Mikel Arteta says he’s been impressed by the reaction of his players to the defeat at Everton and is looking for Arsenal to display the “right mindset” against Brentford.
While the Gunners continue to hold a five-point advantage over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, that gap could disappear in the space of six days if a run of two defeats extends to three against the Bees and four when City visit the Emirates on Wednesday.
To ensure that doesn’t happen, Arteta has told his players they can’t afford to turn their attention to the mouthwatering table-topping clash just yet.
“Our only focus is on Brentford tomorrow,” he told his pre-game press conference.
“The preparation has been on that. Let’s go into tomorrow’s game with the right mindset because we’re going to need to be really good to beat them.
“[The reaction has been] Really positive. We sat together, discussed the game and what happened. The opponent played their part and you have to congratulate Everton for what they did on the day.
“It’s true that there were things we didn’t do like in other games and that’s the reason you lose football matches. There’s always an opportunity to bounce back, show the character that we have and how much we want what we are fighting for.”
He added: “Losing brings a lot of opportunities to look at other things and the reaction of the team. The reaction of the team has been superb this week and tomorrow we’re going to put in a great performance in front of our crowd to try to win the game.”
Brentford travel to N5 as the top flight’s most in-form side over the last six games and are unbeaten in their last nine. After picking up 14 points from a possible 18, Thomas Frank’s side will fancy their chances of securing a first win on Gunners’ territory since 1938.
Asked what challenges the Bees will pose, Arteta said: “Many different ones – the ones they put in every week to every single opponent.
“The level or where they are sitting in the table doesn’t matter – they are extremely efficient at what they do, with a very clear way of playing and generating advantages, overloads and sequences of play. That they want to do.
“That will be the game tomorrow and we’ll need to be at our best in every single phase, because they can create issues from anywhere on the field.”
Here’s hoping the Emirates is an absolute cauldron of noise to roar the lads on to victory tomorrow.
We may need to be patient for the first goal but it’s important that we keep our shape, keep playing our usual game and take our chances as and when they crop up.
It would indeed be fantastic to go eight clear of the oil crooks before they
cheat their way againstplay Villa.Come on Arsenal – let’s do this!
COYG
I have been celebrating the tittle thinking City will get 25 point deduction. But in the end, all these are only empty threats and nothing will happen to them. They are not Derby County.
Personally I would absolutely hate City to get points deducted this season. How could we enjoy the title the way we will when we win it without that.
To paraphrase Muhammad Ali – “We need to float like butterflies and
stingstomp those Bees”.Big bounce back please so we can play City with confidence. Brentford haven’t lost in 9 so will be though to beat. The crowd and the team will have to be at their best. Here’s hoping!!!
Hope we crush them with Martinelli the absolute man of the match. We really need goal contribution from Gabby. For me, we can only win the league if one of Nketiah and Martinelli becomes the revelation of the season.
The only team to beat them at home was of course Arsenal.
A 3-0 win was an excellent performance that I hope we can duplicate tomorrow.
Arsenal are more than capable of that.
Brentford will play like Everton but their players are twice as good. Any drop in our level tomorrow and we will drop more points. Must win.
After the 0-3, Frank made it as clear as a manager ever does that he thought his club was far below Arsenal’s level, very different than his reactions to other games. Brentford could steal a point, of course, but I think if we score early, they will go into damage-limitation mode pretty quickly.
Amazing how far Bees have come to think this is a trcky game at home, we took a dent last week but our wheels continue to be on the road, even though we didn’t play well we kept to Miki’s plan rather than hoof it in to box, expecting a fast start from us but so will they, when we have conceded when playing well in 1st half our 12th man (crowd) have been immense, COYG…
Hopefully, our players will be hurting after that defeat and pathetic performance at Goodison Park last Saturday and will go out there and smash Brentford.
We need to forget about the City game and just focus on winning this one. Arteta must play our strongest team and get the job done: then we can focus on the Wednesday night game. If we win the next two games then I believe we’ll go on to win the title.
What’s there in this post to warrant a thump down?
Because it is Fatgooner lol
I think maybe the “…pathetic performance…” comment?? It wasn’t a great performance but I suppose the word pathetic is triggering? Otherwise I think right sentiment.
COYG.
Most likely to make him happy! We know how much he likes those dislikes!
I love this team so much and it was I think wishful thinking that this year something was different. A wobble had to happen. Not enough strengthening in January didn’t help. After a very excellent period in the transfer market we are, I fear going to fall short. Hopefully we’ll at least finish in the top 4.