Mikel Arteta was brutally honest in admitting that his Arsenal side were really poor against Brighton today, before claiming he didn’t understand the performance as he was sure his side was ready.
The Gunners were downed 2-1 by the Seagulls at the Emirates earlier on today, a painful defeat which gives up our advantage in the race for the top-four, and the reality worsened when Tottenham ran out 4-0 winners away at Aston Villa shortly afterwards.
The manager now has a stiff task to get his side back on track for the CL places, and may well have to win all our remaining fixtures to achieve a top-four finish, including beating the likes of Chelsea, Man United and Spurs, no easy task for even the best of sides.
Arteta admits that his side were disappointing against Brighton however, adding that prior to kick-off he believed his side were ready to play.
“We were really poor,” Arteta told Arsenal.com. “Everything that we talked about and the way we prepared all week and the clarity that we had to start the game in a different way, in the end we didn’t produce it on the pitch and we have to be really honest with that. We didn’t give anything to our crowd to hang onto, we didn’t show enough purpose, speed, momentum, we didn’t generate anything that we wanted to do.
“We were imprecise, we had big distances after losing the ball and we didn’t create any momentum, which is very strange because if you had asked me before the game, it’s that they are ready to go, but in the end, we got frustrated.
“You can concede one goal and still be in the game, we had the big decision on the corner on Gabi Martinelli’s disallowed goal that probably was the crucial moment to change a little bit. In the second half we did change, the only shot they had, they scored one, and we scored the first goal too late to give us a chance to get back in the game.”
There were very few moments in the match that we actually felt any reason to be confident, with Brighton always looking the more dangerous when in possession and the more composed off the ball also.
I think it’s more worrying that he believed his side were ready for the encounter, as if his input in midweek meant little-to-nothing when stepping out onto the field, and that certainly gives me zero confidence for the remaining fixtures.
Patrick
Arteta is the Manager of the Year at making excuses.
He alone is the cause of the shambolic performance Arsenal displayed today, His formation, selection and substitution in the game makes me wonder if we (Arsenal fans) are been scammed when he was proclaimed to be a tactical genius.
No chance of top 4 that team do not create enough opportunities to score enough goals to win games and any chances they do get more often than not they squander it! There’s no excitement in watching Arsenal any more and that has to be down to the manager.
I think that’s been my bug bear with him Kev ,I just don’t get excited watching us play anymore.
Everything is too robotic and forced .
I would honestly take wengers worst years over Artetas time here so far .
Dan I said to my mate earlier I can’t believe I’ve sat to the 80th minute watching this crap I even sat through the entirety of that horror show on Monday night but I’m seriously getting close to completely avoiding Arsenal games. I would too in all honesty at least we were somewhat entertaining but this Artetaball is truly dire. NY Gunner 👍
👍 agree 100%.
@Kev82
RealTalk…
Who here remembers Arteta as our captain?
Did he have authority?
Did he inspire others?
Did he lead by example?
He did nothing of sort. He was the prime example of the terrible captains we’ve had since Vieira. I fail to see how he suddenly would’ve grown bollocks since then as a manager.
I think it’s time for laca to step aside or play as a DM anything to keep him off the CF position.he’s been off for too long now even sub nketiah was more offensive when he came on.pepe,martinelli or nketiah should start as cf next match then laca as DM or on the bench.
Exactly what I was just thinking to myself. Lacazette as a DM. As long as he’s at least 100 miles away from the CF position
I agree with this completely FK, we’ve had a massive issue up top for starting 2 seasons ago. Unfortunately it’s an issue that Wenger crested and both Emery and Arteta have failed to sort out.
We had strikers who do not link up play and score goals. We bough Auba cause Laca wasn’t good enogh and we sold the plans B to Chelsea who went on to help them win in Europe and kept Laca. Now we’re suffering for not correcting one of Wengers many final mistakes mistakes.
With the type of football we are playing, we are going nowhere fast. Any fool can see our build up play is too slow and when we lose the ball we are easily passed and run through. How on earth are we going to get anywhere playing like we do. Arteta has picked a team full of players who play his football his way and not a real identity. It isnt working. Come May he will have been here 30 months and we are no better than we was and are giving players away to facilitate it.
I can’t even blame this on arteta. Our fan base and the board are ok keeping a coach who made a team like Arsenal finished 8th twice in a row. No top team would have done that.
The fact that Everton could have gone for Arteta as their coach being their legend but they went to get a more experience coach in ancelloti says it all. You could come back and say he also failed at Everton, but come to think of it, a big team like real Madrid still went to higher him which says it all.
We were overshadowed by the youngest squad stuff. When most of our academic players hardly get featured in games.
