Mikel Arteta refused to criticise his gamers after defeat at Southampton however challenged them to “look in the mirror” and ensure the season will nonetheless be a profitable one for Arsenal.
Of their first recreation since dropping the Carabao Cup ultimate, Arteta’s crew put in one other tame efficiency as Saints sensed and took their alternative with targets from Ross Stewart and substitute Shea Charles.
The Gunners are presently 9 factors clear on the prime of the Premier League forward of second-placed Manchester Metropolis, however their title rivals have a recreation in hand and host Arsenal on the Etihad in a couple of weeks’ time.
Mathematically, it is very a lot nonetheless in Arsenal’s palms, nonetheless, with so many gamers off form and accidents mounting once more, the noise round Arteta’s facet and questions on their title credentials will solely develop louder.
Arsenal have gone from the potential of 4 trophies to 2
Arteta stated: “I really like my gamers, what they’ve achieved for 9 months. I am not going to criticise them for dropping right here. What they’re placing their our bodies by means of, some did not need to be right here at this time. I will defend them greater than ever.
“If somebody has to take accountability that is me. Now we have essentially the most lovely interval forward of us. Usually you have got two or three moments like this in a season, that is the primary second with a degree of problem. Let’s rise up and make ourselves rely.
“No excuses about players that are missing or that are here with issues. Let’s look at ourselves in the mirror, accept the situation, rebel against it and go forward with clarity.”
Requested what his message is for the gamers, Arteta added: “Give them clarity and conviction. Trust in our players and believe in what we do. Continue to do that with little tweaks that every game demands.
“We should preserve the angle and power on the highest attainable degree. That’s important to carry out on the degree we have to win matches.”
Arteta’s injury-disrupted Gunners arrived at St Mary’s as overwhelming favourites a fortnight on from their final defeat to City but suffered more injury issues during the game when Gabriel Magalhães limped off with a knee issue.
On the injury, Arteta said: “He felt one thing, we’ll assess him however when a participant asks to be substituted, it is by no means excellent news.”
‘Very strange’ – Arteta bemused by long-ball defending
Arsenal’s Ben White was at fault for the primary Southampton aim
Arteta insists Southampton’s direct method didn’t catch him abruptly, however the Arsenal boss stated he was confused by the way in which his defenders did not cope with the Championship facet’s lengthy balls.
Ben White misjudged the flight of a cross for Southampton’s opener, though he was not alone in making an error like this, his was merely the one which bought punished.
“We didn’t manage the long balls well enough, which is something very strange,” Arteta informed BBC Sport.
“In the first half, we just let the ball through us and they were one against one. The way we concede the second goal was very similar. Very difficult to explain. But it is credit to them.”
He added: “Southampton are going to Wembley and we are not. The team had some very good moments. We didn’t capitalise on those moments, and the way we conceded the goals is not at the level we have shown.
“That’s the reason we now have misplaced the sport.”
Richards: Arsenal attitude poor at Southampton
Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards on BBC Sport:
“There may be going to be a lot noise round Arsenal. It was solely a few weeks in the past that folks had been saying Arsenal might do the quadruple, however now they’re in two competitions.
“After what they did earlier on against Liverpool, it looks like Man City are going to push them all the way for the league. The Champions League, anyone could win that.
“For Arsenal, essentially the most disappointing factor for me was their angle.
“This season, Arsenal have been excellent defensively and in transitions; their shape and their effort have been as good as anyone’s in the Premier League.
“So for them to show up the way in which they did was actually poor.”
Arteta’s causes for concern…
Particular person errors on the rise
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Jamie Redknapp and Ian Wright debate whether or not Kepa Arrizabalaga ought to have began the Carabao Cup ultimate over Arsenal’s primary David Raya, after Kepa’s error gifted Manchester Metropolis their opening aim.
Arsenal’s nervousness about taking the ultimate step to glory appears to be taking part in out in particular person errors being made at key moments. At Wembley it was Kepa spilling a cross for Nico O’Reilly to attain Man Metropolis’s opener, at St Mary’s Ben White mistimed his soar to permit Ross Stewart to energy within the first for Southampton.
That is now eight targets from Arsenal errors previously 23 video games, in accordance with Opta. There was only one within the 28 video games earlier than that.
A defensive weak point uncovered?
“We didn’t manage the long balls well enough, which is something very strange,” Arteta informed the BBC after the loss at Southampton. “In the first half, we just let the ball through us and they were one against one. The way we concede the second goal was very similar.”
Whether or not it’s all the way down to a change in centre-back personnel, with William Saliba on the bench on Saturday, or disruption with David Raya not taking part in behind the backline towards Metropolis or Southampton, it is a matter opposition sides might be zoning in on.
Harm points
Arsenal’s record of accidents is not so long as it might have been, given the extent of their worldwide withdrawals. However key gamers are both unavailable or missing full health.
Gabriel appears to be heading again to the therapy room after struggling an issue at Saints, whereas the instrumental Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka weren’t within the squad on Saturday. They’re Arsenal’s two prime set-piece takers, whereas Eberechi Eze’s absence provides to open-play attacking limitations.
Martin Odegaard did make his first begin since January 25 and Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke and Saliba had been in a position to come on as subs however that is actually not an Arsenal squad totally match and firing proper now.
Metropolis on the cost
This present Metropolis facet is probably not on the extent as a few of Guardiola’s biggest groups. However that supervisor and that membership carry an aura about them when they’re within the chase for the championship on the enterprise finish of a season.
They is probably not able to profitable 12 on the spin, like they did in 2023 to win the title by 5 factors from Arsenal.
They could not even have the ability to match the nine-game profitable streak which earned them the crown in 2024 by a degree forward of Arsenal.
However they needn’t. There are simply seven video games to play and if Metropolis can repeat the standard they produced at Wembley and towards Liverpool of their previous two performances, they may imagine one other title cost is on.
Importantly, an Arsenal facet which have been overhauled earlier than, could also be considering that too.
Crunch time for Arsenal
Arsenal’s subsequent 5 video games:
- Tuesday April 7: Sporting (A) – Champions League
- Saturday April 11: Bournemouth (H) – Premier League
- Wednesday April 15 – Sporting (H) – Champions League
- Sunday April 19 – Man Metropolis (A) – Premier League
- Saturday April 25: Newcastle (H) – Premier League
