When Martin Odegaard put Arsenal two-nil up against West Ham in the 10th minute it felt like the Gunners were on their way to yet another away day win. Frustratingly, the momentum they built up dissipated quickly and for the second consecutive week, Mikel Arteta’s side surrendered their advantage and had to settle for a 2-2 draw.
It remains to be seen how significant a day this is in the title race but for now, the Norway international has urged his teammates to look forward as they gear up for Southampton’s visit on Friday.
Here’s what he had to say when he faced the Sky Sports cameras…
On the performance…
I think a lot of the same things to last week. We played really good in the beginning, controlled everything and played the way we want. After that, we stopped with that. We let them play with their qualities, a lot of direct balls, long balls and we gave away a lot of simple balls again. We gave them a little bit the game they wanted, we gave them hope and they were basically better. This is on us but it’s done now, we just have to look forward to the next one.
On what regrets he has about what Arsenal should have done better…
A lot of things. The way we started the game was so good, we controlled everything. As I said, we let them play on their qualities, we started to do a lot of stupid things with the ball, let them play long balls, they got a lot of throw ins, corners. We let them play on their qualities and we should have done a lot of things better there.
On how concerning it is that leads have slipped two weeks running at this point of the season…
No, we have to make sure it’s not a problem. We have come back tomorrow on the training ground and be ready for the next game. That’s all that matters now, the next one. We have to come on Friday [against Southampton] and win. That’s all that matters, we have to keep going, keep working. As we said all season, just look for the next game. That’s all.
On Saka missing the penalty…
These things happen, he’s been brilliant all season, he’s scored a lot of penalties and been really clinical from the spot. Today wasn’t the day for him to score and that’s all. We move forward, we win and lose together.
On what he has to do to pick up his teammates…
We have to remember that we’re still top of the league and we have everything in our own hands. We have to do the same thing we’ve done the whole season after a win, we just looked for the next game. And we have to do the same now. The same mindset, the same mentality, come back to the training ground, work hard and make sure we win the next game.
A must win.
The next game is the most important one but the lessons of the last 2 games need to be learned.
The last two games are fresh on mind but we have had a few other games where we score two goals and take our foot off the gas.
I love this former UFC Champion called Francis Ngannou. He has the heaviest punch ever measured but even when he catches an opponent flush, he still follows with some hammer fist. That is the attitude we should have
Exactly my sentiments 😀
I like that. Or “black mamba mentality” as Kobe Bryant used to call it, you sense when your prey is weak or vulnerable and thats when you go for the kill.
We are making too mistakes. The pressure is beginning to tell on the lads, We move. COYG!!!!
Too many mistakes***
For everyone losing their sh!t, please get a grip. Some are saying the title race is over; if the team had a similar mentality we’ll be currently struggling for top 4 instead of competing for the title. The fact remains not much has changed since 2pm today: we still have to either win or draw at the Etihad. Chin up gunners.
* And beat Southampton of course.
People were saying that after we lost vs. City at home, we’re a pretty traumatised bunch so you can kind of get where it’s coming from but still, would like to see a bit more positivity from our fans. If you can’t manage that for a team as special as this that has delivered WELL above expectations, when can you? Only when we win a title? That’s kind of taking the “support” out of being a supporter innit
the next 95 mins of it please, not just the first 35. come on, team!!
We need a big win on Friday to restore some confidence but maybe we can go to City with less pressure knowing that we no longer favorites. Any positive result and we are back with a good chance of winning the title. lets enjoy the ride!
Mate – I wish I could enjoy it, but, to quote Nick Hornby, it’s currently like have a revolver pressed to your head for 90 minutes waiting for the trigger to be pulled.
Fucking excruciating!
here’s a thought – stop looking at 3 points and go one further. Much of sports psychology is about reframing goals’… about fresh approaches to existing challenges. So Mik should instill the following mentality in the lads: ‘Boys – this title may well come down to goal difference. City are 4 ahead (before Hammers). Forget about the win today… we need to score FOUR goals. And a clean sheet. We only win if we score four’. That way – at 2-0 there’s no thought of ‘taking the 3 pts’, it’s more like we’re already halfway to the 4 so we… Read more »
I fully agree!