Those kids were getting more game times with Wenger and emery despite the larger squad.
Well many would say nobody expected us to be in top4 and I wonder when and where did all the fans had the meeting to conclude that. We want emery and Wenger out because they couldn’t get top4 , but now we are to settled with anything below top4. That’s where our standard is now.
There has been improvement in some areas to be fair but not where it matter the most. Neither am I saying sacking the manager would solve the problem once and for all. But with an experience manager it would surely be different.
Kaay it seems to me that some fans care more about personnel than the club itself. Can we honestly say we’ve improved this season? we still can’t beat any of the big clubs and have already lost 10 games this season and top 4 is slipping away while we’ve only had one game a week to contend with.
Would we look at Patrick Vieria and give him £150m to spend?
Sean if we had Vieira and gave him 150 mil I guarantee we would look a much better team. Arteta spent 150 mil this season and the team doesn’t look any better lol
I agree, they looked unprepared and lacked grit and passion today, again even after Palace beating!
This isn’t the first time or even 5th time it happened this year, and doubt it will be the last.
How many times have you seen a Vieria led Palace team look limp and spineless, show no fight, and just go through the motions?
Don’t expect to win every game, but do expect them to fight hard and show some spine every game.
Losing a fight is one thing, but not fighting or even showing up is another.
Bench Laca for the start, not like it will hurt the team. Add lacking leadership to his lack of goals.
Can’t believe some would even consider extending a 30 yr old toothless striker on 180k a week because of his “build up” from the midfield.
He’s useless Durand couldn’t hit a cows arse with a banjo
Since we’ve decided to become useless like Man Utd, I’ve decided to start trusting the process, whatever that means
1.Manchester City
2.Liverpool
3.Chelsea
4.Arsenal
PL 2021/2022
Yhu guys complain when Arsenal lose a match blaming Arteta
Don’t 4get hw he transformed Arsenal this season
Chelsea lost 2 matches in a row
but take a look at what Chelsea did to Southampon
we should be happy that this losses came early and we have a game in hand
Let’s support those young gunners
They are human beings nad machine
Expect a huge scoreline against Southampton
Compairing Patrick Viera and Arteta is wrong
If Viera is so good let Crystal Palace qualify 4 Europe
lets support Arteta and Arsenal
we shouldn’t give up easily
#ARSENAL_TO_UEFA_CHAMPIONS_LEAGUE
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxXXXXXXXXXXXXX!
And the armchair moaning minnies are out again 🙄.
Fair enough, but perhaps a comment on the game, players, or manager?
Do the players and Arteta deserve criticism for a second limp display in a week when the pressure was on?
Didn’t bother to show up in the first half for second game in a row.
Defend them if you choose, would be an interesting debate. Perhaps your opinion could sway some, maybe restore confidence in the squad.
Otherwise why insult your fellow fans if you have nothing to offer but insults?
I’m sure many would be interested to read how you would defend 2 poor showings when it matters most.
Well said Durand!!!!!! I dont get the post or posters reference or why.
Arteta is lacking in knowledge regarding how to deploy use of his squad! It’s not rocket science but plain to see that Arteta has a major problem with using common sense & doing the right thing for the team! He’s got 2/3 youth team players who I’m sure would do a good job if given the chance! I don’t see why he bothers bringing them into 1st team training sessions if he’s not prepared to let them loose. Especially when a couple of them have shown exceptional ability. Let’s face it they can’t do any worst than some of the current team. Plus because of injuries why not revert to the wing back system which he had a lot of success using in the past. One definite advantage would be having an experience left wingback in the likes of Saka. U cannot be using a CM as left back especially if he’s got a distinct lack of pace, but yet still he continues to do so!
No Identity for three years and we believe there is a process going on?!…. Come on; this guy does know one way to play and if you crowd the midfield then you can beat the hell out of them. He doesn’t even change the play after he failed with his game plan because there is no plan B in there. I miss the youngsters who used to beat big teams in carling cup during wenger’s time.
All the hysterical fans here Jesus, now I agree with you this isn’t good enough. Arteta has made mistakes in the last 4 games now which is worrying even againsts Watford we looked vunrable at the back. But should we even be in a top 4 race in the first place this season??? I personally think people are expecting too much too soon.
Don’t forget we have been on a downward spiral since the invincibles, that’s almost 20 years ago now. We should have missed out on top 4 many times over the years but got there by the skin of our teeth cause certain teams bottled their season more than we did. In other words we were lucky for so long, not better than the other 16 teams below fourth like it should be.
