After Arsenal’s midweek draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Mikel Arteta, the Gunners’ head coach, sounded out his frustration. He had lost patience with much of their work. Despite securing a 2-1 victory, Arteta described elements of the game as “unacceptable,” particularly highlighting the late equalizer conceded by his side.
Arsenal were the more exciting team for the first three quarters of the match. They allowed Wolves to equalize in the last few minutes of the game, raising questions about their defensive tactics. He went on to criticize his players for being “passive” and for having “horrible defensive habits.” He admitted that these are problems that need to be fixed as the Gunners move forward in their campaign.
Even then, the team’s accomplishment was remarkable—scoring a match winner in the 94th minute. He pointed out the need for all of them to be much better as they go beyond.
Defensive Concerns Highlighted
In his post-match audiovisuals, Arteta highlighted, above all else, such a decisive moment when Arsenal decided to sit super deep. He stated, “We had a period of two or three minutes in deep [block], totally passive with horrible defensive habits.” The then-Arsenal manager famously underscored the need for constant movement on defense. This was very important, particularly considering it was against a team that hadn’t even registered a shot until their goal.
“This is nowhere near the required level against a team that hasn’t had a single shot,” Arteta added. He further elaborated that while it is acceptable to defend deeply when facing an attacking team, the level of activity must remain high to prevent such lapses from occurring.
That last-minute equalizer from Wolves was a reminder of just how much there is to do on that front. Arteta remarked, “You have to give credit to Wolves. I knew that wasn’t going to be an easy game, but we made it even harder with the manner we conceded the goal. That’s unacceptable.”
Missed Opportunities
The most notable instance that struck Arteta was a clear-cut chance in front of goal going untaken. He did highlight one instance where Gabriel Martinelli was two yards from goal unmarked. Sadly, that precious, golden opportunity slipped right through his fingers. “We had one big chance with Martinelli two yards out, totally free, and didn’t score,” he said. This miss showed us just how crucial it is to keep your head during finish line sprinting. It’s an underrated skill on a team geared to win all the marbles.
Even with these frustrations, Arteta was understandably buoyed by the resilience his side showed. The Gunners salvaged the win thanks to a heartstopping 108th minute own-goal from Wolves’ Yerson Mosquera. This eleventh hour twist unlocked the deadlock and won the match.
Injury Update and Future Outlook
Ben White limped off the field in the first half due to a hamstring injury. This one tough moment overshadowed what had been an impressive stretch for Arsenal. Arteta confirmed that the training staff will continue to monitor White’s health in the next few days. That’s a significant enough concern in itself, as the squad faces one of its busiest schedules ever.
After the win, Arteta praised his side for their reaction to going behind. “In the second half, we did things a bit better and then scored the goal,” he stated. He says this resilience will make them stronger going into their next matches. Arsenal look to make their gameplay as consistent as possible.
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