Mikel Arteta was delighted with his side’s maturity and intelligence after watching Arsenal end a six-year winless streak at Everton with a 1-0 win secured thanks to Leandro Trossard’s classy first-time finish.
After the game, the boss faced the Sky Sports cameras and reflected on how the Gunners ground out their win, praised his goalscorer and provided an update on the fitness of Gabriel Martinelli, who had to be replaced by Trossard in the first half.
On ending their Goodison Park curse…
Yeah, we talked about it. This was the challenge, for six years we haven’t won here. And there were a few reasons for it. And it’s how we do things, but as well the input that you put in every single action and how you impose yourself in this ground. And I think we played an incredible game. We kept them really, really quiet. We created many, many chances. Probably the first goal as well should be allowed. We dominated the game and we are extremely happy to go away with a win, with a clean sheet and with a good feeling.
On what he made of the disallowed goal…
It comes off the opponent, but I don’t know the reason why they’ve done it. Yeah, we are sitting here now and we don’t need it [the goal] but it could have changed the game much earlier.
On Martinelli’s injury…
He felt something on one of the sprints. I don’t know if it was the action when he goes and score the goal or the next one. He felt something in his hammy. So he will need to be assessed.
On what Arsenal did differently at Goodison Park today…
I think we drew the game for longer periods to the areas that we wanted, in the way that we wanted and we were really solid and we gave very, very little away, I could say nothing because they haven’t created a single chance. And that shows maturity, desire, but as well intelligence because it’s about the fight and it’s really good. The fight and win the duel and the second ball, that game, we’re not going to win it against them because they are bigger and they are stronger than us. But the other one, we managed to do it and I’m really pleased with the way we played.
On whether he was worried about where a goal might come from…
Another chance and another chance and you get momentum and you get the territory and everything and you don’t get it, but at the end, we found a way to score and we were really solid defensively as well.
On Trossard’s goal and performance…
That’s a great finish. He did it a few days ago with Belgium as well and this is what we need. The players that came in in the starting eleven, they did really well. And that’s what is required. Now we’re playing 100 minute [games] in the Premier League. Every three days we’re going to have a game and you need everybody on your toes. And this is what I want to build, that everybody feels that he’s got an opportunity and we fully trust him.
On Arsenal’s corner routines…
There are ways, different ways to attack, different ways to try to take advantages of an opponent’s weaknesses. And obviously they are really strong in the box and you need alternatives and we found a way to open it up.
On opting not to send high crosses into the box…
No, you can and you can still score. It’s about the possibilities and the probabilities, which is different. But yeah, it’s like creating a story in the game and the players have to feel when it’s the right moment to do it.
On David Raya’s debut and Vieira’s performance…
What I want is that the players that deserve to play, that they play. And you know, Fabio [Vieira] deserves to play, he’s been knocking on the door for a few weeks now and you can tell that he was ready and he contributed. He had some great actions that he could have ended in goals and that’s what we need. Everybody, when they are ready they play, they play well and I think both of them did that today.
Jimmy Floyd Hankywank on sky reckons we didn’t play well?! We dominated, kept them at range, could’ve scored more, what the actual fark?! I’m well pleased with our performance today, against a bogey team of recent years. 1-0 to the ARSENAL!! X
He also reckoned we spent a lot of money on loan signing david raya. How he’s wound up with a permanent gig at this is anybody’s guess.
There’s a reason why he can’t even mange at League 1 level
To top it off, he’s Southgates assistant 😂
Well obviously they need a complete tool to do that job to make Southgate look vaguely competent.
I hope Everton get relegated. They are an awful team and Sean Dyche is a massive whinging prick. It was like playing against a Sunday league team today, a poor Sunday league team.
Well Dyche has two massive things going for him. They are called Luton Town and Sheffield United. So, all he has to do is be better than Burnley and he is safe.
Just looked and Sheffield are above Everton on GD.
So maybe Dyche should start by trying to be better than them?
Total control for the most part, just lacking a bit of creativity in the final third and the finishing but we’re getting there, I guess that is sometimes the sacrifice for stability so Mikel needs to get that balance right and he is certainly close. The more games this group plays together the strong the bonds, the goals will come.
13/15 and we’re not at our best
Trossard is a gem. So glad he’s one of ours. Kai will come good. I just know he will. Let’s give him time.
I think he had several good defensive contributions when he came on (need to watch it back–knowing the result–to really judge).
Hope ESR gets some time.
Apart from Elneny and Cedric, who we kinda understand are sort of just making up the numbers and will only play if injuries pile, ESR is the last man on the squad that we all feel is willing and able to contribute, but so far has yet to do so. fingers crossed he goes back to his flying best!
I’d say this was our best performance of the season so far. With the score at 0-0 or 0-1, you always feel like something could happen but we controlled this came so well. More of this please with more goals on the side.
I feel like Mikel might have seen more chances than I did. There were a couple for Vieira and one for Rice that got blocked and a bunch of near misses but very little clear cut. Definitely solid defensively but he presents it as if we were unlucky not to score more, I think that was the case vs Fulham and Forest but today, not really, we were lacking creativity and precision in the final third and it worries me if he thinks otherwise. Or is it just something he says publically to divert criticism from his players?
Felt the same. But it’s really difficult to break down that kind of a determined low block. Reckon most of the game was played with 9 everton players behind the ball.
The goals will come.. Team needs to gel a little more with Kai and Fabio I feel.
Time to break the Man City hoodoo in the league
I know we won but I’m surprised more hasn’t been made of the penalty. Not only does it come off a defender the VAR check seems to happen at the point Gabriel controls the ball, not the half second later when the Everton fellow challenges and the ball pings off to Eddie. When they are being so precious over the drawing of lines it’s super important they get the correct moment that the ball is played forward. The games moves fast and offside become onside in a split second