Mikel Arteta met the press after our 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this evening.
Here’s what he had to say.
What went wrong? What went right?
We conceded two and scored two. I think what went wrong is the start of the game. I think we didn’t play with enough purpose with the ball and clarity and we were just moving the ball without really having the intention to threaten them, and that’s a really dangerous thing to do against teams like Chelsea.
Then we didn’t win enough duels and in tight areas when we had them, they escaped from that and they attacked open spaces and they are really dangerous things to do. So credit to them as well because they are top side, full of top players and you have to acknowledge that.
When we changed that and we started to raise the level after 20, 25 minutes, and especially the second half, that’s a different game. We became a much better team, even though we conceded the second goal, and it’s a disappointment. The way the team reacted is phenomenal.
With the players that were here, the players at the end, they’ve been thinking how the hell I’m going to change the game and help the team – that’s the part that I loved. And what I really liked as well is going to the dressing room and the dressing room being quiet after playing 2-2 against Chelsea and being 2-0 down. Because I know that they want more. So that’s the positives.
On the penalty …
I already mentioned it to the ref and I got booked for that. So I prefer to make no comments. Not happy with the yellow, yeah.
On the handball law…
The law is clear as well. Where the ball has to be in relation to the action, and it’s very close and it’s impossible to jump without lifting your hand. It’s just mechanically, it’s impossible.
On the team having character …
I have no doubt about that. I could see at half-time that it wasn’t happy between our team and we accepted that we have to do much better. The game was there for us and we had that belief. We continued to be like this and I love that about the team and I’m going to demand that every single day because this is who we are and the only way to, when you are not at your best, still create a lot of issues to the opponent.
On Mudryk’s goal …
I haven’t seen it live again, so we looked at it from a very strange angle to consider if it was a deflection or if it was the trajectory of the ball.
[Being told no deflection] – Ok, goal.
On chants for Aaron Ramsdale …
Great. I love him. I will sing as well for him every single day. We sang a lot for him yesterday because he was a father, the most beautiful thing to do and he’s someone that has this charisma and personality and is very close to the team.
Bobby Charlton passing away …
Really sad news but I think he leaves us in the best position that you can be as a footballer. The values that he transmitted, the quality, how he changed English football, how he changed international football, the appreciation that he had, the love that he had for everybody, the respect that he had for everybody. So, really, he already had a legacy but I think that’s going to be beyond what he already had. So rest in peace and I think everybody appreciates and I love what he did for this game.
Trossard’s impact off the bench …
First of all he’s very good and he’s got this mentality as well to be always willing to help the team. He had an injury that he wasn’t fit enough to play the last few games. Then he played against City, he had to come off and he worked really hard in the international break to be able to be fit again. Those things, like with Martinelli, change his momentum of season. I could see that he was ready to come in. Very intelligent run, the way he anticipates the cross and the action and the way he executed because it’s not easy to score.
Cucaracha being booked after 71 minutes …
I was surprised by many things and I’m not going to get surprised by that. I guess you’re right about that.
Cucuracha 😂😂😂😂
Sorry but I really dislike that kind of name calling, it’s juvenile and moronic. This site, the people who run it and the majority of the people who comment in here are better than that.
Are we though? Being a football fan is in some ways just one big excuse to act juvenile and moronic AND engage in silly name calling. One of the reasons I read Arseblog is precisely because it never pretended to be better than that.
nope
While I appreciate your point, the number of downvotes on your comment clearly shows we aren’t better than that. The intangible element Arseblog brings to the table is his humanness, warts and all, which is why we love him. Lighten up Francis.
come on! no offence…
Of all the things to get on your high horse about… 🙄
I thought it just a bit cheeky calling him La Cucaracha in my
Family game day group text. It is however the nicest thing I’ve ever called a Chelsea player ; )
🤣
Pah.
We played with noone forward – a striker in deep midfield. It was a hollow line up front. Fuck knows what that over complicated formation was but it made us piss pore as far as I’m concerned. Feel free to kill me with your red thumbs!
“If you don’t have a big nine inside the box and you are playing for a big nine, you lose something.” /M. A. /
Agree with this today. Neither Saka or Martinelli could beat their men, credit to those fullbacks. Jesus was more in sync with the ground than his teammates. Odegaard…I don’t know wtf that was.
White had to stay back more due to Mudryk’s pace because Jorginho can’t really cover that. This was a day that for me showed why Havertz is important at the left 8, exchanging w Jesus. I kind of hate this Rice/Jorginho pairing with Partey and Havertz both sitting on the bench.
We were absolutely sh@t this game. No idea how we got a point but we did. No one really showed up. Saka and Odegard were extremely quiet first half. We lost this game in midfield, outclassed tactically by a dog sh@t mid table team which it more painful. Raya was terrible. He needs to earn his spot. Ramsdale has to start ahead of him next game. We need to sure more passion and urgency when we go a goal down. Feels like a defeat today really given how good we could play and how poor we were.
The amount of times cucarella was allowed to just kick saka without even a foul let alone a booking was wild, it took him till the 71st minute to get a booking, week after week it seems these referee decisions go against us, it’s getting obvious now.
He jumped up in the air and collapsed in a convincing heap every time Saka breathed on him though
Yeah that was so lame..
Images of the Arsenal squad and Arteta breaking into a gospel harmony about the miracle of birth on the news of Ramsdale Jr
What went wrong? What went right?
“We conceded two and scored two. I think what went wrong is that we conceded two. And what went right is that we scored two.”
At least one half of this is directly quoting Arteta.
Anyone else noticed that since Raya is in the team the back line is dropping much deeper now on the ball?
Almost as if they’re being told to get Raya more involved, whereas before I recall Saliba and Gabriel were more confident in passing around way up near the centre circle.
Could be a coincidence or just me hallucinating but would love to see pass map comparisons before vs after Raya.
Our defensive line is two meters higher on average than it was last season (@markstats), and it’s the highest in the league and it’s not close.
Their agenda is a joke, really.
Raya has been shite every game so far for us. Has a small club mentality and won’t succeed for us. That’s why it’s a loan as Arteta wouldn’t want to have him permanently. Expect a new keeper next season.
Saliba need so learn to jump with his hands down at his side or, better yet, behind his back. That’s the way Howard Webb does it.
I don’t love the continued misdirection responses by Arteta regarding the goalie situation, particularly Ramsdale. Time to start being a bit more straight forward in answering the question Mikel.
Why? Throw his goalkeeper under the bus in the media to make you feel good? Premier League teams have changed goalkeepers this season. No one has had to explain that as much as Arteta even though we are top of the table. Hell, he didn’t have to explain Ramsdale’s inclusion ahead of Leno in 21/22 even though Ramsdale conceded some goals after coming in. The idea that Arteta has a thing against Ramsdale or for Raya that isn’t sports-based is just funny. Arteta wants to win. If Ramsdale is the person to help him and his team achieve that, you’d… Read more »
We drew because we deserved a draw, no more. We played very poorly however they were very lucky not to be down to 10. That was a red all day long on Jesus, studs down the Achilles!
Both goalies had a day to forget. Both teams had flukey goals.
Main thing is still unbeaten and no injuries post game hopefully
Playing with purpose starts from the back. No other gives you that purpose and energy more than Ramsdale.
He must return.
For me problem was we showed too much respect for Chelsea as if they’re at park with city. I think we’d have been better off playing our usual game with rice at 6 and two 8s