Arteta: “Performances will be backed up by points”

Arteta on our draw at Stamford Bridge

Having seen his side once again put in a display worthy of a victory but come away with just a draw, Mikel Arteta is hoping that the small margins preventing us from gaining victories are overcome following the international break.

After a positive but ultimately fruitless encounter at Inter Milan on Tuesday, we again impressed against Chelsea and took the lead through Gabriel Martinelli before being pegged back by Pedro Neto’s long-range strike.

And that one moment was one Mikel was left rueing as it proved to be pivotal as it prevented us gaining all three points, but he feels that once the last set of international fixtures are out of the way, our performances will be rewarded with maximum points again.

Reflecting post-match at Stamford Bridge, he said: “I’m very disappointed with the result, but I’m very proud of what the team has done again like we did on Wednesday night. It’s about transforming these performances into victories.

“I think the whole team is more confident, you could sense that. It was a special day for us before the break as we wanted to prove a point. We did it in Milan, having a big performance at a big club, but we were unable to win, so we have to find those ways and those margins and at the moment, it’s not going”

“We scored the first goal and we’re very disappointed with the way we conceded, nowhere near the standards, and we have to fault ourselves for that. But the team showed how much they wanted it. We put Chelsea on the ropes, dominated them, full of energy, and a lot of players were willing to score the goal to win it, but for very little margins, we were unable to do it.”

The two-week gap between games gives us a chance to regroup and reflect on the opening 11 games of the campaign, which have seen us travel to five of last season’s top seven in the Premier League table already, as well as face Liverpool at home.

Those fixtures have been played with key players missing through injury and suspension, forcing Mikel to constantly shuffle his pack. He hopes that there will be plenty of consistency in terms of fitness as well as results as we head into the winter fixtures either side of Christmas.

Analysing our start, he added: “We have to look at the positives and the things that we have to improve. Certainly, what we have to improve is the ability in the team and the condition of the players physically to perform and help the team.

“So far in eight weeks, it has been an absolute nightmare with problem after problem. That’s the only thing I’m hoping. We’re going to have to earn it and we will, and we need at least that baseline to be consistent.

“The priority is a lot of players that are not fit to be fit, a lot of players that are not playing with a lot of issues, [to get them] ready to play in full condition, and then to bring the energy we always bring.”