MIKEL SAYS HIS GUNNERS LACK GUTS FOR FIGHT
FUMING Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta claimed his men are on the road to nowhere after a second dismal performance in six days.
Just a week ago the Gunners looked to be in the driving seat in the race for fourth place.
But defeats by Crystal Palace on Monday and now Brighton have put a different slant on things and they will need to snap back into gear – and fast – if they want to find themselves in the right destination for the Champions League next month.
Leandro Trossard and
Enock Mwepu gave Brighton a two-goal lead before Martin Odegaard pulled one back shortly before the end.
Arsenal hoped that might spark a comeback but it was too little, too late by then.
Arteta said: “What happens now is we criticise ourselves a lot and get slaps again, and we deserve that because we were really poor again in the first half, and lift ourselves up.
“We know that this road is taking us nowhere, especially where we want to be.
“We still have everything to play for in the last eight games, we have to have a level of energy and visualise the beautiful challenge ahead.
“We played a game where you could not see the purpose of what the team was trying to do.
“We didn’t give them anything in the first half and this is down to us.”
Gunners fans have been quick to challenge claims the soft underbelly was still there this season.
And, in fairness, there have been times when it looked like maybe they were right.
But teams with real designs on the top four don’t choke against Palace and Brighton in the run-in.
Arteta added: “The reaction we wanted to show and everything we talked about we didn’t make it happen on the pitch.
“We were sloppy with the ball, we were second best
Tom Hopkinson REPORTING FROM THE EMIRATES
By again in a lot of situations, we didn’t show any purpose or build any momentum, play with the right speed or transform the game that Brighton proposed.
“It was great we didn’t give up but it was too late. It’s not a problem of attitude, it’s a problem with approach and the courage we showed to play.”
Brighton took the lead when Lewis Dunk lumped the ball to Mwepu (below), who found Trossard in space and the Belgian provided a smart finish.
Trossard was involved in Mwepu’s goal, a neat-flick releasing Moises Caicedo and his cross was met with a sweet half-volley.
Odegaard gave Arsenal a glimmer of hope late on when his 35-yard effort deflected off former Gunners star Danny Welbeck and over Robert Sanchez in Brighton’s goal.
And there were a few tense minutes for the visitors, with Sanchez needing to save well from
substitute Eddie Nketiah’s header.
But only the most one-eyed of locals would have argued the Seagulls didn’t deserve it.
Boss Graham Potter said: “It was a really good performance and an even better result.
I’m really pleased for the boys because we have had a tough time.”