Arteta Defends Arsenal's Defensive Approach in Draw Against Manchester City

Posted : 24 September 2024

Mikel Arteta defended Arsenal's defensive tactics in their Premier League clash against Manchester City, stating that it would be "thick" not to learn from past encounters. Arsenal led 2-1 at halftime after goals from Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhaes, but Leandro Trossard's second yellow card for time-wasting before the break put them on the back foot. In the second half, Arsenal opted to absorb pressure from City, relinquishing most of the possession, which ultimately led to John Stones' stoppage-time equalizer. Arteta stood by the team's strategy, recalling their 5-0 loss to City in 2021, where Granit Xhaka was sent off, highlighting the importance of adapting to the situation.

Manchester City's players, including Kyle Walker, John Stones, and Bernardo Silva, accused Arsenal of "time-wasting" and using the "dark arts" to slow down the game. However, Arteta dismissed these claims, emphasizing that Arsenal had to play the game that was required to secure a result. He expressed that his team had learned from their previous mistakes, and their resilience was a sign of growth, particularly when faced with difficult circumstances. The tension on the pitch escalated when Erling Haaland threw the ball at Gabriel after City's equalizer, but Arteta brushed off the incident, stating that his team had already moved on and was focused on their next challenge.

Looking ahead to Arsenal's League Cup tie against Bolton, Arteta joked about telling his players to avoid touching the ball unnecessarily after Trossard's sending-off. He referenced a similar incident involving Declan Rice, who received a second yellow for time-wasting in a previous match against Brighton. Arteta quipped that they might "play without the ball" to avoid such situations in the future, showing his awareness of the need for discipline while navigating tight games.

Arteta also provided an update on Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury sustained during international duty with Norway. The 25-year-old has missed Arsenal's last three games, and while Arteta couldn't provide an exact timeline for Odegaard's return, he mentioned it would be a matter of weeks before the midfielder is back in action. Despite these challenges, Arteta remained optimistic about the team's ability to adapt and compete in various competitions.

Arteta Defends Arsenal's Defensive Approach in Draw Against Manchester City

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