Despite his assertions to the contrary, it appears Mikel Arteta was indeed affected by the discussions sparked by Arsenal`s 1-0 loss to Liverpool before the international break. When presented with a chance to praise Mikel Merino, who scored a hat-trick for Spain against Turkey in World Cup qualifiers, Arteta instead delved into earlier events.
Arteta commented, “I noted remarks regarding our setup with three midfielders at Anfield, specifically the perception of them being defensive. Mikel Merino, however, operates as an attacking midfielder. I can`t recall when an attacking midfielder last scored three goals. It`s quite insightful to observe how perceptions shift, particularly after a defeat.”
The Gunners had, in fact, suffered their initial league defeat of the season, with Dominik Szoboszlai`s late free-kick decisively settling a tight, low-scoring contest at Anfield in Liverpool`s favor. Following this outcome, Arteta`s tactical decisions faced significant scrutiny, notably his choice to deploy Merino in midfield instead of introducing Eberechi Eze or risking the still-recovering Martin Odegaard.
Despite being without key players Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and Ben White, and with Odegaard`s fitness uncertain, Arsenal managed more shots than Liverpool. They also limited the league`s top attack to 16 penalty box touches, compared to their own 29, and prompted a similar cautious approach from Liverpool. Ultimately, only a moment of individual brilliance from Szoboszlai ended Arsenal`s impressive 22-game unbeaten streak against `Big Six` opponents. Nevertheless, many post-match analyses echoed Gary Neville`s sentiment: “Liverpool expects to win these games, while I question if Arsenal does. They seem content not to lose, and it`s proving detrimental.”
When questioned about the widespread perception of Arsenal`s play, Arteta, who was clearly aware of the `three defensive midfielders` narrative on social media, stated, “I`m not familiar with that specific narrative, as I don`t follow such discussions. However, after reviewing and analyzing the match, my perspective and opinion differ significantly from that. One must respect all viewpoints. Ultimately, opinions are swayed by whether you win or lose, and that`s something we must accept.”
Similar to many in his profession, Arteta appears to absorb the ongoing discussions surrounding his club without directly engaging with them. He highlighted David Raya`s strong performance on the eve of his 100th appearance for the Gunners, yet also recalled the significant criticism he faced for signing him.
It is understandable why Arteta was somewhat irritated by the prevailing assessment of his team`s last performance. While the Arsenal manager might occasionally favor a cautious approach – and their attacking style is certainly not comparable to the often audacious tactics Ange Postecoglou employed in his debut season with Tottenham – it`s worth noting that when Arteta had a full-strength squad for most of a season, they netted a club-record 91 Premier League goals. They consistently achieved an expected goals rate of two per game, and even if many derived from set pieces, their remarkable consistency in converting these opportunities makes them far from dismissible.
Arsenal`s offensive production naturally declined last season, largely due to the absences of critical players like Saka, Odegaard, Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus. Given that Saka and Odegaard are world-class talents, a dip in performance would have been expected. Yet, even with these personnel challenges, it`s difficult to reconcile the notion of a team `happy not to lose` when they scored a combined 11 goals against Liverpool and Manchester City in the previous Premier League season. Furthermore, the ten players who battled fiercely to protect a 2-1 lead at the Etihad and then conceded late did not appear content with merely a point.
That particular squad demonstrated resilience by scoring nine goals collectively against Leicester, Paris Saint-Germain, and Southampton after a disappointing result in Manchester. Arteta observes a similar resolve in his current team. He had hoped for another match “within the next three days” to allow his players to move past the Liverpool defeat. Instead, he took satisfaction in watching talents such as Merino, Noni Madueke, and recent acquisition Piero Hincapie perform exceptionally for their respective national teams.
Reflecting on the team`s collective sentiment post-Liverpool match, Arteta stated, “We aspire for more. We want to be involved in more of those high-stakes games. Upon reviewing our performance and considering the various circumstances, not just our playing style but other aspects too, there is undoubtedly still room for enhancement. This is positive because the team is already operating at a very elevated standard.”
This scenario bodes ill for Nottingham Forest. While Arteta may deny it, the critiques regarding his team`s tactics appear to have affected him. If a similar sentiment resonates with his players, a strong, retaliatory performance can be anticipated this Saturday afternoon.
