Mikel Arteta spoke to Sky Sports after Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at the Emirates this evening.
Here’s what he had to say.
On the performance …
From box to box, we were at least at the level or better, but in the boxes, that’s where they won the game.
You didn’t defend well enough or take chances when they came?
They had two chances, they scored two goals. We conceded two poor goals, and we didn’t score but for the rest, we played the way we played, toe to toe against the best team in the league right now. Big credit to the players.
What was good between the boxes?
Everything. Our high press, how we regained the ball, how we kept the ball, how we threatened … everything.
Did Liverpool struggle with Arsenal intensity in the first half?
Overall, it was everything that we talked about. How we tried to execute it, the intensity, the mentality, the courage that they played with against this team. Unfortunately the performance doesn’t reflect the result.
Will it dent confidence?
I hope not because I think it should make them realise this is another step (forward) and the gap is smaller. But the reality is you lose the game and at that level when you open the door for them, you concede a goal.
What were the key moments?
Before the first goal. Odegaard puts that one in the net and it’s a different story.
Are these decisive against teams of Liverpool’s quality?
In the boxes!
Where does it leave you?
With a bad taste because we want to win every game, but proud of the boys and the performance, and the connection with the fans – they stayed behind the team all the way through.
There is a lot togetherness now?
I’ve never seen atmosphere like this, that’s the reality.
Where do we go with top four hopes now?
We go today to sleep well, to have something good to eat, recover, get mentally prepared because Saturday we have a battle against Aston Villa.
The next game is the biggest of the season.
We couldn’t ask for any more lads.. weldone! Against players that have been at world cups and won trophies all over Europe….. surely, we’re getting there…and ahead of schedule..
What a defeated, wussified take. GTFO coward.
Well you’re an unpleasant individual…I think it’s a pretty balanced take. Liverpool are better than us at the moment and the result reflected. But the gap is closing.
That’s my manager!
Positive and realistic comments from Arteta
I was always convinced by Arteta the coach that was never in question for me anyway. But i did doubt his management, Hopefully the team can achieve that fourth spot because i really want to see what he can achieve with a couple more windows and seasons with better players coming in. City and Liverpool are peaking and Arteta and Arsenal could possibly be the future.
I love Arteta. I’m a supporter of him. But he makes a lot of mistakes. Today was another. O coming off for ESR when we were desperate for goals and we had 25 min to play…when Xhaka could’ve been subbed…was a HUGE mistake.
Martineli and Tomas played very well until the second goal. After that Xhaka was the only one who avoid mistakes and gave a key passe to Brazilian. Ode and Saka aren’t good ih this match.I hope to see the next game of Arsenal without Eyes wide shut!
Isn’t ESR our best goalscorer?
I have a suggestion for some bridging of views on where we are at the moment – As a sceptic, I will happily acknowledge that this game is not at all a barometer for success – Liverpool are miles ahead of us, partly because of picking and sticking with the right manager at the right time, but also because of spending over multiple seasons. I am also happy to acknowledge that if we get 4th, we are absolutely on the right path and should continue with Arteta. Is it possible for those who are more optimistic to acknowledge that we… Read more »
I mean the team that finished 5th melted into chaos in a couple of months and Emery jumped from a sinking ship to a working submarine. To a well working club over years now. We shouldn’t forget we are two years away from siding a back three of Luiz-Mustafi-Kolasinac against Spuds. And even a proven manager like Klopp did not work wonders from the start and also lost an EL final on the way. I mean there was never a schedule. But the change we see after one proper summer window is just huge. It is the best football we… Read more »
I don’t see Arteta as changing a problem he inherited. I think he was largely given a workable squad, created his own problems, and had us in the bottom half of the table for a while (in multiple seasons). Relative to that, pretty much anything looks like an improvement. Objectively, 4th is better than what came before. But if we finish below that, I don’t see what we’re getting from the “process”. The players are very easy to get behind (with one glaring exception) but we’ve had likeable players before – they leave if they don’t win things. Tactically, Arteta… Read more »
This is garbage. Liverpool were weak and were there for the taking today. We blew it. I love Arteta, but when he pulled O, it was over. Xhaka should’ve been subbed off for ESR. That was EASY! Very, very disappointing coaching today.
Why on earth would he take Xhaka off? He was playing well and created the chance which Martinelli narrowly missed. Always the scapegoat 🙈🙈🙈
Xhaka was awful
give Kroenke your biography to take the position of head coach.
I’m a well decorated Xhaka critic since season 2 and even I could not find out, what he did wrong. He wasn’t as good as Partey but still contributed to the team.
Didn’t we experiment with the Odegaard ESR Partey system and found out, that we were terribly unbalanced?
It’s a real shame. Like Arteta said, Odegaard puts that in the back of the net, different story.
Martinelli, best game of the season for him I think. Shame it wasn’t rewarded with a goal.
The difference at the end of the day were the GK’s. Ramsdale, as good as he’s been, you cant concede a goal at your near post like that. Meanwhile Alisson steps up at blocks Odegaard and also read the through balls very well.
The difference in the boxes. Take out Cedric and Laca and bring in a fit-again Tommy and a top drawer striker – and you have a different team. And if we’re being brutally honest, Xhaka – for all his experience – is becoming slower game by game. If you can clear out the likes of Ozil and Auba, then you surely can ring time on the likes of Xhaka too. He’s ok at the moment, but, like Laca, time is catching up with him. Compared to the rest of the lads, he seems to take forever. If – and I… Read more »
“The next game is the biggest of the season.” That’s true of Villa Saturday, and will be true of the final 10 matches after that. Consistency, resilience, and 21-24 points from the remaining 33, will secure CL next season.