Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted that he doesn’t believe his side deserved to win at Brighton this weekend, but credited his defence.
The Gunners had a few chances to break the deadlock, with the best of those likely falling to Emile Smith Rowe in the second-half, but it wasn’t a game we ever really looked like winning.
The manager clearly agrees with that as he insists we didn’t deserve the three points, even claiming it was a point gained.
I don’t think many will disagree with the Spaniard’s comments, but do Brighton deserve more credit for their performance than we deserve criticism for ours?
Patrick
They deserve credit for theirs but only to the extent that as weak as we were, Brighton didn’t score.
We aren’t going to win every game and we will lose or draw games, thats football but standards have to be more consistent and better than they are. I truly and honestly couldn’t give a fig about Arteta or any other manager and what they say or do, its Arsenal i care about. Managers get paid an awful lot of money for what they do and if they succeed are lauded and rich. If they fail, they still get well paid and are sacked but after everything we are still left with Arsenal football club and the jewels or the mess they leave behind. I support Arsenal football club not the manager, he is there to do a job. I dont want words, i dont want excuses, i want better than what we are getting. No two year plan, no time to gel, no excuse after excuse, just get on or get out. This club is not where it should be and getting out muscled and outplayed by Brighton and Brentford is ominous. I want Arteta to get us up the table, i dont want drivle, the money he has spent needs a return, not promises.
Reggie
How could anybody not agree with your sentiments? I can’t
I will be accused of being an apologist for someone or something, but such has been the decline over many years that I can’t see how a return to stability can just appear as if by magic. He is in the middle of his term.
I sometimes wonder why ManU haven’t sacked OGS. Unbelievable investment over years and years and Arteta pipped him to a trophy. This proves that there are no definite answers. By all means challenge the wisdom of his appointment but I’m not getting the vibes that there is a worthy and available candidate to take over or that the club is currently interested
Im sure there is someone Sue but and its a BUT if Arteta is good enough we should be expecting better, he has been in the job 18 months, plenty long enough to evaluate and sort. I dont accept excuses now, i expect better and i expect us back in the top 4 bun fight ASAP. If Arteta is capable then great, if he isnt, then we are wasting our time. Its now or never and lets see the fruits.
Reggie
He absolutely does have to show real improvement as this is his team now. Time to gel is allowed but the clock is ticking.
I completely agree with you Reggie, I’ll always support Arsenal no matter who the players are and who the manager is. I think football is too much a money game now where teams that can’t even fill their 50000 seater stadium can spend billions on their squad.
I also agree with SueP on where is there another viable candidates to take on the top roles. When their already employed by decent clubs. Clubs want consistency not having to sack managers paying the remainder of ther contracts out. Which in Utd’s case with Moyes, Van Gaal, Maureen would have come to a pretty penny.
Football has been dragged into the dark ages. The glory days are gone where you can do what Fergie, Graham and Wenger did by wining leagues with unknown gems and bringing through youngsters.
It saddens me
Honestly I dont mind a draw or loss but we can’t play like that. This is what is infuriating, it is just terrible football.
Hope Laca starts next game and what does Martenelli need to do to get minutes.
It was very disappointing to see us settle for a draw, this ia not Chelsea or City.
My point as well, its the fayre we are being dealt. Win lose or draw, i want to see what we are about. I keep saying it, the football is poor and its not that exciting to watch either. Thats why i am worried about Arsenal and where we are.
Brighton did play well.
But why is that a surprise?
They were 2nd in the standings.
They were playing at home.
The conditions were atrocious which made the game a lottery.
For Brighton taking on a famous London club is a big deal so of course they were wired look at Brentford in our first game.
Lets see the standings at Xmas and in May.
Arsenal played s well as our opponent allowed us and we came away with as many points as they did a “professional” away point for us I think.
Perhaps we could have just played long ball and looked for mistakes in wet conditions.
I wonder why playing out from the back has become all consuming?
The fact that we kept playing tika taka in atrocious conditions shows a little arrogance/naivety or indicates a brave desire to take our game to the highest level.
PS. Again I believe with the terrible English weather all PL stadiums should have retractable roofs. I mean clubs spend billions on players and salaries yet expect fans to accept atrocious conditions like Saturday. Both teams and the fans deserve better..
Brighton are getting blood out of a stone and more. We aren’t getting anywhere near what they are out of our resources. Its BRIGHTON!!!!!!!! Yes little Brighton, Potter who, is their manager and they are playing the football we should be playing and we have better players. It wasn’t a fluke, they are better.
Now I know for sure that you don’t actually watch our games FF!!
Thanks Mikel for stating the obvious!!!!
Now answer the question WHY?
No BS – why were Brighton more motivated?
What happened in seven days to a squad that blew away our noisy neighbours?
A fully fit squad (apart from Xhaka who some fans believe you shouldn’t be selecting anyway) that you have bought, re-signed and selected as your squad, that were second best… why?
Credit for your defence of course, that is an improvement.
So what is the problem Mikel, after two years surely you have an idea and can solve it for us long suffering fans?
Agree ken, there is no more excuses, its got to be better and we need to see games that are controlled.
Dropping points against teams like Brighton and Brentford will have a significant impact on the overall poits, come end of the season. Arteta should be asked why the team is not improving after spending too much money
Any great team aspiring to be at the top should always have a plan B just to fit in different situations. Do we have any?.it was quite clear the type of game Brighton has employed since the start of the league and the type of players available. Our weakness has always been,when we go into a match and we are out muscled we totally look clueless and start chasing the winds.
We have players who can handle this kind of opponents and change the game to our advantage.