Gunners Boss Takes Responsibility for “Nowhere Near” Performance in London Derby Loss
Mikel Arteta did not hold back in his assessment of Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat to West Ham on Saturday, admitting he was left “very, very angry” by his team’s lackluster display. The loss, compounded by a red card for young midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly in the 73rd minute, saw Arsenal fail to break down a resilient West Ham side, leaving their Premier League title ambitions hanging by a thread.
The Gunners, already missing key attacking players like Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli due to injuries, struggled to create meaningful chances despite dominating possession and registering 20 shots. Arteta, however, refused to blame the absence of his star forwards for the defeat, instead pointing to a collective failure to meet the required standards.
“Very disappointed, obviously very angry as well,” Arteta said in a fiery post-match press conference. “You have to congratulate West Ham for the victory and the way they played, but a lot from our side was not right. We never got enough momentum, and even with the ball and the shots we had, I never felt we were at the level needed to challenge a team like West Ham, let alone compete for the Premier League title.”
The Arsenal boss was particularly critical of his team’s inability to retain possession and prevent West Ham from exploiting dangerous counter-attacks. “We lost a lot of balls and allowed them to run in very dangerous situations,” he said. “That’s not acceptable. We have to be angry because we didn’t hit the levels today, and I am very much responsible for that.”
Arteta emphasized that the performance fell far short of what is required to challenge Liverpool, who remain eight points clear at the top of the table. “Today, we were nowhere near the levels we need to win a Premier League,” he admitted. “We have to look in the mirror and ask what we can do better. The desire and effort were there, but that’s not enough. You have to deliver with quality, and today we didn’t.”
Despite the frustration, Arteta urged his players to use the defeat as motivation for their upcoming fixtures. “First of all, we have to suffer for 24 to 48 hours and feel the pain,” he said. “Then, we come back on Monday with that bite and anger, determined to put things right on Wednesday.”
With the title race now out of Arsenal’s hands, Arteta acknowledged the uphill battle they face. “It’s not in our hands anymore,” he said. “I’m really annoyed about the things that were in our control today, and we didn’t do them well enough. That’s the reality we have to face.”
As Arsenal lick their wounds, the focus shifts to their next match, where Arteta will demand a response from his squad. For now, the Gunners’ title dreams remain alive, but only just.
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