Thursday, December 5, 2024

Post-Chelsea quotes round-up: Arteta, Maresca, Merino, Raya, Merson & more

A visit to Stamford Bridge on Sunday saw Arsenal earn a 1-1 draw, making it four Premier League games without a win and a nine-point gap to league leaders Liverpool as the November international break begins.

Gabriel Martinelli netted the first goal of the game — the first time in four Premier League away games Arsenal have scored the opener — after some fine work by Martin Odegaard but that strike was cancelled out by Pedro Neto’s equaliser.

Here’s what the managers, players, pundits and stattos had to say after the game …

Mikel Arteta on his mixed emotions …

I am very disappointed but very proud as well with what I have seen from the team again. We did the most difficult one to score the first goal but very disappointed with the way we conceded. The standards and our defensive habits were nowhere near. They have quality and if you give them space they are going to punish you. But then the team reacted in a way that was fabulous with the desire to win, show initiative, take risks and be so dominant but we didn’t manage to score the [winning] goal.

Source: BBC Sport

Enzo Maresca on Chelsea’s approach …

It was quite clear what they were doing, especially in the build up they drop a lot — Partey next to the central defender, Rice to the next central defender — so in that moment we have to take a decision, if you go and you are aggressive then you probably leave space in the middle because you have to go (with your midfielders), so you leave a big gap in the middle.

Source: Sky Sports

Mikel Arteta on another tough away game …

They destroy every team that comes here in every way, but I thought we were superb. We were very unlucky. We have dominated one of the best teams in Europe but we don’t get the results. That is what is missing.

Source: BBC Sport

Mikel Merino on responding to the equaliser …

It was a really tough game, it is always difficult to get three points at Stamford Bridge. We conceded a goal with a mistake but we have to take the positives and regroup. I was a few centimetres away from the winning goal but that is the margins in football.

Source: Premier League

Results

Mikel Arteta on battling with injuries …

What I am just praying is that after the international break I have the team fully equipped physically, they are available and they are fit because it has been an absolute nightmare for eight weeks. Issue after issue, not only the ones that are not able to play, but the ones that are able to play only for certain moments, only for certain days, not able to train.

Source: Arsenal.com

Marc Cucurella on facing Bukayo Saka …

Bukayo Saka is a top player. We’ve played a lot of times against each other, there is huge respect there. It is a good battle and hopefully we can have more. I try to not give him space and always be close to him. We knew he is a special talent and do my work and help my team. I tried to show the best of me.

Source: Premier League

Mikel Arteta on Rice and Saka’s injuries and England call-ups …

It doesn’t look good because two players of that importance tell you that they cannot continue in the game, so it obviously isn’t good news.

I don’t expect them to be fit, because if they were, they wouldn’t have come off.

Source: Arsenal.com

David Raya on dropped points …

We are disappointed. We are going to be disappointed to get just one point, especially the way we played, the way we approached the game and the chances we created but I think we showed what we are about.mes. We have to take the positives and focus on the next one.

Source: BBC Sport

Mikel Arteta on Martin Odegaard’s performance …

I don’t know any other player in the league that is capable of doing that after six weeks out, he had a day and a half, a training and a half. Just physically and mentally to be connected the way he was with the team is unbelievable.

Source: Arsenal.com

Paul Merson on confidence and the title race …

Arsenal have got a bullseye on their back, they’re a big team, everybody wants to beat them. I think their confidence is a bit low at the moment, I didn’t think it was free flowing today, I thought it was a bit stop and start and when your confidence goes not everyone wants the ball.

They’ve got to get on a run now, they’ve got to get consistent. They can reel off five or six wins and they’ll have to.

Source: Sky Sports

David Raya on having Martin Odegaard back …

We know how important Martin is for us, not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well. He drives us, he gives us that extra edge, of course, he’s the club captain as well. He just shows on the pitch the quality he has and what he gives to the team, so we’re really happy to have him back.

Source: Arsenal.com

Arteta on dealing with setbacks …

When it gets nasty, show your teeth and show how much you want it. When it’s Disneyland, it’s easy, everyone is next to you and telling you how beautiful you are and when it gets dark and difficult, everyone is questioning it. That’s when I want to see people, that’s when I’m always looking around, who’s going to step in that role, yes or no.

Source: Arsenal.com

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C.B.

Surprised on the recent lack of clean sheets given how good are defenders generally are. Small margins ca. Nake a big difference for us, in defence and attack. Hope we start to pull it around.

C.B.

*can make*….

ALBangbang

Our defenders haven’t been at the same level this season. Saliba has been uncharacteristically sloppy.

Tim

And White?

Santi’s Phonebox

Been carrying an injury all season.

El Mintero

To be fair, we haven’t really had a settled back 4 for most of the season yet. If white can get 100% fit soon and calafiori stops picking up these knocks that seem to always force him out, we might get back to our dominant best.

Henri Like-A-New-Signingsbury

Not a fan of Timber at LB. We look much more balanced with him at RB.

gooner

Overall I am happy for Martinelli. We’ve been lacking that goal threat from the left side this season so hopefully he and Trossard can convert more. Can’t go without pointing out that clever stunt he pulled though on their equalizer. No way he would have seen Neto make that run into a central position. He thought about following him but there was no chance he could catch up. When Neto decided to pull the trigger you could see Martinelli trying to run away from the scene of the crime probably to avoid accountability but there was no way he could… Read more »

djourou's nutmeg

he’s useless, i lost count of how many times he got the ball, wiggled his legs in front of their winger and then passed it backwards. it wasn’t even a defender. he fucked up every shot he could and nearly fucked the goal tool, there’s so much responsibility of the keeper in that play. but he scored so he’s earned himself three more months of blind support…

Tim

With the shot coming from central midfield we should have had Partey or Rice there. They tend to drop to deep and close to the center backs

John C

Unpopular opinion but Partey has been crap this season, he makes us worse both defensively and offensively.

