Mikel Arteta Expresses Frustration After Arsenal’s Defeat to Fulham
Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, expressed his anger and disappointment following his team’s 2-1 loss to Fulham on New Year’s Eve. He described it as the “worst game of the season” for Arsenal. The defeat has dealt a blow to Arsenal’s title hopes, as they have now lost two consecutive matches in the Premier League, first to West Ham and now to Fulham.
Despite being tipped as potential contenders for the title this season, Arsenal currently sits in fourth place in the table, behind Liverpool, Aston Villa, and reigning champions Manchester City. The team had a promising start against Fulham, with Bukayo Saka scoring a goal just five minutes into the match. However, Fulham turned the game around with goals from Raul Jimenez and Bobby De Cordova-Reid.
Speaking after the match, Arteta expressed his disappointment with his team’s performance. He acknowledged that defensively, Arsenal was second best and struggled to dominate the game. He also criticized their lack of purpose, speed, and threat in attack, as well as their sloppy possession of the ball.
Arteta emphasized the significance of the defeat, stating that Arsenal did not deserve to win and that it was a missed opportunity to go top of the league. He highlighted the thin margins in football and emphasized the need for consistency in performance. If Arsenal can replicate their performances from the other 19 games this season, Arteta believes they can still be contenders for the title. However, if they continue to play like they did against Fulham, they will not be anywhere near the top.
In conclusion, Arteta described the defeat as a “really difficult day to swallow” and expressed his frustration with his team’s performance. Arsenal will need to regroup and improve if they want to revive their title hopes in the remaining matches of the season.