Mikel Arteta strongly criticized his team`s performance following their comeback 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield.
Arsenal quickly conceded two goals, finding themselves trailing 2-0 at halftime.
Goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino (who was later shown two yellow cards and sent off) allowed the Gunners to level the score.
While pleased with the second-half fightback, Arteta expressed his anger that the team had put themselves in such a difficult position initially.
He stated that “a lot of parts” of the performance, particularly in the first 25-35 minutes, deeply upset him.
Arteta specifically highlighted issues with “defending the standards that we have and the errors after we gave the ball away.”
He described watching the poor start as feeling like he “was killing myself,” emphasizing his preference for proactive “action” over mere “reaction.”
When asked if the recent Champions League exit might have affected the players, Arteta dismissed this as an excuse for the poor start.
He issued a challenge to his squad, urging them to demonstrate they are the best of the non-title-winning teams this season.
Arteta also declined to blame the performance on player fatigue or injuries, despite acknowledging earlier in the season that the squad lacked the depth and overall quality needed to win the Premier League title.
He reiterated his awareness from the start of the season that the squad was “super short,” leading to a high likelihood of injuries for some players based on their history.
He concluded by stating the club would “do everything that we can to improve the team and especially improve the players that we already have” and look to the transfer market for opportunities to “give us a better chance to win.”
