Arsenal manager Mike Arteta declared on Wednesday night that his team must ‘take the bullet’ for a performance against Wolves which he did not deny raises questions about their mental strength in the title race.
After the league’s worst team had equalised in the 94th minute, Arteta said his team had been careless in possession and inadequate, surrendering a 2-0 lead.
‘I think any question, any criticism, any opinion, you have to take it on the chin today,’ he said. ‘That’s it. Any bullet, take it, because we didn’t perform at the level that is required.’
When it was suggested that his team, who squandered the chance to go seven points clear, were struggling under the pressure exerted by Manchester City, he said: ‘Anything that anybody says can be right, because we didn’t do what we had to do. And the way to do it is on the pitch on Sunday, in a great opportunity that we had.’
Asked if his side were strong enough to recover from this setback, he said: ‘We’ve always done it, but you are as strong as to show it the next time you do it. To talk and say it here, it’s simple, and we have to do it on the pitch.’
He said his team, who will be only two points clear if Manchester City win their game in hand, had repeatedly squandered possession.
Mikel Arteta’s Premier League leaders slipped up against the worst side in the division
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‘It was one after the other, to be fair. It was a moment after another moment after another moment. So even though we scored the second goal, we never got a grip and dominance of the game.
He continued: ‘It’s difficult to accept it in the second half how we didn’t perform at any level in any aspect of the game, at the standards that are required to win a game in the Premier League and we paid the price.
‘Too many things that went wrong was one after the other. It’s best not to judge it. We are all too emotional about it and it’s not the moment to do it.
‘It’s a moment when you don’t perform, and you are at this level, and expectations are where they are. You have to take the hit, because as well, we deserve it.
‘If I ask the players what we have to do now – what the game requires – they know it.
‘But we weren’t able to do it throughout the game, and it was in various sequences and a lot of times as well. That’s why we have to do better. But we didn’t do it, and that’s the reality.’
Wolves manager Rob Edwards said of Tom Edozie’s leveller: ‘It was a great moment. A good night for the football club. It was only a draw but to come back from 2-0 down against one of the best teams in Europe is pretty special, a good performance as well. That’s three defeats in 11 games so we’re not doing that bad.
‘We’re not giving up. We know what could happen but we’re never going to give up, all the way to the 38th game, and we’re showing that.
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‘I hope everyone has a little bit of realism and understands what we’re up against, we were never going to roll Arsenal over easily, especially when you go 1-0 down early on.
‘I’d have liked a little bit more backing [by the fans] at that point if I’m being honest, but the way we finished, the energy was around. The lads are fighting hard, but Arsenal are really good. We didn’t lose our heads, took control for long periods. Really proud of the players.
‘We want to try to build some momentum and a connection around the place. I can understand the frustration and anger, it’s been really tough, but we have to try to find a way to energise the players in difficult moments. Some really good energy tonight, we have to try to bottle it.’
