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
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.
I 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.
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.