a hater. You’re toxic. ” How about this? Fact: Arteta won the Fa Cup with Emery’s players. He then proceeded to systematically try and get rid off each and every one of them. Results got worse since them. Our best game in 2 years was against City l, and no coincidence that came on… Read more »
We have 8 more points in the league compared to the same stage last year.
I’m not convinced by Arteta but we’re in the mix for a champions league spot. How about we see where we finish at seasons end, disappointing as this result was.
Who’s fault is this now? Xhaka a liability? Partey anyone? Top four the new trophy? Arsenal fans never learn. Bleating the same bollocks. truth is we have owners that don’t (care to) understand the game. They have not been shy of spending to be fair but they appointed two inexperienced people on the helm instead of at least getting in a DoF who has been in the trenches. The result could be seen coming form a mile away like a slow train wreck. Neglected to reinforce appropriately in the engine room (midfield). He already had good assets in Torreira, Guendouzi… Read more »
Did you honestly just accuse everyone else of “bleating the same bollocks?” I used to find you merely annoying, but am starting to think you’re genuinely delusional. You routinely copy and paste the same comment on a half dozen articles, and that’s just on Arseblog. Christ knows how broadly you’re recycling the same manure across the vast expanse of the internet.
Delusional blind fans are the worse always making excuses.
Its the whole point of Arteta and the owners recruiting a young team to provide the delusion of promise to simple minded fans.
That will always be the case, promise over consistency. We’ve been here before.
I hear you but I think there has been consistency since the miserable start. Honestly, after that start, I never would’ve expected us to be where we are, in a serious battle for 4th by the mid point. Arteta isn’t the perfect manager, it’s obvious. He’s learning on the job which isn’t ideal. But I choose to back him. Another trophy would have been nice but compared to getting back into the CL, I could care less about that competition. Would trade this loss for a series of wins in the league any day of the week. Let’s see how… Read more »
Could we have won over 2 legs without loaning out AMN, Kola, Mari and Flo? ???
I can’t see that, in a match of any importance, we would have played AMN over Tommi, Kola ahead of both Kieran and Nuno, Pablo over Gabriel and a lad in obvious need of playing time at a high level to be any good at that level as a striker.
So, no. The only one that might have been useful is putting out AMN in midfield with our fingers crossed.
Liverpool had Curtis Jones in their midfield. Is he more ‘experienced’ than AMN?
No, but he’s a significantly better player.
Makes me wonder whether we should have gone with white at right back and holding slotting in at centre back OR White Gabi Tierney Tavares as a back four? Whatever we need quality backup at rightback
It’s the Carabao Cup. Meh. I know Europe opportunity blah blah. I laughed when Spurs started flogging merchandise about it almost as much as when they lost in a game I couldn’t be bothered to watch. Meh
do you think arteta would be top4 with city’s squad?
It is easy after the even, but I would have liked to see a back three in these tight matches. We had the best chances last week with only 10 men. Last night we were wide open to a team like Liverpool and made it easy for them.
The game last night didn’t go our way, and it was clear that a number of players were not match fit. The midfield was weak and Liverpool punished us. What I don’t understand is the reaction from a section of the fans and media alike lambasting the performance of the team and manager for the loss, and for not being good enough in general. In the last two seasons we finished 8th in the league, and we’re showing considerable improvement on that. Much of the deadwood has been cleared from the squad, with a clear transfer policy in place for… Read more »