Arsenal Boss Arteta Urges Players to 'Enjoy' Title Bid Amid Loss to Manchester United
Mikel Arteta has told his players that they must "enjoy" their position as title favourites, following a disappointing defeat to Manchester United. The Spaniard's squad have struggled for form in recent matches, but remain four points clear at the top of the table.
Arteta called an emergency meeting with his players on Monday to assess their emotions and motivation levels. He admitted that he was disappointed by the team's performance against United, but praised their efforts so far this season.
"We took a moment to bring the temperature down, to pause, to reflect and ask two questions," Arteta explained in quotes published after the match. "One was: 'How do we feel? And how do I feel myself?' And then: 'How do we want to live the next four months?'
"The reaction since United has been excellent... It's beautiful because what came out of there is very simple." The manager expressed confidence that his players would be able to bounce back from Monday's defeat.
"We have earned the right to be in a great position in four competitions, and in the next four months we're going to live and play with enjoyment, with a lot of courage and with the conviction that we're going to win it," Arteta said.
Arteta also defended his forwards, including Bukayo Saka, who has struggled for goals recently. The Spaniard believes that Saka's record over the past 200 games speaks for itself.
Arteta's focus is now on winning their Champions League bid against Kairat at home on Wednesday. They are also set to face Man City in the Carabao Cup semi-final and will look to make progress in the FA Cup quarter-final.
The manager acknowledged that his team would need to improve if they were to win the title, but expressed optimism about their chances. Arteta urged Arsenal supporters to "jump on that boat" with the team, adding that it was time for them to enjoy their position as title favourites.
Mikel Arteta has told his players that they must "enjoy" their position as title favourites, following a disappointing defeat to Manchester United. The Spaniard's squad have struggled for form in recent matches, but remain four points clear at the top of the table.
Arteta called an emergency meeting with his players on Monday to assess their emotions and motivation levels. He admitted that he was disappointed by the team's performance against United, but praised their efforts so far this season.
"We took a moment to bring the temperature down, to pause, to reflect and ask two questions," Arteta explained in quotes published after the match. "One was: 'How do we feel? And how do I feel myself?' And then: 'How do we want to live the next four months?'
"The reaction since United has been excellent... It's beautiful because what came out of there is very simple." The manager expressed confidence that his players would be able to bounce back from Monday's defeat.
"We have earned the right to be in a great position in four competitions, and in the next four months we're going to live and play with enjoyment, with a lot of courage and with the conviction that we're going to win it," Arteta said.
Arteta also defended his forwards, including Bukayo Saka, who has struggled for goals recently. The Spaniard believes that Saka's record over the past 200 games speaks for itself.
Arteta's focus is now on winning their Champions League bid against Kairat at home on Wednesday. They are also set to face Man City in the Carabao Cup semi-final and will look to make progress in the FA Cup quarter-final.
The manager acknowledged that his team would need to improve if they were to win the title, but expressed optimism about their chances. Arteta urged Arsenal supporters to "jump on that boat" with the team, adding that it was time for them to enjoy their position as title favourites.
The way he's trying to focus on the positive and remind them that they've got this title bid in their sights... it's like, totally normal, you know? 
And I love how he's not putting too much pressure on his forwards, especially Saka. Like, we can all have a bit of an off game sometimes, right? 
So yeah, let's hope the team can get back to form and enjoy this great position they're in... because, honestly, who wouldn't want to be title favourites? 
it's one thing to say that, another thing entirely to actually back it up 
especially when they're not exactly lighting up the pitch lately 
like, how hard is it to stay motivated when you're playing poorly? 
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain 
They're 4th in the league but only scored 1 goal in the last 3 games 
. And Arteta is telling them to "enjoy" their position as title faves 
. They need to get back to form ASAP or it's gonna be a long season 
He's averaged just 1.5 goals per game! 
. And let's not forget, they have a tough Champions League tie against Kairat coming up on Wednesday 
. Can they keep their cool under pressure? 
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I get it, the guy's had a rough streak lately, but come on, Arteta... 200 games is not exactly a record to brag about... 
Anyway, gotta see how this season pans out, but I'm still skeptical... 
What happened to the usual fire in the belly that made us wanna smash Manchester United 3-0 last week?! I swear, sometimes I think he forgets what we're fighting for here.
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Still 4 points ahead, let's not take our foot off the gas