Arteta: Arsenal 'need to reset' after loss to City
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta shares his takeaways from his side's heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Manchester City in Matchweek 33.
Video Transcript
Well, Mikel, I, I just wonder if the word or the question, what if, is just going round and round in your head.
What if that Eze shot had been an inch to the right?
What if the Havertz header is a touch lower or the one-on-ones- Yeah a touch higher maybe?
But is that ultimately it in, in these big games, the fine margins decide them?
That's exactly that.
And, when you don't do it and, and they have the individual quality to deliver the moments that they have delivered, that's, that's the reason we lose the game because I don't think there was any difference between the two teams.
So what do you say to your player?
Is that just bad luck or is it something more?
There are a few elements on that.
There is an element of luck, the ball goes in or not.
And the second one, the ball gets deflected, it goes to Haaland.
there is individual quality as well, and there is in that moment to be so cool, precise, and, and ruthless, and you have to be that.
so one aspect is the result, and that obviously doesn't feel great.
The other aspect is the performance.
You wanted to come here and show yourselves- turn up, give a proper account of yourself.
Did you do that?
we absolutely did that, as you could see, and especially the way we ended the game and right from the beginning, the attitude of, of the team.
And, yeah, we could have been a bit more composed in certain moments, but we certainly took the game to areas that, we wanted, and we knew that we had a big chance to win it.
We've been very close and not close enough, and, now we have to reset.
We lost an opportunity today, big one, but there is still another five to go.
And, we need to reset and, and go again because it's a lot of positive to take from the game.
Yeah.
Just tell us about how you tried to go about it today, 'cause it was a very front-footed looking team sheet, lots of creative players on there, and you were very, very, aggressive.
At, at one point, as they're trying to play out, Gabriel's come from center half to- I can't remember who to press, but- Zaki it, yeah, it's an in- Okay.
It's an indication of the intent, right?
100%.
And with the ball, we had, the same one, and we generate the situation that we believe we could generate.
There is even one that Kai is on side on a halfway line, totally free to go 1v1.
So we, we did that, but, we know.
So we are in the level that we are in because this team has taken us there.
That's the level that you have to, to be to win it.
And, and today there are certain element, which is the most important one, when you're in front of goal and big chances like we had today against them, you need to put it away to, to come away from the Etihad with the three points.
A- as we'd expect from two teams this good, was that an absolutely elite top-level football match?
Yes.
You had moments.
Obviously, it was a lot of battle as well and intensity because you expect that.
But, there are a big part of the game that had a lot of similarities with the first 28 minutes of the cup final because we had two massive chances as well to go ahead, and we didn't, and that changes the course of the game.
In, in domestic competition, it's four defeats in a row, but that, is that the best you played in a little while today, would you say?
I don't know.
We take it game by game.
I think we had some very good moments, a few days ago in the Champions League, as well against Sporting.
We're playing so many games.
We are the only team that is playing and playing and playing and playing.
That's, are different as well.
But, the positive thing that we've seen the level today, we can go with that, not only that, that we can be even better.
And there's five games to go, and, we're gonna give a real go to it.
Five games to go.
You still believe in Arsenal.
They've got to win all five.
Do you think City win all five?
Yeah.
I guess six, actually.
Yeah, I mean, I think there's a twist in this tale and, and if they can win out, someone's dropping points.
So I think if you're Arsenal, you have to say, "That was the performance we've been looking for in the last few weeks.
Bring that performance the next five games.
They're winnable games, and if you win out and you're even on points, then we'll see what happens."
Well, if nobody drops points, we're going goal difference.
Yeah, minimum return for Arsenal, 85 points.
That was a defeat, but not as painful as it could have been, Beth.
They can take something from today.
Final word.
Arsenal lost their football the last two months.
They dropped 10 points in the last eight in the Premier League.
And Manchester City start the season slowly, but they're, they're finishing like a, a steam train.
Yeah.
all to play for.
It's not done yet.
Not done yet.
But you've got to favor Manchester City, I think now, the way they're playing
