Mikel Arteta dropped to the turf on the touchline at full time of Arsenal’s 1-1 draw away to Chelsea on Sunday in a similar fashion to how predecessor Arsene Wenger used to. It was the sign of a man who wanted just a bit more.
Even if his players have been “showing their teeth”, as he has often urged them to in tough circumstances recently, there was still something missing at Stamford Bridge.
There are a few different circumstances that have led to Arteta’s ‘showing their teeth’ rhetoric. Whether it is red cards, injuries to key players or simply being caught out by freakish situations, Arsenal’s start to the season has been far from a fairytale.
That is why Arteta, speaking at the post-match press conference, said: “When it gets nasty, show your teeth and show how much you want it. When it’s Disneyland, it’s very easy. Everybody’s next to you, telling you how beautiful you are. When it gets dark and difficult and everybody’s questioning it, that’s when I want to see people. I’m looking around. Who is going to step in that box? Yes or no?”
The prime example of a player showing the character Arteta is talking about came in the shape of his captain, Martin Odegaard. The midfielder made his first Arsenal start since August yesterday after overcoming an ankle injury and, despite being a doubt until the line-ups were confirmed, played the full game at an exceptional level, given his personal circumstances.
“I don’t know another player that is capable of (playing 90 minutes to that standard) after six weeks out,” Arteta added. “He had a day and a half (training) to be able to do that. Just how physically and mentally connected he was with the team was unbelievable.”
The Norwegian’s lofted assist for Gabriel Martinelli was merely a glimpse of what Arsenal missed when he was sidelined. Earlier in the move, Odegaard was the one to regain possession before trading passes with Thomas Partey and setting up Martinelli to score. He also ended the game with the most chances created (four) by anybody on either team and won possession in the final third more often than any player on the pitch (three times).
During the opening minutes of the first half, Odegaard was directing team-mates Partey and Bukayo Saka on how they should press. Arsenal’s pressing, like most things on Sunday, was of mixed fortunes.
At times, it worked well, and forced Chelsea to take the ball back to an uncomfortable Robert Sanchez in goal, but on other occasions, Chelsea were able to find Cole Palmer in more left-sided space than he usually occupies. Other mixed moments came when Odegaard would find a good pocket to operate from near Arsenal’s right flank, only for his calls for the ball to be transferred over from their left side to not be heeded.
Arteta had a moment when he raised his hands to his head in frustration when Odegaard misplaced a pass after a lovely turn, but his captain was not the only one to do that. The Arsenal manager was animated throughout the game, particularly in the second half when goalscoring opportunities came and went for his side.
“We don’t put the chances away, and sometimes we haven’t had that determination inside the box to make it happen,” Arteta said on Arsenal’s failure to put the ball in the net more often. “We are just hoping it will happen, which is something very different in football.”
Hoping rather than making something happen feels fairly accurate. Leandro Trossard’s chance to win the game right at the end was actually offside, and Mikel Merino provided genuine openings for Arsenal. Even so, both players lacked the conviction to make the difference.
Similarly, Arteta said Arsenal needed “a focus in every action” when talking about the goals they were conceding at the start of October. That is a theme which has continued since then, and reared its head again yesterday when nobody was there to close down Pedro Neto as he scored the equaliser.
“After scoring the first goal, I’m very disappointed with how we conceded their goal,” Arteta added. “That’s nowhere near the standards of our defensive habits. The moment you give space and time to any of their players with the quality that they have, you’re going to get punished, so that’s not bad luck.”
All this has seen Arsenal drop points for a fourth successive game. They have also dropped eight points from winning positions in the league just 11 matches into the season.
Odegaard’s return suggests there will be a return to more fluid football after the international break that will occupy the next week or so, but the trend of points slipping away is one that must not carry over.
It doesn’t immediately get easier for Arsenal when they return to work. Despite losing to Newcastle United this weekend, Nottingham Forest will travel to the Emirates Stadium in fifth place in the Premier League when the season resumes on November 23.
That will be yet another match which will keep Arteta and his side honest, but one that could be used to truly kickstart their season.
(Top photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
