Mikel Arteta said Arsenal have “a lot to improve” after watching his side get dumped out of the Carabao Cup by West Ham United.
Ben White set the tone for a frustrating evening in East London with an early own goal before the Hammers made sure of the win thanks to two goals in the 15 minutes after half time.
Here’s what the manager had to say when he faced the Sky Sports cameras.
On the performance…
Really disappointed and I am responsible for that. It wasn’t good enough, we didn’t compete well enough. I tried to warn them for 48 hours, how important it was going to be and how we have to compete first of all in this game before earning the right to play. And we didn’t do that. You can discuss what happens in the first goal and the impact of that [no VAR to rule out for a possible infringement on Aaron Ramsdale] but overall we were nowhere near the level that we have to show.
On why his side failed to perform having beaten Sheffield United so easily…
Because this is football and every game is different and what happened two days ago is in the bin and is in the past.
On whether he shares Ramsdale’s frustration about the first goal…
Yeah, obviously with VAR, that’s not a goal. That’s for sure.
On Ramsdale not making the impact he might have wanted…
Yeah, like every player, every player wants to do their best and today we haven’t done it. It’s as simple as that and we’re out.
On Nketiah struggling for goals away from home after Saturday’s hat-trick…
Again, that is a different game, different scenario. He could have had a much better service as well, we didn’t threaten the defensive line, put no balls in the box, that’s for sure. And the strikers need that.
On wanting to see more in the second half…
Much more, yes.
On why his players weren’t able to produce tonight…
Well, first, credit to West Ham because they defended really well and they play and they are very good opponents and they are really well organised, but we should have thought many things much better, especially the urgency, the speed on the ball, the simple things that we give away every single time didn’t allow us to be set in the final third for a long period. So a lot to improve.
On his players needing to shake off this performance…
The thing that we have to take from the game today is how we’re going to use this to beat Newcastle on Saturday.
On how they do that…
Feeling the pain. That’s what we have to do now.
Newcastle will be a much more difficult game. The boys will need to be at their very best to get a win there.
I’d bench Zinchenko for Tomiyasu, for starters.
I am beginning to believe Zinny has been severely hit by Xhaka’s absence.
Honest assessment. I do wish he’d stop defending Nketiah all the time though. I
He was poor throughout. His hold up play is non existent and he often strolls around. To say he had no service is just an excuse. Sorry but one hat trick against the worst team in premier League history, does not a forward make.
Same was true of every player. So why go all-in on Nketiah?
My takes: 1. Zinchenko is good in his inverted midfield play, but against a good side he becomes a liability because he often gets caught up very far up the pitch. Also his adventures in the middle of the park denies Martinelli or whoever else is playing LW support from the LB like Saka does with Benjamin. 2. Eddie Nketia may have scored a hat trick but but it was against the worst team in the premier league. He is good but not good enough for a title chasing team. His level is mid table. Arsenal need to buy an… Read more »
Yeah, Newcastle would pay as the team feels the pain.😀
Arsenal have a 70m training cone sitting in midfield doing nothing. That is MAs fault, 100%
⁷Need at least 3more midfielders for backup as proved tonight Jorginho Viera and Havertz unacceptable, Nelson. and Ntekiah not good enough, please Mikel don’t undo all the good work that you have created. Still a lot to play for.
Feeling the pain, House of Pain- Jump Around and get beat down.🤔😜🙄🙄
Absolutely not the foggin e-standards
I think David Moyes deserves a lot of the credit; his team started the second half in a very un-Moyes way. We dominated the first half, though unable to break through; they really offered little threat. Given the score, I expected–and I think Arteta and all our players expected–a very deep block, with an occasional attempted counter. But it wasn’t Mikel Antonio out there alone, hoping to beat our centre backs individually. Instead, Bowen and Kunes and the others actually played modern football, certainly until after their third goal. If Martinelli, Saka, and Odegaard had been there from the start… Read more »