Mikel Arteta, having witnessed his team produce yet another performance worthy of a win but ending in a draw, hopes that the minor margins preventing victories will be addressed after the international break.
Following a promising yet ultimately unproductive match at Inter Milan on Tuesday, Arsenal once again put in a strong performance against Chelsea, taking the lead through Gabriel Martinelli before Pedro Neto’s long-range strike leveled the score.
Mikel Arteta was left lamenting that pivotal moment, as it cost Arsenal all three points. However, he believes that once the final round of international fixtures is over, the team’s performances will start yielding maximum points again.
Arteta disappointed with draw against Chelsea
Speaking after the match at Stamford Bridge, he remarked: “I’m very disappointed with the result, but I’m very proud of what the team has done again like we did on Wednesday night. It’s about transforming these performances into victories.”
“I think the whole team is more confident, you could sense that. It was a special day for us before the break as we wanted to prove a point. We did it in Milan, having a big performance at a big club, but we were unable to win, so we have to find those ways and those margins and at the moment, it’s not going”
“We scored the first goal and we’re very disappointed with the way we conceded, nowhere near the standards, and we have to fault ourselves for that. But the team showed how much they wanted it. We put Chelsea on the ropes, dominated them, full of energy, and a lot of players were willing to score the goal to win it, but for very little margins, we were unable to do it.”
The two-week break between matches allows Arsenal to regroup and evaluate their first 11 games of the season. During this period, they have already played away at five of last season’s top seven Premier League teams and hosted Liverpool.
These matches have been played with key players absent due to injury and suspension, requiring Mikel to constantly adjust his lineup. He hopes for greater consistency in both fitness and results as Arsenal heads into the winter fixtures around Christmas.
Reflecting on Arsenal’s start, he continued: “We have to look at the positives and the things that we have to improve. Certainly, what we have to improve is the ability in the team and the condition of the players physically to perform and help the team.”
“So far in eight weeks, it has been an absolute nightmare with problem after problem. That’s the only thing I’m hoping. We’re going to have to earn it and we will, and we need at least that baseline to be consistent.”
“The priority is a lot of players that are not fit to be fit, a lot of players that are not playing with a lot of issues, [to get them] ready to play in full condition, and then to bring the energy we always bring.”
