Report: How Arteta Addressed The Dressing Room Following Fulham Defeat

Mikel Arteta didn’t berate the players at Craven Cottage…

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta reportedly refrained from using the hairdryer treatment when he addressed the squad at Craven Cottage following our poor showing against Fulham, the Daily Mail reports.

Arteta saw his side take an early lead through Bukayo Saka’s sixth Premier League goal of the campaign and the Spaniard would’ve hoped that start would give his team a boost.

However, we cowered under Fulham’s pressure and gave the home side momentum as they constantly threatened our goal and minimised our attacking threat.

We lacked ideas going forward and were once again atrocious in our defending which saw Marco Silva’s side score twice without creating a plethora of clear chances.

Arteta’s public comments were stern as he warned his players that what he witnessed at Craven Cottage can never be repeated.

“What happened today cannot happen again. If you do that, you’re never going to have the chance to be where we want to be,” the 41-year-old told the press in his post-match press conference.

According to the Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel, Arteta’s demeanour in the dressing room wasn’t too dissimilar as he made ‘his disappointment abundantly clear.’

There was apparently ‘no tirade, no berating.’ Arteta obviously feels this squad is too advanced to require the shock treatment he regularly used in previous campaigns.

They will know that their levels were not at the required standard, though it’s the reasons behind the display that have fans worrying.

At best, it can be put down to fatigue following an intensive schedule in December. At worse? It resembled the team we saw towards the backend of last season once they gave up on the title and proceeded to lose against Brighton and Nottingham Forest.

They looked like a team feeling sorry for themselves – a mental fragility we thought we’d never have to associate with an Arsenal side ever again.

A chance to steer the ship in the right direction is on the horizon. League leaders Liverpool come to town for an FA Cup third-round tie.