'That’s not bad luck' - Arteta annoyed by Arsenal attitude for Chelsea equaliser
John Equaliser Scores Picture: Pedro Bridge Neto (right) At Walton/pa Side's Stamford Against His Arsenal Wire Chelsea's
MIKEL ARTÉTA masterminded a 5-0 win over Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea the last time these clubs met at the end of last season. Chelsea now have a new manager, a backbone and go into the international break ahead of their London rivals in the Premier League table. Arteta’s Arsenal, while being better than they have been in recent weeks, still found a way to lose their way – again!
Inspired by the return of their captain and chief creator, Martin Odegaard, they scored first in a tense match neither team could really afford to lose. Pedro Neto cancelled out Gabriel Martinelli’s opening effort and means Arsenal have dropped eight points from winning positions this season. They let only nine slip in all of last season and just eight in the entirety of the season before.
Arteta said: “That’s not very much like us. I think today in that sense with the way we conceded, we have to fault ourselves. That’s something that we have to do better, especially when you’re not scoring two or three goals and, at the moment, we are not.”
The bottom line is they have taken only two points – this draw and another at home to Liverpool - in their last four matches and are a significant nine points behind league leaders Liverpool. In the last season or two, they could realistically have expected to return from the break and put together a run of eight or so wins from their next ten matches. Arteta will argue they can do it again, but not many outside the club will back him up.
Asked how he could change the direction of his side’s season after the international break he said: “To win, win, win, win and win again. It might be a step in the right direction but I am disappointed with the result but proud of the way we played against a team that has battered most of their opponents here so far this season.
“You could see everything was flowing but again it is about winning. What we have found is that every day we have had to change something big, you know, the engine, the wheels, steering wheel because we've had problem after problem.”
The mood of Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca could not have been more different, with his side third for the first time since they ended the 2021-22 season that high.
“It has not escaped me,” Maresca said afterwards, "and it is nice for fans after the last period that has not been great for them. Our performance was good on and off the ball. The game was open and 100% we deserved a point. Some day soon we will win a game like this. Manchester City and Arsenal are still ahead of us but that does not mean we can’t play them and beat them. We are still one of the biggest clubs in the world.”
Former Chelsea hero Kai Havertz, lauded here for his Champions League winner against Man City, was vilified for celebrating what he thought was a first half goal. VAR spotted an offside elbow and the Chelsea fans showed they no longer have time for their former favourite.
Arsenal were just about the better side, but the draw did not do them an injustice. They were much better than recent league performances and the return from injury of Odegaard was key. His 60th minute cross for Gabriel Martinelli to finish in style, illustrated what Arsenal have been missing.
Arteta added: “I don’t know another player that is capable of (playing 90 minutes to that standard) after six weeks out. He had a day and a half to be able to do that. Just how physically and mentally connected he was with the team it was unbelievable.”
The Arsenal manager was less complimentary about the way his side sat off to allow Pedro Neto to score his first Premier League goal and equalise from distance just ten minutes later.
He argued: “I’m very disappointed with how we conceded their goal. That’s nowhere near the standards of our defensive habits how we allowed it. The moment you give space and time to any of their players with the quality that they have you’re going to get punished, so that’s not bad luck.”
Even a jubilant Neto was more subdued in the aftermath of the match.
“We came to win, so we're not as happy as we wanted to be, but we didn't want to lose and it's a good point against a good team. We had moments we could have been better but we've done a good job and we want to keep improving at this level.”
Now the club managers hand over their worries to the international managers for a week or so. Maresca cast a doubt over Cole Palmer’s availability for England and it seems unlikely Arsenal will be releasing Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice after neither managed to complete the match. Arteta will also hold talks overnight with Odegaard about the wisdom of him going away with Norway.
Asked what he wanted from the international break, he concluded: “I’m praying that after the international break we have the team fully physically equipped. That they are available and that they are fit because it’s 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 only for certain moments and not able to play. I’m just asking that, because the desire the team has and how much we want it there’s no question. It’s going to come.”
Sanchez 5; Gusto 7 (James 82), Fofana 6, Colwill 6, Cucurella 7; Lavia 6 (Fernandez 67), Caicedo 8 (Nkunku88); Madueke 7 (Mudryk 68), Palmer 6, Neto 7; Jackson 7.
Jorgensen, Adarabioyo, Badiashile, Veiga, Joao Felix
Raya 6, White 6, Saliba 7, Gabriel 7, Timber 6, Partey 7, Rice 5 (Merino 71), Odegaard 8, Saka 7 (Jesus 80), Havertz 6, Martinelli 7 (Trossard 71).
Neto, Zinchenko, Lewis-Skelly, Kiwior, Jorginho, Nwaneri.
Michael Oliver 5