Mikel Arteta says it’s his responsibility to look at the broader picture after consecutive defeats to West Ham and Fulham saw his side drop from first to fourth in the Premier League rankings.
In the days since plenty of column inches have been dedicated to Arsenal’s struggles with the manager’s tactics analysed and the output of individual players probed.
Now that it’s January, supporters have also started dreaming of a quick fix via the transfer market, although that comes with its own complications.
“It affects the momentum that we had,” said Arteta of the damage done by two losses on the bounce.
“Until Christmas day, we are top of the league, six days later you are fourth.
“You can be very tempted to look at things with a microscope or take the telescope and look a little bit further and have things with a little bit more perspective.
“My job big time is to look with a telescope and have perspective and analyse things in the broader way and not get affected by one performance. Not results, one performance.”
Asked what went wrong at Fulham – a match he labelled in its immediate aftermath as his side’s “worst of the season” – Arteta said: “We weren’t at the level, we weren’t good enough. I don’t think we deserved to lose the match but we didn’t do enough to win it.”
He also believes bad days at the office won’t become a trend. “Hopefully not because it was a one-off. I haven’t seen the team do what we did in certain periods of the matches [before], so hopefully not.”
After drawing Liverpool in the FA Cup third round, Arsenal won’t get a chance to ease themselves back into form this weekend.
Jurgen Klopp’s table-topping side heads into the match full of confidence. They’ve won two in a row since Arsenal’s 1-1 draw at Anfield on 23 December and set a new Premier League record for highest Expected Goals in their 4-2 win over Newcastle three days ago.
It’s a match the neutrals are salivating over although Arteta says both sides would have preferred an easier draw.
“If you ask both teams, probably in the draw we were expecting something different but we have this incredible clash in the first round and we have to go for it,” he said.
“We played it two weeks ago and it was an incredible match and I’m sure it will be a really good match again.”
Arteta is also hopeful the Emirates faithful find their voice for the occasion. At Anfield, the Gunners, not for the first time, faced a cauldron-like atmosphere that threatened to help swing the game in Liverpool’s favour.
Asked if Arsenal fans can replicate that, he said: “It will be our own one. We are really happy with the atmosphere we have created at the Emirates and it’s been incredibly supportive.
“Can we tweak it and make it even more hostile? I think we can and that’s the next step in my opinion.
“We have to be so grateful for what we are achieving and creating in our home ground and I think Sunday is going to be a big one again.”
“The team has to give more,” added the Spaniard when pressed on how the club takes that next step.
“I think the team has to transmit that bite, that aggression and that intimidation and dominance to the opponent.
“I think certain games this season and Champions League games are going to create the next step. That’s my feeling.”
Hello,
Not really relevant to this article…..but am I right in thinking that the one game ESR started, admittedly vs Sheffield Utd, we won 5-0? I know he didn’t last the course but it does seem completely weird that he doesn’t get selected over Eddie, Reiss, etc?
Grumble grumble
Because MA wants to ensure that Havertz has a successful career.
ESR is coming back from a bad injury, one of many. He is being reintegrate very slowly, very intentionally. Remember Arteta played with Jack, and I’m sure he sees a lot of his career trajectory in ESRs potential trajectory, and is managing him carefully because of it. Arteta gave him the #10 for a reason, but his injury record means he has to be cooked slowly. The same happened with Martinelli, and we saw stupid posts like “why does Arteta hate Martinelli?”, because he took so long to play him after his injuries. He slowly reintegrate him and he took… Read more »
it’s amazing how hard edu, the players and especially arteta have tried to involve the fans and give them reasons to be more supportive. they’re always being extremely thankful for no reason: the atmosphere at the emirates is always shit, and it’s only at away games that our fans are loud and cheerful. at least people have stopped booing players these last few years, but i just can’t understand how silent everyone is, the way the stadium is half empty 10 minutes before the match ends. is it the tourists? is it the price? i don’t know liverpool are known… Read more »
Tourists pay thousands of dollars just to be there, just to attend one game. Think they will stay as long as possible.
I don’t think you get it and no disrespect. Last season the Ashburton Army were all together in section 26 of the clock end. This season AFC created a ballot system which meant the AA were dispersed to the 4 corners of the stadium. To create an atmosphere your need the hardend crew (shouters/singer’s drum beaters etc) to be congregated all together. This coupled with the non exciting drab football on display is a couple of reasons why the atmos is so. Christ when I was privalidge to go to Highbury as well as The Emirates 1 would sing and… Read more »
you’re right in that i didnt get it, i wasn’t aware of what you said. that’s why i asked, it does make much more sense now! hopefully that system changes next season, thanks for the insight
The cup game with Liverpool is massive. We won’t win the PL and the CL is unlikely so the FA Cup is our best chance of silverware.
No resting players: we must play our strongest side and hope to get through.
Plus our next game is on 30 January, so plenty of time to rest players
20
Piers Morgan we knew it’s you hiding in the fat mask.