Mikel Arteta expressed disappointment over Arsenal’s lackluster 2-1 loss to Fulham on New Year’s Eve, labeling it as the team’s weakest showing of the season. He cautioned that if such a performance is repeated, the team will not be able to compete for the title.
After being at the top of the table for a few weeks leading up to Christmas, Arsenal has now lost 11 points in their last five games, resulting in them being in fourth place at the start of the new year.
Raúl Jiménez and Bobby De Cordova-Reid scored goals to help Fulham come from behind and win a game for the first time in over a year, following Bukayo Saka’s initial goal. This was a well-deserved victory for the dominant hosts.
Arteta expressed his grief and disappointment, stating that today’s events were unacceptable and must not be repeated. He emphasized the consequences of repeating such actions, as it would hinder their ability to achieve their goals.
Today had the potential to be a wonderful day to finish the year at the top of the league. We need to reflect on our actions because today’s performance was undoubtedly the worst we have had all season.
The way in which they lost was surprising. Despite having 77 touches in the opposition’s box and taking 30 shots, Arsenal was defeated 2-0 by West Ham in their home game on Thursday. However, at Craven Cottage, they were outperformed in all aspects.
“We suffered a defeat against West Ham that we truly should have won,” stated Arteta. “Today’s game was a completely different situation.”
We were not up to par. Our rhythm, purpose, and threat were lacking.
“Our defense was not up to par. The opposing team had an easy time winning the first and second ball, giving them the chance to run. We were never at the necessary level. It’s clear and straightforward that we did not deserve to win the game.”
Bypass the advertisement for the newsletter.
after newsletter promotion
Following a streak of three consecutive losses in the league without scoring, Marco Silva praised Fulham’s recent victory as one of their strongest performances this season. He stated, “In the past few months, we have been deserving of a result like this against a top team because we have come so close.”
“It was the perfect way to end the year. It was crucial for us to end on a positive note. The ideal scenario was playing against top competitors at Craven Cottage, making it the perfect afternoon for us. We dominated the game and rightfully earned three points.”
Source: theguardian.com
