Every word Mikel Arteta said on Arsenal draw, massive title blow and message to the supporters

Here is every word Mikel Arteta said after his Arsenal side drew with Wolves and face Premier League title disaster

Mikel Arteta faced the media after Arsenal drew 2-2 with Wolverhampton Wanderers in a result which will have delighted Pep Guardiola and Manchester City. In a similar fashion to the meeting between the sides at the Emirates Stadium, they conceded a late equaliser; this time, however, there was no late winner.

It leaves them five points clear of City with a game more played. Gabriel Jesus’ clash at full-time and the mistake between Gabriel Magalhaes and David Raya showed the weakness and mentality that this side continues to struggle with.

The belief is in question, and Arteta had to face the music after the game, clearly, not pleased with his side’s performance. He owned the result but only the next game against Tottenham can reinvigorate them.

Here is every word from Arteta’s post-match press conference:

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Thoughts on the result

I’m extremely disappointed, obviously, with the result, with the way the game ended. But we have to blame ourselves, I think, in the performance in the second half. We didn’t show anything close to the standards that are required in this league to win, with a margin that I think should have existed today, especially in the manner that we played the first half.

So it’s a moment of disappointment. We all want to talk a lot about how we’re feeling. It’s not the moment to do that, because anything that we do has to be always and only with the intention to help the team.

And right now, I think we have to swallow that frustration. When you are at this level and at the top, you need to take the hits, because today we deserved them as well, and move on as quick as possible, because on Sunday we have a big game coming up.

In that second half, I could see you gesturing to the player to just calm down and keep the ball. How do you explain that inability to do that? What happened?

It was one after the other, to be fair. It was a moment after another moment after another moment. So even though we scored the second goal, we never got a grip and dominance of the game.

That’s the reality. And that’s obviously credit to Wolves, and we never want to underestimate that, but I think we played a big part in that. And as I said, that’s a very basic thing, a very simple thing that we did really wrong.

And that’s why we had the feeling, without really considering much, but the moment is always the game open to anything that can happen.

Does it raise question marks about the mentality within the team? Because out there tonight, it looked as if they were struggling under the pressure, under the expectation. You’re out there to go seven points clear.

I think any question, any criticism, any opinion, you have to take it on the chin today. That’s it. Any bullet, take it, because we didn’t perform at the level that is required.

So anything that anybody says can be right, because we didn’t do what we had to do. And the way to do it is on the pitch on Sunday, in a great opportunity that we had.

Are they strong enough to do that? Are they strong enough to come back?

We’ve always done it, but you are as strong as to show it the next time you do it. To talk and say it here, it’s simple, and we have to do it on the pitch.

There’s going to be loads of hurt around the players and yourself, and I’m sure the fans as well. That word doubt is going to start to creep into their minds. What can you say to them to encourage them to keep that belief and the faith that it’s going to be OK?

The more they can be with the players, and I’m going to be the first one to be very close to them, because this is nothing to do with attitude or desire. It’s completely the opposite. It’s part of football.

Whatever could have gone wrong today, it went wrong, because when you look at the way we conceded two goals as well, without really considering any other situations, it’s very rare. But it happened, and it happened for a reason, and we need to react to that.

Just on the phrase you mentioned about things happening again and again, one moment after the other, that emotional management of the game, is that something you see as being able to be fixed quite quickly, or is it just a…

Yes, but if I ask them what we have to do now, what the game requires, they know it, but we weren’t able to do it throughout the game, and it was in various sequences and a lot of times as well. That’s why we have to do better, but we didn’t do it, and that’s the reality.

Rob Edwards mentioned that he and you and his team knew that the pressure was beyond you guys. How do you feel knowing that other teams are trying to use that to weaponise against you?

That’s an obvious thing no? If you’re at the top and you have to win, you have to win, and win, and win. So that’s nothing new. Everything will be like this from the first game when they play Arsenal.

I imagine a painful result. We saw a few frustrated players towards the end of the game as well. How do you pick up your players now and lift that morale going into what is such a big game on Sunday, but also the final 11 games of the season?

I think we need to go through the pain, and you need to go through that, looking in the mirror and understanding what the game requires now, and the next action is on Sunday. That’s it. Anything that we say from here to there is fine, but we need to keep all that in our tummies to show it on Sunday. That’s what we have to do.

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