Mikel Arteta says his players were right to feel disappointed by last week’s draw at Liverpool after squandering a two-goal advantage.
The Gunners were good value for their lead, given to them by Gabriel Martinelli and extended by Gabriel Jesus, but paid a heavy price when they couldn’t make it to the break with their clean sheet intact.
After Mo Salah had cut the deficit, Jurgen Klopp’s men grew in confidence and might easily have won the game in stoppage time as they mounted an onslaught following Roberto Firmino’s late equaliser.
Given the chances missed by the home side, including a penalty by Salah, a point felt like a fair result although Bukayo Saka later revealed his teammates were far from satisfied.
Asked if he was pleased at his players being upset, Arteta said: “Yeah. You should be. When you concede in the last few minutes, you have to be upset. We wanted to win the game but as well, we have to be realistic.
“We have to accept that we had an exceptional period in the first half where we should have killed the game, but the reality is in the second half we had some really tough moments where we had to dig in.
“We could have conceded a few goals as well – that was the game.”
Arteta went on to reveal that his staff had tried to ready the players for the highs and lows that often come with clashes at Anfield.
“We tried to prevent that [disappointment] in many moments against them. We actually did it because they’re going to have periods of dominance and periods where they get you into that chaotic game they’re exceptional at.
“We didn’t manage to get out of that game well enough and that’s why we suffered.”
Despite dropping two points, Arsenal retain a six-point advantage over Manchester City and know the lead could be extended to nine by the time they visit the Etihad for a title decider on 26th April.
While it’s easy to start looking ahead, the manager says his sole aim is focusing the players on taking the challenges one day at a time.
On what his “game-by-game” mantra means, he said: “Talking about it, being demanding to each other and creating an environment where nothing is more important than what is actually going to happen today.
“When that happens, everyone understands that you are present in the moment, and that is all you can control.”
His players have certainly reaped the benefits of that mentality this season. They surpassed last season’s points tally a couple of weeks back and are on track to hit the 90-goal target their manager set this time last year.
On what has changed, Arteta added: “Consistency – in every ball that we play, and the approach that we have in every home or away game that we play.
“That’s why we are where we are because we have been consistent and performing at the highest level for many months right now, and that’s something that before we didn’t do.”
I was repeatedly told by my parents not to sulk because there’s always someone worse off than yourself.
And then United played Sevilla.
Well Maguire played Manu
The karma gods caught up with Ten Hag quick.
But not before they unleashed on us too…
We should use the same tactics next time we face Man U. Take turns to hit wall-passes off Maguire’s head and into the net.
I enjoyed this one
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=M5LIVaCRiD8&pp=ygUYbWFndWlyZSBzZXZpbGxhIG93biBnb2Fs
Serious question, if you had to pick either Maguire or Mustafi for a whole season, which one would it be??
And you can’t say, neither.
Both… I think then i could just lean back and enjoy the 90min comedy 38 times
Good answer as long as they’re not playing for us… Chelsea would do nicely actually
I think Maguire is a better defender than Mustafi. I think he was at the wrong club at the wrong time and I do think he’s been a little unlucky. A bit like Xhaka, he’s been the lighting rod for a lot of poor performances, poor players and poor management. And now his reputation is so irreversibly damaged, every error is magnified (a good example of that being last night which really wasn’t his fault) (although very, very, very funny). Mustafi should never have been a defender, or possibly a professional footballer at all. His mentality, his judgement, his technical… Read more »
I wish we could do laughing faces not just thumbs downs!!
I dunno. I don’t really watch Man United. I just remember him being very decent at Leicester and he always plays well for England.
United, for so long, have just been one of those vortex clubs where everyone who goes there gets sucked into their shitness.
I’m not saying he’s great or even good. But it’d be pretty hard to excel as a defender when you play in such chaotic and scrutinised teams.
Ya maybe so, you probably have a good point. I’m just glad we don’t have him or mustafi anymore for that matter
Well Mustafi was a clown but he’s our clown, and he also had better stats than VVD. Sabhead has a much better team around him than Mustafi did.
Maguire. No fucking contest! 😂
At least Maguire knows he’s a bit useless and doesn’t try and blame the players around him for his mistakes.
And on Sunday……
It’s St.Totteringham’s Day!
😜🍺🍺👍
Sweet, time to call in my £200 bet I’ve lost for the last two seasons… 😊
As much as I hate to say this, but I just don’t see City dropping any more points. Maybe a draw, which is still not good enough for us, unless the draw is against us. I just hope we don’t finish 2nd because VAR forgot to draw the offside lines against Brentford. That would really be fked up. I just wish City had a Harry Maguire in the team to help us.
Wrong!!!
You’re talking bollocks, NG.
City WILL drop points somewhere, probably when we all least expect it. Maybe even today.
As for us, if we win our next 3 games then we’ll probably win the league.
Easy, isn’t it?
No one would of expected them to draw away at Nottingham Forest or draw at home to Everton but it happened. Their fixtures away at Brighton and Brentford in particular look like the best chances for them to drop points but I wouldn’t be surprised if Everton away for them proved to be very difficult
They’ve won their last 10 games and are unbeaten in 14. I said it a month ago and I’ll say it again, I really don’t want to spend my time and energy hoping they will lose points because it really seems like they’ve clicked into gear and are completely demolishing their opponents now twice a week. If we don’t win the title this season because Man City suddenly became an insane fire breathing Game of Thrones creature and won 20 games in a row then so be it, I will be disappointed but I will be able to live with… Read more »
*really don’t want to count ON it
Your commitment to negativity is truly inspirational.
Im upset when i lose a du-el.
We need to be more ruthless and put teams to the sword
Here’s to some big victories in these last games
COYG!
Been saying this all week – big wins = big goal difference and that could be the deciding factor when all is said and done.
We’ve already been doing it all season. While our Goal difference is still 5 behind City, we are 14 ahead of Newcastle in 3rd (and over 30 ahead of United in 4th). Its more a case of keep doing what’s worked since day 1.
Come to think of it, there is a possibility of going 9 points clear before we play Man C.
The league might just be won on Man City’s home turf! Because I see is defeating City.
COYG!!!