Mikel Arteta spoke to the media after Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Shaktar Donetsk this evening in the Champions League, and addressed concerns over a couple of players.
Riccardo Calafiori went off in the second half after an awkward slip which seemed to jar his knee. Despite trying to carry on after treatment from the physio, he had to be replaced by Myles Lewis-Skelly and is now a doubt for Sunday’s visit of Liverpool.
On Ben White, who was taken off at half-time, Arteta explained, “This was my decision to take him out. He had a yellow card, and we have played enough with 10 men in recent periods.
“They had a lot of density on that side, a lot of attacking players on that side, and I didn’t want to take any chances.
“With Riccy it was something different. He had to come off because he felt something. I don’t know the extent of it, but in that sense, not great news.”
So, we’ll keep everything crossed it’s nothing serious for the Italian, particularly with an in-form Liverpool side coming to town.
In general though, Arteta was happy enough with the result, although he acknowledged it was a ‘tired’ performance, particularly in the second half.
“There were two very different halves,” he said. The first we were dominant, we created four big, big chances, that obviously we should have converted and put the game to bed.
“The second half was very different, we looked … tired. We lacked that sharpness, with and without the ball to regain the ball in the right areas.
“We had two big chances again, we missed a big penalty obviously, and that emotion was difficult to overcome, so we had to dig in.
“Credit to them, they are a good side, but overall it’s Champions League, get the win, clean sheet, let’s move on.”
We’re not looking good, too many injuries and not great on the pitch. Add the sending offs too and a lot to cope.with. Hopefully we step up.against Liverpool and also get our top players back soon.
Pretty down on the Caliafiori injury, but it would be the most Zinchenko thing ever if he started on Sunday and put in a motm performance.
… Okay, don’t know why that’s ‘the most Zinchenko thing ever’, but it’s something I’ve suddenly got the feeling for and I’d like to hold onto it
More chance of Zinchenko wiping out the whole Russian army, than having a good game against Salah
Yea. I pray timber makes it for Liverpool.
Timber is needed as right center half or right back, with Saliba missing. If Calafiori doesn’t make it in time, which I doubt he‘ll do, it’s either Kiwior or Zinchenko on the left side. Unless he decides to play MLS in such a big game. Considering our luck so far this season, I guess neither Timber or Calafiori will make it for Sunday and our back 4 will be Partey, Kiwior, Gabriel and Zinchenko.
I bet know our manager regrets the was he handled things in the game against Bournemouth.He shouldn’t have took Kiwior after he made one mistake.Like it or not we need Jakub. I know I’m the only one whose gonna believe this buh the fact that Kiwior doesn’t drift into the middle field is what made our defense better last season. And for some reason the manager started benching him 3 games before our champions league clash with Bayern Munich.Just as he took him off after Kiwior for me was really solid when he came against Bournemouth and White the person… Read more »
How are things in Poland these days?
It certainly looked like his ankle rather than his knee. Not sure if that’s better.
It looked like his knee and it was his knee. The commentators said it was his knee and he was motioning to his knee.
And the knights, they also said knee.
Ni!
IT
I think it was his knee.
I also think it was his knee.
I thought we had too many defenders at the start of the season, can’t believe we’re looking like we are short at the back now.
Should have come off sooner
Not a great 2nd half, but still a win. If you want a statement win, then lets do it on Sunday.
Arteta said on many occasions last season after games “we created chances that we didn’t finish” and “we need to be better in the box”
In the summer he sold Eddie and borrowed 107 year old Raheem Sterling. And as a result
He’s still saying the same things.
Created 10 chances and only get 1 goal. I always think that we always got punished for this.
That’s more or less the case everywhere. We don’t expect yo score 10 out of 1 chance.
Except that we didn’t this time. A wins a win.
Sterling is 29 years old, not in his mid 30s.
Just plays like he’s in his 40s?
You’re not going to tell me with a straight face that Eddie would be more likely to score for us than Sterling, right? Because if you did I think you know deep down you’d be lying to yourself.
White was not good and on a yellow very risky to let him on.
Duels won 2
Duels lost 4
Ground duels won 1/3 (33%)
Aerial duels won1/3 (33%)
I think the fact that Zinny and Kiwior werent used is probably a nod to Sundays side. I think both will probably start along with White and Gabriel.
I doubt it. Arteta just wanted to win. That’s his true north. Just win. It will be again Sunday. The best players will play if they are available