In the 16th round of the English Premier League, Arsenal and Everton played to a 0-0 draw. After the match, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was in low spirits and openly expressed his frustration over the result in the press conference. He pointed out that although Arsenal showed overwhelming superiority in the match, firmly controlling the rhythm of the game and exerting pressure on the opponent's run, they failed to convert into goals in the key shooting distance and missed the opportunity to turn the advantage into a victory.
Regarding the incident in which Thomas (Partey) fell to the ground in the penalty area, Arteta said that he was unable to witness the entire situation and therefore could not comment on it. Nonetheless, he praised the team's defensive performance, which included aggressive chasing, tight blocking of opponents' shots, and great saves by goalkeeper Pickford. He believes that the team did a great job defensively, giving the opponents almost no chance to take advantage of the situation, but the performance in the attacking end was not up to expectations.
Talking about the substitution strategy, Arteta revealed that Declan (Rice) was replaced due to ill health, while Martin's (Ödgö) departure was a tactical adjustment aimed at changing the tempo of the game. He understood the fans' surprise at the substitution of Ödgö, but emphasized that it was for the long-term benefit of the team.
Looking ahead, Arteta said that the team will continue to work on improving their goal-scoring efficiency and is confident that they will be able to capitalize on their chances to win in the coming matches. He also recognized the potential of young player Lewis Skelly and plans to give him more opportunities to showcase his talents.