We need to get him out of the team and get Rice and Merino settled.

djourou's nutmeg

i gave him the stick earlier in the season because he was being very sloppy but i actually think he’s been decent recently. i don’t see him adding much creativity to our attack but he certainly makes things more fluid. he was put under pressure by his teammates many times yesterday, situations in which he could have given the ball away, but he was very composed and kept things ticking. we got many problems but i don’t think he’s one of them, and arguably not one of the main ones.

John C

The reason he gets the ball under pressure is because he’s too deep and therefore he superficially looks like he’s doing well but he shouldn’t be there in the first place.

The reason we’re not dominating matches territorially is because of him. He’s become our Casemiro

Jimboy

This is a blatant lie… he’s been the one person in midfield that has been excellent all season.

John C

He hasn’t been, he plays too deep, he’s slow, he doesn’t protect the defence particularly well. It’s not a coincidence that we’ve let in considerably more goals with him in the team

matthinc

You must have been watching different games to me. He’s been a stand out for us – great defensive contributions and amazing positive recycling of the ball. Much more impressive than Rice, who has faded a bit this season IMO.

El Mintero

That’s simply not true mate. He’s been our best midfielder last couple of months! No doubt he’ll leave at the end of the season though and then rice can assume his best role for us – #6.

John C

Why do we have a lack of goal threat on the left hand side but not on the right hand side? Martinelli has scored the same number of goals as Saka in less games and vastly less shots, 13 to 31, and somehow Saka has “world class” output! Why are these two not held to the same standards? Martinelli is outperforming his xG by a full goal, the season before last when he was our top scorer he out performed his xG by +6! He is our best finisher, and our team should be better set up to get more… Read more »

BLUEBERRY

He can’t hold the ball. It leads to transition threats. He is too dependent on his right foot. This makes him too predictable and that’s why he struggles without space to run. He is a good goalscorer yes but he generally ignores teammates in better positions to do that. He’s like Jesus in that regard less dribbling plus shooting. Nil Passing for both.

John C

Not true, Martinelli and Saka’s possession stats are pretty much identical. In fact Martinelli’s pass completion is higher and is tackled less often. The only stat Saka beats him on is progressive passing but considering no one within 30 yards of him ever runs past him that makes total sense.

Martinelli gets a raw deal both tactically and from the fans. And I think we need to be geared far more towards getting Martinelli into goal scoring positions. Even now I would bet that he will score more non-penalty goals than Saka this season

Tt gunnr

Best finisher?…
…Your havin’ a laff 🤥

John C

3 goals from 13 shots with an expected goals of 2.

Saka has 3 from 31 shots.

There needs to be some honest analysis about player performances

El Mintero

Saka has about 3 men on him all game and usually gets the shit kicked out of him yet still is easily our best player.

Your Martinelli opinion is worth debating though. When Emery played down the middle I always thought he looked better than being out on left wing. Food for thought…

John C

Martinelli also gets doubled up on but without the luxury of having either runners or a creative player to pass too. It’s no surprise that our 2 summer signings were bought to address that issue. I’ve used Saka as comparison not only because i think Martinelli is harshly judged but also because i think Saka is over praised. People talk about Saka having world class output?! 3 goals in 31 shots is far from world class output. Mo Salah, an actual world class player has 6 open play goals from 29 shots (+2 penalties). We need to have an honest,… Read more »

Earlcourt

You’ve not been watching the game mate.

John C

Not at all, it appears I’m the only one who is

Bleeding Gums Murphy

Saka and rice get a good rest, the rest stay injury free playing in a pathetic pointless tournament and I have a feeling we are going on a very good run. Believe. It ain’t done yet.

Ebo

even if the league is done, which it isn’t, we still have THREE other competitions, and if we get back on a winning run in the league that will help our confidence and form for the other competitions.

allezkev

We didn’t really get a break in this game, yet again, but you can see the teams resilience returning, we were a Rice header away from a draw at Newcastle then pushed Inter all the way and just a Merino toe away from the 3 points today. Small margins that’ll eventually fall our way.

Rochester

Agree, and also a Trossard touch that kept Havertz from a tap in at the e very end.

Jeff

Anyone know what the XG was?

Momozemio

Scott W says we were ahead in Xg (1,2 vs 1,1), possession (51%), field tilt (56%), final 3rd entries (51 vs 42) and Xpected Threat created (2,5 vs 2,2)

matthinc

A lot of the arsenal pressure won’t count on our xG as there was offsides involved…

Ebo

The xG Philosophy

@xGPhilosophy
·
3h

Chelsea (1.69) 1-1 (1.27) Arsenal

Jeff

Cheers guys

thw14

He doesn’t cry in public Arteta, not even in the low moments, so I take him seriously when he says the last two months have been a nightmare.

Considered separately, ridiculous red cards, captain injured for a month-plus, and in-and-out niggles for the club’s main goalscorer are hard enough. All three together is impossible. And yet, we’re still sort of in it.

Man Manny

The break could not have come at a better time.
I believe Arsenal have had the most challenging fixtures of all the top sides so far. But for some dodgy refereeing, we would be, potentially, six points better off at this point (Brighton, City and Liverpool could have been wins).
A clutch of “winnable” games lie ahead. Arteta says it’s time to “Win, win, win.” That is why I believe this break is good for the team. We are capable of going on a run.
COYG!!!

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