You have to consider the fire power Spurs and Utd have. Spurs have a good squad that needs merely adding to and Utd have over a billion pound squad and are still shit. Arsenal are not a champions League club, we haven’t been for years, even when we were in it, it’s that simple. Liverpool qualified after a long absence and started challenging immediately, winning it twice in the process and getting to 3 finals. What can we boast in 20 years, 1 final and 19 last 16 finishes, getting smashed by Bayern and Barca on no less than 8 occasions. That’s not what I want of my club in the champions league.
Back to the football stuff …….
The problem and the big worry for me is how many goals we have conceeded since Tomiyasu got injured. Now Tierney is out too that makes things worse. Then you throw in Thomas Partey, thats 3 solid out balls our defenders have to release the ball. Hence why we seem to be going side to side or backwards.
Kieran and Tomi make far more important movements than that of Xhaka, Soares and Taveres. They provide width and stretch teams crating space for Partey in the middle to receive the ball. We saw it againsts palace how little room Partey had on the ball often hounded by 2 sometimes 3 players. Plus our 1st choice fullbacks first touch is better and passes are far higher quality and far more intelligent, plus they overlap our wingers often which hasn’t happened with their replacements. Our system is so dependent on our first choice fullbacks and Partey to be progressive in transition, let’s put it this way we have lost 3 world class players and have no striker thats why we are dropping away.
Arteta has made a big mistakes in light of our injuries. 1. is sticking with the 4-4-1-1, 2. Sticking with Soares and Lacazette, then putting Xhaka at fullback to maintain the 4-4-1-1 when their are not upto it. I said before the game, if we stick with the same system we’d struggle, especially against a team that may not score many but don’t cenceed many more importantly, especially against our toothless Lacazette in attack.
What ever we do we have to play with 2 or 3 up top not Laca or anyone on their own it’s to easy to snuff out. As we don’t have fullbacks of note, 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 is the best option for us.
Play Holding, White and Gabriel as a back 3 then a midfield of Martinelli left, Saka right and Lakonga and Xhaka as the middle 2.
With the 3 at the back and Martinelli and Saka out wide we get our wide out ball back it also gets Saka and Martinelli in possession which is what we need. two lads who have high work rates and high quality when on the ball. It gets them in the game rather than being isolated out of it being so advanced. Drop Laca he’s not signing any contract so leave him out he offers nothing. Up top then you could go with Nkethia, ESR, Odegaard or Pepe. We have to occupy the center backs with at least 2 players the 3rd striker can link up with either left or right midfielders.
Now I’m happy pleased with the work Arteta has done in general with our squad. It’s now a blank canvas and a great foundation. He’s got rid of the cliques and high earning underperformers and has brought in some good players. But things need to change system wise and personell wise and if Arteta can’t see that then is he the right man for the job going forward?
James I think me and you have the same belief that Arsenal are still qualifying for Champions League
4get we are winning our remaining 8games
Southampton(a) win
Chelsea(a)win
Manchester United (h)flawless victory
West ham(a) win
Tottehenam(a) win
Leeds(h)flawless victory
Newcastle(a)we will make them broke
Everton(h)celebrate CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFICATION AT THE EMIRATES
Since Maitland-Niles is not playing at Roma he should come back to Arsenal and play as a LB
It will be a good decision for Arteta and Maitland
Good to read a couple of fans on here still being positive and supporting their team
As poor as yesterday and Monday displays were we are still in it, Spurs are obviously now in a much stronger position than us but we are still in the CL race but if we can’t get 4th let’s get 5th and Europa League
Our players are still good enough to achieve, our Manager is still good enough to get them there but no denying the last two performances have been poor
We have the squad we have, we have the Manager we have, we have the injuries we have, we need to improve on the last two games with that situation and I believe that we can
When the season ends the Club will re evaluate everything, Manager and players alike but we need to stay behind the team until the end of the season before that happens
That’s where I am anyway
I concur with you FF. The way some people are going on you would think we are battling relegation, not battling for a CL place.
Agreed mate, it’s wait for a loss and jump on the Arteta out bandwagon every time. I admit I’m still on the fence but whilst he’s in charge I’ll support him and the team 100%. I get disappointed and frustrated like the next supporter but at the end of the day we know the issues. Both coach and players are young , we have no striker is the main one and our squad is thread bare and the players released were not good enough simple, all the added was and extra body, it’s pointless keeping them. Our first 11 or 10 of that 11 are top ball but Lacazette and Aubamyang have let us down this year both for different reasons.
Were still in the fight we are going through a bad patch we went through one at the start of the season, we bounced back. We went through one mid season we bounced back. Were going through one now we will bounce back. It’s a new learn for the coach and the boys let’s hope they all learn quickly
Well said James 👏👍