Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle left Mikel Arteta lamenting his team’s lack of solutions against a challenging opponent who capitalised early and held their ground. Despite a positive start, Alexander Isak's header in the 12th minute turned the game into a test of Arsenal’s adaptability, one which Arteta admitted his side struggled to pass.
“We started the game really well and created some situations, playing in the way we wanted,” Arteta shared with BBC’s Match of the Day. “Then, when you go 1-0 down, you know you have to play a different game. They try and drag you into a certain way of playing, and we didn't have enough answers to get out of there consistently enough to be more of a threat and score.”
The Gunners had brief flashes, creating two or three solid opportunities to level the score, but Newcastle’s disciplined defence and strategic control denied them repeatedly. Arteta acknowledged his team’s failure to deliver the “level of consistency” needed to fully threaten Newcastle.
“A goal would have changed the dynamic of the game completely,” he noted. “We had two or three big chances and didn't put them away. The consistency to be a real threat wasn’t there today.”
In assessing his squad’s performance on the ball, Arteta praised Newcastle’s defensive strength but admitted Arsenal’s struggles to capitalise on possession and create danger. “Credit to them for what they do and how they do it,” he added.
“With us, especially on the ball, we were inconsistent. We didn’t threaten the goal enough or put the ball into certain areas. We needed more answers, but we didn’t find them. The margins are so thin.”
Arteta’s substitutions, too, failed to make an impact in shifting the game’s dynamic. “We didn’t really change the dynamic of the game,” he reflected, acknowledging the challenge of keeping Arsenal’s momentum steady amid injuries and their current run of difficult results. especially after goals from Gakpo and Salah sent Liverpool to the Summit.
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