There’s no Rapid fix for woes says wounded Arteta
MIKEL ARTETA last night admitted that every defeat at the Emirates feels like a “stab in your chest” as he issued a brutal assessment of his Arsenal team – and admitted they are a long way from what he wants.
But the Gunners manager insisted he is ready to fight to turn the corner.
Arsenal take on Rapid Vienna in the Europa League at the Emirates tonight having already qualified for the last 32, looking for the point that will win them Group B. But Arteta’s team go into the game lying 14th in the table domestically after Arsenal’s worst ever start to a Premier League season, with a dismal five defeats from their past eight league games.
Arteta said: “I expected to be further than we are. But this is our reality.
“We can find excuses – I hate to do that. We are here, let’s get out of this situation.
“When you lose two, three games at home, it’s like having a stab in your chest. It’s not acceptable and we have to change it.
“Even when we were winning we were still a long, long way from what I want. It’s going to take time
– I’m sorry. I was certain we would have moments of adversity. The challenge is how you react.”
And the Arsenal manager,
8PM appointed just under a year ago, vowed: “I’m ready to fight all the way through, because we can do it.
“The dream that I have, the love that I have for this football club, is to achieve the level that it deserves. But it takes time, not a month or three months.”
“We are going through difficult periods. We will see who responds, who doesn’t and how we stick together. When things are going well, it’s easy.
“At the moment, we aren’t that good. We need to be really humble and understand we can compete against any team. But our reality today is that we can also lose against any team.”
Arsenal, who will be without defender David Luiz after his head injury, will have 2,000 fans at the Emirates tonight.
ARSENAL V RAPID VIENNA