Mikel Arteta says he’s “praying” for Arsenal’s damage “nightmare” to finish as his aspect have been left 9 factors adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool after Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Chelsea.
The Gunners appeared on track to finish a three-match winless streak within the league after Gabriel Martinelli transformed a advantageous cross from the returning Martin Odegaard on the hour mark.
Nevertheless, Arteta’s males have been pegged again simply 10 minutes later when Pedro Neto unleashed from vary earlier than Leandro Trossard did not convert William Saliba’s cross from shut vary within the remaining seconds of the match.
Trossard’s late miss noticed Arteta collapse onto the pitch, whereas the Spaniard was additionally left pondering a contemporary double damage blow after each Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka have been unable to finish the match. Arteta revealed the England duo are a doubt for the forthcoming worldwide break.
Odegaard’s first begin since September offered Arsenal with a well timed increase, however their season has been derailed by a collection of accidents and suspensions.
Talking after the rating draw at Stamford Bridge, which marked the primary time Arsenal have gone 4 matches with out a win within the high flight since April 2023, he stated: “There’s nothing that we will do about that.
“What I am praying for is that after the worldwide break we have now the group totally bodily outfitted, that they’re out there and that they’re match, as a result of, it has been a nightmare for eight weeks.
“Doubt after doubt, issue after issue, not only with the ones that are not able to play, but with the ones who are able to play.
“I’m dissatisfied with the end result as a result of I believe we deserved extra. After scoring the primary objective, I am very dissatisfied with how we conceded their objective. That is nowhere close to the requirements of our defensive habits, how we allowed it.
“The moment you give space and time, you’re going to get punished, so that’s not bad luck. Then the team showed its teeth. We created three big chances. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to put the ball in the net, but we deserved to win it.”
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Highlights from the Premier League match between Chelsea and Arsenal
Saka and Rice do not look superb, says Arteta
Rice, who was a doubt heading into the fixture with a damaged toe, was changed after 71 minutes, whereas Saka was additionally withdrawn within the second interval following a sturdy sort out by Marc Cucurella.
“It doesn’t look good, because for two players of that importance to tell you they cannot continue in the game, obviously it’s not good news,” added Arteta.
Requested if he expects them to be out there for England’s Nations League matches towards Greece and the Republic of Eire, Arteta replied: “Well, two players that just came off, I don’t know whether to expect them to be fit, because if not they don’t come off.”
‘Arsenal have to go on a run’
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Highlights from the Premier League match between Chelsea and Arsenal
Sky Sports activities’ Paul Merson:
“It’s hard for Arsenal. They have a bullseye on their back. They are a big team and everybody wants to beat them.
“I discover that their confidence is slightly bit low for the time being. It wasn’t free-flowing towards Chelsea and when your confidence goes, not everybody desires the ball. When they’re in full circulate, everyone is transferring. It is just like the pink arrows.
“Against Chelsea, when Partey, Rice and Odegaard had the ball, there wasn’t a lot of options. There aren’t five or six passes on.
“Arsenal must go on a run now. They’ve to search out some consistency. They’ll do it, they will reel off 5 – 6 wins on the spin and they’ll must do it to get again within the title combine.
“They will not be far away, [it was] a good performance in Milan, although they did not really look like scoring and it is a hard place to go and they were completely comfortable. Raya did not make any world-class saves.
“So it’s a begin, however as Arteta says, he has to get the gamers match now, they must go on a run and ensure it comes down to 6 factors earlier than it goes as much as 12 factors – if it will get to 12, it’s goodnight.”
