A very downbeat Mikel Arteta spoke to Sky Sports after today’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton. Here’s what he had to say.
How do you assess the performance?
A week ago I was standing here and feeling proud, and today we have to apologise because the performance we had in the second half is not acceptable.
Is the title over?
Mathematically it’s still possible, and this is football, but today it’s impossible to think about that. First we have to digest the result, the performance in the second half, to try and understand why – and obviously have a very different reaction in the next game.
Was the manner of defeat hurtful?
Yes, because we know the way they play they make the game very competitive, I think there were 30 fouls in the game. It makes it difficult to get any long sequences of play, to get set in the final third. In the first half they gave the ball away a lot in their own half and we could have capitalised on that on six occasions and we didn’t.
Then we concede a goal, they were direct and in behind, and from there the team had no reaction. Obviously when you give the silly goal away like the second one, we collapsed the team had no answers.
What was biggest thing missing today?
It comes down to the duels, and they were better than us on that. The moment they scored the goal and you have to be more aggressive and take some chances, they used those spaces well and we got punished.
Is it all down to mentality?
It’s difficult to say that, and I will always defend my players. The first one responsible is me.
How do you find balance between supporting players and being disappointed and not accepting that performance? Is there anger?
After that defeat at home, I think you have to make the analysis to yourself first before looking at anybody else and that’s what I have to do.
Were Brighton good and you just not yourselves?
Brighton were really good when we became really poor, before that it was game on. They played the game that we expected and we played the same way away there, but on that day we were really efficient. We recovered the ball in the final third to score the goals, and today we didn’t do that. When you don’t do that and then make the mistakes we made, obviously you lose the game.
How low do you feel?
I don’t know. If the team is able to do that, it’s something we have to address, you have to do a lot of good things, incredible things, to be second in this league, and we’ve done that. But if the team can show that face as well, there are things that have to be addressed.
We cannot make any excuses, we have to look individually first and on Tuesday we can talk about it.
COYG
We still trust the process…. inevitably, pain is part of it…. We’ll try again and again!!
Trusting the process is fine. Lack of heart is a bigger problem.
i hope the process is not just top 4/CL money (like it’s been for the past 20 years)
it should be the title.
we will see with this transfer window
From free scoring to free falling. I hope that neither the players nor the management is satisfied with the 2nd part of the season.
It was a bloody disgrace and will have serious consequences for the transfer window.
At least 6 of those on show will go.
They should all give their wages to charity
Yes because slagging off the team will really help won’t it?
How about focusing on how they have all massively over-achieved this season instead?
What the fan?
Stay silent mate
Yes pushing the strongest English team of all time right until the final day of the league…such a disgrace.
Who on earth would want to play for a title challenger in the strongest league in the world?? Get a grip.
Yeah. Top of the League for the best part of nine months. Disgraceful behaviour. Adidas should make them wear hair shirts next season.
Honestly, some of you on here…..🙄
Regardless of today, so proud of this team, manager, staff and fans. Been the best season in recent memory many ups and downs along the way, but the process is clear for everyone to see. We analyse, we strengthen, our young team gains experience and we come back stronger. COYG
Well said !
Yep.
This season kind of feels like 1998/99. We played out of our skins and still, thanks to United’s endless luck and good fortune, finished up empty handed when another League and FA Cup Double was within our grasp.
These are the ‘disappointing’ campaigns from which our truly great title winning seasons are born.
COYG
Not much more he can say really – is there ? It’s a disappointing end to a great challenge. If it wasn’t for us, City would have won the title last month, if not in March. No one else has offered any competition. Given where we were last year, we have come on leaps and bounds. We have to be bold in the summer window and a midfielder and a striker are a must. But we’re back in the CL for sure. And this squad, with the right couple of additions will be better. City are a machine but they… Read more »
Neither half was acceptable. Let’s face it: our season is now over. But there have been many bright spots. We’ve mounted an unlikely title challenge that’s lasted right up until May. And a number of players have stepped up a gear and shined. But here are the the three huge obstacles that are preventing us from moving to that next level: 1: A lack of leadership. We need strong men on the pitch. Where were the characters to drive this team on in this massive game? Odergaard is not a captain. We looked lost and didn’t put up a fight… Read more »
Personally, I think you’re confusing naivety with inexperience. This is Arteta’s and the teams first title charge, well ahead of schedule. With a couple of astute signings, a couple of youth players coming more into the squad, and the experience of this season, I think we’ll be in pretty good shape for next season.
They need to reinforce across the board. Right footed Centre half. Goal scoring centre forward, Left back and Central midfield. At least 5 top class players need to come in. On the other side there are about 10 squad players who will be at the exit door.
Item 1 is crucial. We have enough of “perfect son-in-law” players no matter the quality. We want a couple of beasts. When Artea says the players still have big margins for growth, he is right. Nobody in our team can reach Benzema’s ankle when it comes to winning and we’ve got a lot of quality. You will see how he will eliminate City with a header and a ball he stretches hard to collect one meter behind him.
You will spout off like a proud father when we are mathematically eliminated from first. I can just hear the I told you so’s now. Good job calling the probable/most likely outcome that this city team would beat us to the title months ago bud!! Well done great foresight you nailed it.
🍺 🍺 🍺 🍺 👍 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂
#1…I’ve been saying same about MO all season…bang on mate. Granit is still our captain.
Arteta was affraid of their speed on the wings that’s why he avoided the high press to keep us more compact. However the result was not optimal.
I think it one of the few this year Arteta was outclassed. Our players and the ref didn’t help at all.
You’re responsible for trust second half and the pressure got to you. Actually highlights just how much further than even Arteta thinks we have to go. man utd, chelsea & liverpool are not going to be this bad again next season so we need to tighten up fast.
I guess if he’s got a long way to go and we’re currently second, then European cups must be imminent!
Another Gypsy Rose Lee predicting an Holland 1974 Renaissance for not only Chelsea, but Liverpool, United and all the rest. That we’ve smashed all of them in the table and been the only serious contenders with City all season, is apparently, neither here nor there. Gary Neville and the morons from TalkSport spout it, so it must be true.
Lazy route one thinking.
That’s putting it nice and politely. 😉
Over achieved this season,
I always wanted a top 4 finish.
We got it,
Summer window will be interesting,
Bet Lee Mason is delighted.
Everything, for me, boils down to some hard truths: We don’t yet have the defence to win a major title. We don’t also have a strong enough bench to confront City across a whole season. Guardiola can afford to line out two good teams, while we need all our 11 first team players in place to play well. Generally, the team should be proud of their achievement this season, but this should also be a pointer to what it takes to win the epl these days. With CL football coming next season, we need to be quite deliberate in the… Read more »
hmm i would not be surprised to see all transfers done late again
Amen.
This is a crucial summer transfer window. Edu and Josh have got to be at the top of their game – they HAVE to back Arteta properly, with speed and ruthlessness.
No daft bids, no penny pinching, no heel dragging.
We all know who at least 50% of our targets are. They must be welcomed and put on the payroll with the minimum of fuss
I get that some people are angry. It doesn’t help that the media will clickbait Arsenal fans mercilessly and some will fall for it and get angry. But I love this team, not just the Club, this actual team and I think it will get stronger as some of the players mature and with some additions and I trust the current regime to pick the right additions, because their track record since the mend & make do during Covid, has been pretty good. So. Yes we had a good chance to win the PL and yes its annoying that dropped… Read more »