Arsenal’s defeat to Sp*rs may have been a punch in the gut for everyone concerned but Mikel Arteta is taking heart from the ‘energy’ his players showed in yesterday’s training session as they gear up for Monday’s clash at Newcastle.
The manager and his players were quick to turn over a new leaf in the aftermath of Thursday’s 3-0 defeat pointing out that Champions League qualification remains within their control so long as they win their final two games of the season.
With the pressure likely to be ramped up by a Sp*rs win over Burnley, Arteta knows it’s imperative his squad keeps any negativity at bay.
He said: “Obviously losing a derby is always painful and having been through the situation we went in the game, it’s like that, but as well, you learn a lot probably more than with any victory, so it’s good to go through those moments sometimes.
While accepting that his players’ confidence could easily have taken a knock from the nature of the defeat, he’s taking heart from the mood in the camp.
“How lucky I am to have them,” he said when asked what he’s learnt in the last 48 hours.
“How they stand under any difficulty, how much they are looking forward to play on Monday, how excited they are about the challenge ahead, because we all know everything that we’ve been through throughout the season and how much we have to fight to be in this position.
He added: “The excitement that they’ve shown me every day. The way they’ve come in today with the energy that they were with today to play the game and very willing to go there and perform at the highest level.”
It’s tough to tell what to expect from Newcastle. Having eased their relegation worries with a strong run since strengthening Eddie Howe’s squad in January, they are firmly ensconced in mid-table with little to play for.
Last time out they were hammered 5-0 by a rampant Manchester City but you suspect under the lights, in what will be their last home game of the season, the players will look to sign off on a high.
Arteta is expecting a raucous atmosphere: “This is the Premier League and it’s great to go to away grounds and experience those moments.
“As an athlete, you want to be exposed to that and take it in the right way and feel lucky to play these kind of games.””
“You can see what Eddie and the coaching staff have done,” added Arteta of Newcastle’s recent evolution.
“Straight away they tried to modify the way they were playing, they have changed formation a few times, but after that they’ve been quite consistent and they have turned the place around I think in a really good way, and so merit to them.”
The omens are good for Arsenal. Opta report we’ve won 17 of our last 18 Premier League games with Newcastle and the last seven meetings against them in all competitions without conceding a goal. We’ve also lost our penultimate away game just once in the last 11 seasons.
Come on Burnley? Can’t see it unfortunately
Let’s hope B White is there … St Maximin is a weapon.
Let’s hope it’s 10 Burnley men behind the ball and they nick a 0-0.
Spurs gifted a penalty. Now there’s a surprise.
I’m going to set my alarm clock five minutes earlier each day this week, just so I can actually spend more time hatIng those utter cunts.
Trophy dodging low life scum
I’m not too hopeful either.
But, just SAY it happened. A Burnley victory just a matter of hours after those cunts celebrated like they’d actually won some silverware.
Man, that would be so so funny.
If it happens, I will laugh my bollocks off.
Burnley might go there with the view of getting a point, which would be better than none, and hope to hit the spuds on a rare break away and take all three points!! 0-1 to Burnley 👍
I want to avoid thinking about football after Thursday but why did Liverpool supporters boo William, the National Anthem and most shamefully English football’s National Anthem, Abide With Me?
Because they feel they were let down by the state on the Hillsborough cover-up.
That might be part of the reason, but only a very small part.
Because, whether you agree with it or not – their fan base (and Merseyside in general) is made up of a lot of anti-Nationalist pro-Republican Irish.
It’s political, no doubt about it.
I’m not either advocating or disrespecting anything here, just stating how it is.
As much as I despise both Liverpool and Chelsea, I did want Chelsea to win the FA Cup. Reason being, if Pool win the quadruple, unfortunately that will somewhat overshadow our own Invincible’s in the annuls of history.
They won’t win the quadruple
They’ve looked knackered the last few weeks of the season. Salah and Van Dijk went off yesterday and they struggled in both cup finals they’ve played this year, so I wouldn’t even be sure they’ll beat Real…
City have got the league now. And I fancy Real in the ECL final.
No quadruple for the Phlegm Spouters.
No it won’t.
To better us, they need to go unbeaten in the league for a season with a run longer than 49 games.
And they ain’t doing that. Ever.
I doubt the monarchy has ever been popular in Liverpool anyway, given the strong Irish connections in the City and Football Club (among other things) but the Royal family just spent £12m of public money to pay off somebody taking Prince Andrew to court for being a nonce, then last week gave a speech sat on a gold-plated chair about how we’re all in it together with the rising cost of living. I’m not saying I agree with the booing, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t understand it.
I think its more what Torterrier and Qwalitee said
How i our young lads play with their hearts and shut all noise from spurs and would be negative pundits alike.
I honestly can’t remember when I’ve wanted us to win with such intensity. Reminds me of us playing United back in the day during the late 90’s / early 00’s. The wife used to go out with her mates – watching the game with yours truly was clearly unbearable for her. But then, in mitigation, those games against United were fucking unbearable. That FA Cup replay in 1999 nearly finished me off. I now want to ram this top four down Tottenham’s oxygen-wasting wanky slow singing throats. Especially Conte, Son, Kane and, while we’re at it, Gary Neville. The missus… Read more »
Fuck Spurs. Fuck Newcastle. Fuck Everton. Fuck them all.
It’s us – US – that we should be interested in. If we adopt the right positive attitude and remember what we are good at and believe we will fucking do it – then top four is ours. Simple as that.
COYG
🎶 Fuck em all, Fuck em all, Everton Spurs Newcastle, Cos we are the Arsenal and we are the best, We are the Arsenal so fuck of the rest 🎶
Old School North Bank right there.
Just curious, does anybody know if Newcadtle have any significant injuries and/or suspensions for tomorrow’s game? Given our own absences, it would be nice if they had a few of their own.
Newcastle:
Doubtful: Fraser (hamstring)
Injured: Hayden (knee, unknown), Shelvey (calf, unknown), Willock (knee, unknown), Fernández (achilles, unknown), Lewis (groin, unknown)
Handful: Chris Wood and Allan Saint-Maximin
At least our old friend Joe Willock won’t be available to twist the knife.
Yeah, thank fuck Willock’s out.
You just know exactly what would happen if he played….
Isn’t that right. Our former players love trying to prove the club wrong. Still hate David Bentley for that screamer he scored against us while at Spurs.
Burnley 0, Stinking pile of Poo 1. It’s up to the Gunners, we have to beat The Murdering Sheiks tomorrow!
The lads know what they need to do. Just go up there and win – just go for it.
Support these young lads win, draw or lose as they are improving and we are getting there