Gary Neville believes Mikel Arteta became too desperate when his Arsenal side was 2-1 down against Manchester United and made the wrong changes.
They struggled to break United down for much of the game and the Red Devils caused them several problems on the break.
When United went 2-1 up, Arteta switched things around and introduced Emile Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira and Eddie Nketiah into the game in place of Martin Odegaard, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
These changes altered how Arsenal played, but it did not give the desired result and the Gunners conceded another goal.
Neville believes United’s second goal rattled Arsenal and Arteta’s changes in response spoilt their game plan.
He said, as quoted by The Daily Mail:
‘What shocked Arsenal, was that second goal going in. It came against the run of play and Arsenal did not handle that point in the game well. They deserved to lose the game, because they never handled that second goal going in.
‘Arsenal, if they kept on playing the way they were, they’d have got back into the game.
‘As soon as they lost their shape with all those substitutions, United were always going to score that third on the counter-attack.’
Just Arsenal Opinion
We needed to respond to the goal and Arteta made the choice he felt was best for the team.
It was not right in that instance, but that doesn’t mean he made the wrong choices because, in other matches, it could have made things better for them.
Arteta: ‘Arsenal need to play with more courage’
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He’s got a point there. Can’t argue with that…
OT:has anyone seen the video of Ty from AFTV being harassed by Utd fans.i do not watch the channel and whatever you think of him,I thought they went too far,pushing him(he is a little guy) and he was on his own,sad.
Considering Arteta is regularly criticised by the fanbase for not making substitutions early or often enough it would be hypocritical of us to complain when he does so here. He tried it – it could have worked but it didn’t this time. For me the pivotal point was the poor defending allowing the second goal when we were bossing the game – that knocked the stuffing out of us, not the substitutions. Let’s move on.
please let partey go and subtitute him with a strong midfield he never play 5 consective game without injury,and please arteta let try ordigard, xhaka and fabio viera next game
How can arsenal win against 12 men on the Field? It obvious epl allowed politics into the game, any way it’s a bygone and let’s move forward am sure the boys have learned their mistakes.
I thought the ref had a decent game, unlike others the weekend.
My only contention is the number of fouls that did not lead to a yellow card.
we only have ourselves to blame here.
Let’s focus on the next game i trust my boys this time we are taking the trophy 🙏 Gunner’s 4 life
Our CDM was the major problem, Sambi-Lokonga’s positioning was poor defensively, Oedegaard is lightweight, we can’t have another lightweight in Sambi-Lokonga,
He wasn’t even a good cover every time White went forward,
I think White would have done better as the CDM against a stronger side as Man United.
The goals had nothing at all to do with Lakonga, why are people scapegoating someone to satisfy their opinion we should have got a DM in the summer. I was one of them, we should but look at the real reasons the goals were scored. It is only on this Arsenal site Lakonga is getting a mention. Nobody else in the football world has blamed Lakonga. Rediculous!!!!!!!!
Lakonga wasn’t even on the bloody pitch for one of them!!!!!!!!
People are not mentioning White, his passing, tackling and interception stats were the worst on the team. AND SOME PEOPLE WANT HIM IN MIDFIELD!!!!!!!!!
And, Arteta will keep playing his 50m signing in favour of Tomiyasu, my world! I rather have Cedric as RB than White. People praise his passing ability but ignore the fact that he is poor defensively. Truth be told, he is tryin’ his best but he is just too soft for me.