Arteta’s comments on Arsenal’s 1-1 draw

Mikel Arteta’s had some interesting things to say following Saturday’s 1-1 draw v Sheffield United…

“I’m very disappointed today. I think the performance deserved three points and I think we lost two points. In the Premier League, if you don’t put the game to bed then in the last 10 or 15 minutes this type of team just needs a long ball, a second ball, a set-piece, and you can give the points away. That’s it.”
“I inherited a team that was in a difficult situation and we’re trying to improve it as much as possible. I don’t know. In the second half, Sheffield United didn’t generate any efforts on goal – it’s just one long ball, a second ball and then someone put it top bins from an incredible angle. It’s difficult to control it. I think they all went full gas and I think they all tried really hard. I think we put them under real pressure every time and we didn’t allow them to come out the way they do, to generate the overloads in wide areas and control the second phase, or put balls into the box. I don’t think that was the case.”

With Pierre-Emrick Aubameyang on suspension, the boss gave Gabriel a start on the left wing, and the 18-year-old did not disappoint…

“Gabriel Martinelli is a kid with all the enthusiasm but as well, he’s so brave to make decisions, to threaten the opponent every time. He’s all the time in the middle of the goal, waiting for an opportunity to come. The fact he hasn’t played 90 minutes for a while – since his injury – but is still in the way he went about every single action is impressive.”

Arteta also had to make some decisions on who to cover at the two fullback positions, as four of his main guys were either injured or just coming back into training. Maitland-Niles and Saka were his choices. With that said, instructions were required during the match, especially following Sheffield United’s goal…

“Obviously, when we are analysing the opponents and scenarios that are happening on the pitch, we have to try to correct and help the players as much as possible. But we can ask Ainsley (Maitland-Niles) a lot of things, but he’s not a fullback. and Bukayo (Saka) is not a fullback. They’re trying to adapt as quickly as possible and they try to help the team as much as possible to do that, but these things are going to happen (the equalizing goal).”

Read the full transcript on Arsenal.com.