There was plenty for Mikel Arteta to digest after our disappointing 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday.
After the game the manager faced the media at Emirates Stadium, and was asked about the performance, refereeing decisions, lost leads, the latest on injuries and more.
Here’s a full transcript from his post-match press conference…
On his view of Evanilson’s goal given by VAR:
I've just seen a few images and it looks very different to the decision, but they made that decision.
On the team performance:
We started and we did the most difficult one to score the goal. I think after that we had four or five very open situations to score the second one. We didn't kill it and after that, on top of that, you defend the box really poorly, the way we've done it in the two set-pieces that we have conceded again. So they're going to punish you and a team like Bournemouth, they're going to punish you. And after that the game becomes rushed, very chaotic. That's why they want big spaces. They have more legs than us, especially with sets and plays that were struggling in the final minutes. And we weren't able to get the result that we wanted, so we're very disappointed.
On dropping points from winning positions:
Well, I think every game probably would have a different answer to that. Certainly what happened today is that if you defend the way we've done, very few set-pieces but very poorly, in the league you're going to get punished. It doesn't matter if you are ahead or behind in the scoring.
On taking this feeling into Wednesday:
Well, we certainly wanted to create a really good vibe, a positive result would really help us to build what we wanted towards Wednesday. So what we have created now is a lot of rage, anger, frustration and a bad feeling in the tummy. So make sure that we use that for Wednesday to have a massive performance in Paris, win the game and be in the final.
On PSG resting players today:
Well, I don't know. They won the league so they have the luxury to do that. We haven't because we still have a lot to do in the Premier League. But we have four days and I'm sure we'll be fully recovered and at our best to play the game.
On work to do to guarantee a top five finish:
Well, we have a lot to do, yeah, because mathematically we are not qualified, we haven't earned the right to finish second yet. So we still have a lot to do, yeah.
On if the team loses motivation in the Premier League:
We try not to. I think that's something very, very individual. The way we have prepared the game and today we talked about a lot of things that we had to do against a very good opposition that were very necessary to win the game. We certainly missed the most important one which is defending the box because we did it poorly three times, very poorly. One in the first half and two in the second half and it cost us the points, that's the reality.
On the VAR decision:
It wasn't because that happened today but I prefer not to comment on that.
On whether the Champions League has affected our Premier League campaign:
Again, our preparation has been exactly the same or even more. I'm trying to put more emphasis into it. The margins are very small. It's true that maybe we lacked, I don't know, maybe a little bit of freshness and the way they have to repeat today, they had to play some players that probably weren’t in the best condition to play because we don't have other players. But that's it. That's the context of it.
On the frustrations not winning in the Premier League:
Yeah, every time you don't win a game, especially when you lose, you are very frustrated. And as I said before, that raise, that frustration, that anger and that bad feeling that we have in the tummy, make sure that we use it to have a big performance on Wednesday and be in the final.
On conceding goals from set-pieces:
It's not only what you score, it's the difference in gap between the ones that you score and the ones that you concede. We have conceded a lot, especially recently, which are costing us a lot of points. That's clear and that's everybody's responsibility. But as well, credit to the opposition. Today they've done it really well. Somebody is able to throw the ball in the middle of the goal to a guy that is taller than anybody else. He's the one in the back of the net. We really want to do better, but it's difficult.
On concerns in possession ahead of facing PSG:
Today, in many situations, we have given balls away that are nowhere near the standard that we require, certainly.
On Jurrien Timber’s fitness ahead of Wednesday:
Confident? At the moment, no, because he wasn't able to play here and we play in four days.
On the issue with Timber:
I cannot tell you.
On Odegaard’s fitness:
I haven't had a chance yet to speak to a doctor to give me an update on that, so I don't know.
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