It’s clear that the mental part is getting to these young players. Arteta needs to change up how he’s mentally preparing them for these last few games because the “one game at a time” isn’t working anymore.
Maybe some Wenger “to achieve great things you need to believe it first” type of motivation is needed.
COYG
I like that attitude, Goonshow! Well said, mate!
Spot on mate.
I was thinking in even stricter measures:
Split the game up into 10 minute periods. Each period we must win 1-0
Sounds mental right? But so did going an entire season unbeaten. 9-0 or 10-0 is obvs not going to happen but with the mindset of pure relentlessness over the course of the game will surely see us put the game to bed as Mik has been asking of his players for quite a few weeks now. 4-0 and 5-0 scorelines may become more frequent. *cracks whip*
Its funny. If we would have 6 points less and be below City everybody would cheer and say how great we are. As we are above City and struggling a bit we are appearantly about to bottle it. This is an amazing Prem season up until now. Lets try as much as possible but also appreciate that we pretty surely achieve our season goal to qualify for CL.
Mate – unless we begin to think like champions, we’ll never be champions.
As it always has been. 1 game at a time. Learn from our mistakes and punish Southampton for taking 2 points off us in the reverse fixture
City still face Us at home, Fulham away, Brighton a, Everton a Brentford a, … plus Chelshit and West Ham at home. Every chance they lose or draw one or three of those. Last game for us v Wolves Home and they are at Ivan Toneys house . When Toney gets out of his ban we sd sign him … COYG
2-0 with 88 minutes ahead of you, that is just heart break. The mindset was off; they sat back when mentally they should have been thinking about closing down City’s goal difference.
Still 14 games to be played in this title race of course between our seven and City’s other seven.
Any reason why Saka took the penalty instead of Jesus? Is there some sort of rotation or system?
Saka is the designated PK taker. He just handed it off to Jesus last time around to get him off the mark again.
And 9 times out of 10, Saka buries those! If he’d put that one on target, Fabianski wouldn’t have gotten to it.
Oh, but he did (hand it to Jesus) and he didn’t (put it on target).
SALIBA.
We miss him so much…..
We lost the leagues best defender to injury and we are giving away leads. This was Holdings chance. 10 games, 25% of the season and he’s bottled it.
Oh well Artetas done his best. Pep is the greatest manager in history, and we’ve been so close to them.
It’s not over yet, mate!
Odegaard – another one who fell apart today. He’s right in his interview but he doesn’t fill me full of confidence. Even in games we’ve won we give away silly goals and we were never going to score last minute winners all the time. We are still on top so got to have some hope as it’s not over but feels like
I wish we (all fans available) could go to our players’ hotel right now and shout our loudest supports for them!
We’ve got their backs! They are not alone! They need to keep believing.
I mean we could technically do that…I wouldn’t be against it 🙂
Don’t waste your time with all these must win games BS. We will finish 2nd and that’s just the way it is.
We’ll all see you in August then?
😂 😂 😂
‘I think a lot of the same things to last week.’
In other words, they learned nothing from that Scouse capitulation.
Come on mate. A lot of these kids have never been involved in a title race before – they are running in the outside lane. They have hitherto had no fear – which can be an equally good and bad thing. One or two of them (Saka) now look drained and tired as well. What they might be lacking at the moment is self-belief, not least because the whole fucking world outside the Emirates is willing them and wanting them to fail. It’s a wonder I haven’t smashed up more TV sets than Keith Moon this season after having to… Read more »
I grew up in a block of flats on Avenell road. In 1971, when Charlie George scored the winning goal in the FA Cup Final, some nutter, about four of five storeys up, threw his tv set out of the window in celebration!
To you 3 red-thumbers – I’d welcome your view what they indeed, did learn from the Liverpool draw?
Why not wait until Friday with the rest of us to find out?