Arsenal beat Premier League champions Liverpool last night, but the manager is well aware that they will need much improvement to close the gap on the top of the table.
Mikel Arteta took over the head coach job in December, taking over after Unai Emery had been given his marching orders after a dismal run of results which left our side in mid-table.
The Spanish boss is under no illusions that he has taken on an easy rebuilding job, despite the upturn in results and performance of late, although he does believe he has helped close the gap on our rivals in character.
On the size of the job in hand in closing the gap between Arsenal and the top of the table, Arteta replied on SkySports (via YouTube)‘[It’s] Massive. You only need to look at the difference between the two teams today and the gap is enormous.
‘But the gap in many areas we cannot improve it in two months but the gap between the accountability, the energy, the commitment and the fight of the two teams is equal and before it wasn’t like this and I am very proud of this.
‘The rest will take some time. But at least that we got it now and my message to the players is with that we can create something’.
Despite the result, our team didn’t really match-up to Liverpool last night, highlighted by the limited chances that we had on their goal, but our team definitely kept more organised and strong than we have experienced previously in big games.
Will Arteta be backed in the transfer market this summer? How many years do we think it could take before we are challenging higher up the table once more?
Patrick
We dont want excuses. Arsenal has a group of talented youngsters and experienced players. Arteta needs to reduce the deadwòods from the team. Then he only need to buy 2 or 3 players only. He should sell Ozil, Xhaka, Torreira, Mustafi
To think some still view MA as a ‘YES-man’ is baffling. This is a person who has been so vocal about our lack of quality, he has once said we can’t seat still and watch the gap widen and various other comments related, how then does a non ‘yes-man’ should behave? This comment is another one that suggest we lack quality, if the board isnt supporting him in the market I doubt he will stay, Europa league has just been delivered into arsenal doorstep, win the remaining 2matches and you are 6th or 7th