Arteta: We Need To Generate More Chances, That’s My Responsibility

By The Editor
on 3rd November 2024

Arteta keen to find solutions…

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admits that he must find solutions to the team’s attacking performance after an insipid display at St James’s Park in a 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United.

The hosts took the lead midway through the first half after Aleksandr Isak headed home Anthony Gordon’s pin-point cross, and that was enough to clinch all three points.

Eddie Howe’s men didn’t create much after that and resorted to defending deep and challenging the Gunners to break through their defensive block.

We responded to that challenge pathetically and in almost 75 minutes of action, our best chance came in the final kick of the game when Declan Rice headed Bukayo Saka’s cross wide from just six yards out.

While he should’ve done better, it’s not good enough for that to be our only meaningful effort at goal – especially when we were chasing the game for most of the encounter.

Arteta refused to be drawn into specific names in his post-match duties and accepted that he needed to sort out our profligacy.

“I love my players and I wouldn’t change them for anyone else,” the Spaniard said when asked if Isak showed him what he’s missing (via Arsenal Media).

“Obviously when you create three big chances in the game you’re hoping to score a goal because this is the fine margins we’re always discussing, but I think the team should have generated more and that’s my responsibility.”

Aside from our lack of creativity, we do tend to have a cluster of poor results and rarely respond to setbacks in the Premier League immediately.

While much of the talk is now about missing Martin Odegaard, he was present when we lost three games in succession last season during the festive period.

On that occasion, it took a winter break and a trip to Dubai to halt our poor form and it seems the team may need the upcoming international break.

Having said that, we have two more crucial games before then as we travel to Inter and Chelsea respectively.