By Martin Graham | sixteenth Sep 2024
Arsenal supervisor Mikel Arteta admitted to sleepless nights after dropping key gamers forward of the north London derby, however expressed satisfaction in his crew’s capacity to grind out a hard-fought win over Tottenham. The Gunners, lacking a number of essential squad members, managed to safe a 1-0 victory due to Gabriel’s header, maintaining them within the chase behind Premier League leaders Manchester Metropolis.
Harm setbacks for Arsenal
Arteta revealed the difficulties his crew confronted going into the derby, dropping each captain Martin Odegaard and defender Riccardo Calafiori to accidents sustained whereas on worldwide obligation. Their absence was compounded by the suspension of Declan Rice, which pressured Arteta to rethink his technique within the days main as much as the sport. “We ready for 5 days, then instantly we misplaced two key gamers,” Arteta defined. “I didn’t sleep a lot, however the crew needed to regulate.”
Regardless of these challenges, Arteta praised his gamers for his or her resilience. “There have been no excuses, no complaints. The squad confirmed nice dedication, and generally, it’s a must to embrace the much less glamorous elements of soccer to win.”
Successful by means of set-pieces
The decisive second got here from a well-executed nook, as Gabriel discovered the again of the online, persevering with Arsenal’s dominance in set-piece conditions. For the reason that begin of final season, no Premier League crew has scored extra objectives from dead-ball conditions, with Arsenal netting 24 objectives from set-pieces.
A lot of that success could be credited to Nicolas Jover, the membership’s set-piece coach, who joined from Manchester Metropolis in 2021. Arteta acknowledged Jover’s affect, saying, “I made the choice to carry him on board at each Metropolis and Arsenal. He, together with the remainder of the employees, has instilled the assumption that set-pieces could be decisive, and this recreation was proof of that.”
Arsenal’s rising starvation
Arteta emphasised his satisfaction with the crew’s rising dedication, particularly in tough circumstances. “Day by day, I see the starvation within the gamers rising. They love the sport and perceive that generally, it’s a must to win by doing the robust, gritty issues,” Arteta mentioned. The victory retains Arsenal inside putting distance of Manchester Metropolis, with the Gunners demonstrating their capacity to adapt and succeed, even when key gamers are lacking.
Martin Graham is an MFF sports activities author
