Mikel Arteta praised the chemistry in his side as Arsenal beat Manchester City 2-0 at Wembley to secure a place in the 2020 FA Cup final.
The Gunners produced an impressive backs-against-the-wall defensive performance to keep a first clean sheet against City since 2015 while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang did the damage at the other end.
The club captain finished a sweeping move on 17 minutes and then scored on the break to double the lead with 19 minutes remaining.
After the game, the boss praised the performance. Here’s what he said when he faced the BT Sport cameras…
On a fantastic week for Arsenal…
I am extremely happy and proud of our players. I’m very sad that we cannot enjoy this moment with our fans that they couldn’t watch the team play and achieve the final.
On a gritty performance…
Absolutely, that’s what you need against this team. You have to try to give the best, when you have the opportunities, make the most of them and you have to defend, put every body on the line. We were very well organised, you know how hard it is, for me, it’s the best team in Europe, the way they [City] play positionally. We did our job, we knew we’d have chances in some moments and we took them.
On the players enjoying the performance…
There’s a great chemistry between them and they really believe in what we’re trying to do. You can sense that. They deserve it, they’ve done it. I wasn’t on the pitch so congratulations to them.
On Aubameyang scoring after missing an early chance…
You could sense in the second half that there were moments he was going back to thinking ‘okay, I’m going to start” and then he changed his mind again and he was focused to take the opportunity the way he can do it.
On it not being a perfect performance…
They are really good on the high press, as we are as well and we provoked the same situations in their box and we could have scored and we gave the ball away in very dangerous situations. Even after regaining the ball, these first and second passes are where they are really good, in the transition moments. But look, the first goal, we scored was fantastic as well.
On signs that he’s closing the gap on the top sides…
Yes, absolutely. There are some things, part of those gaps that we are trying to close down. But it’s still a big margin.
What a wonderful win to round up this week. Onwards and upwards
What a wonderful evening. Thanks to arseblog for the coverage.
You certainly did! Just three more jobs to be done and the season will be somewhat salvaged. COYGS!
I’d take one win in the final wherever we happen to finish in the league
Unbelievable Mikel. Considering the toxic mammoth of a job he took up in December, he has done an impossible job at uniting the team and us fans. Every player is giving 100% and that is something we’ve been missing for years. It would be amazing to cap it off with the FA Cup and EL qualification
The guy couldn’t contain his happiness. Love it.
2-0 to the Arsenal, same old, same old Arsenal. Get in, so happy ?
The board has to back Arteta now. This window is going to be very important to us. We have to keep Abu and strengthen the squad for next season. We must move forward and keep up with the others.
Great win great progress great team play cap it up with the trophy
The beginning of something very, very special…
“But it’s still a big margin.”
translated: Show Me The Money!
Mikel Arteta, Slayer Of Champions.
Beating Liverpool and now MC will prove its no fluke.Every game is different.
Hopefully Lius will maintain his form until the end of season otherwise all the Abu goals will count for nothing.
When I saw the VAR on the screen,I couldnt believe it. Fortunately it was not a
penalty. But u never know.
I am confident that Arsenal can beat anyone in the final .
Now smiles round. I am nervous about playing out from the back. Against a fast moving attack like MU it could be curtains. Hopefully these can be ironed out. Abu cannot be our saviour all the time.
He could be man marked in the final .Then what?
I believe Arteta has Plan B in such a case.
Fast moving attack? Mate we’ve just rolled city and Liverpool over.
Also, man marking Auba wouldn’t really work in a none possession based strategy. Add to that it would free up Pepe, Lacazette etc.
Point is, if we can do what we did this week, then we can (in theory) beat anyone.
Am still nervous about our set piece defending against tall, aggressive teams. We have trouble matching up, and then we give up free headers or endure heart stopping scrambles in the box.
Against a not particularly tall City yesterday, there were still moments when we could have been punished, even if the players were giving their all to the cause.
We did not ‘roll Liverpool over’ – they absolutely pulverised us. 22 shots to our 2. Yes, it was good to beat them, but for goodness sakes, view the match for what it was. So many of you on here behave like Tottenham fans, it’s embarrassing.
You should have stayed quiet.
Why?
Wow. Another game I was incredibly nervous for. I didn’t relax until about 94 minutes in. David Luis gives these performances and let’s you forget that he’s such a clown. It’s not even like city did much wrong just every man was on their job.
Read this man’s interviews to the last dot, too truth, a revelation
Just looking at Mikel’s sparkling eyes tells you all you need about how he feels about defeating his ex-colleague in such a comprehensive fashion. COYG! ?