Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has spoken in the aftermath of a late draw to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Gunners were ahead at Molineux after four minutes and doubled their lead through Piero Hincapie's first goal for the club – but conceded twice to drop two points, with the equaliser coming in the dying seconds of the match.
Now, Arsenal will sit just two points ahead of Manchester City, should the Sky Blues win their game in hand, handing momentum back to their title rivals.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta: Any criticism, any opinion, you have to take it on the chin today
On his reaction to the draw…
Well, extremely disappointed, obviously, with the result, with the way the game ended, but we have to blame ourselves. I think the performance in the second half didn't show anything close to the standards that are required, in this league to win and with the margins that, I think it should have existed today, especially in the manner that we played the first half. So, it's a moment of disappointment.
On how his players feel…
We all want to talk a lot about how we're feeling. It's not a moment to do that because anything that we do has to be always, and only with the intention to help the team. And right now, I think we have to swallow that frustration. When you are at this level and at the top, you need to take the hits because today we deserve them as well, and, and move on as quick as possible because on Sunday we have, a big game coming up.
On an inability to stay calm…
It was one after the other, to be fair, so it was a moment after another moment after another moment. So even though we scored the second goal, we never got gripped and dominance of the game. That's the reality, and that's some great obviously to Wolf, I don't want to underestimate that, but I think we played a big part in that and. And as I said, there are very basic things, very simple things that we did, really wrong, and that's why we had the feeling, obviously without really conceding much, but the moment is always the game open to anything that can happen.
On the mentality of his players…
I think any question, any criticism, any opinion, you have to take it on the chin today. I think that's it. Any hit, any bullet, take it, because we didn't perform at the level that is required. So anything that anybody says can be right because we didn't do what we had to do, and the way to do it is on that pitch on Sunday, in a great opportunity that we have.
On whether his squad is strong enough to do that…
We've always done it, but you are as strong as to show it the next time you do it, to talk and say it here, it's, it's simple, and, we have to do it on the pitch.
On the lack of belief right now…
I'm gonna be the first one to be very close to [the players] because this has nothing to do with attitude or desire, it's completely the opposite. It's part of football. What could have gone wrong today went wrong, because when you look at the way we concede the two goals as well. Without really considering any other situations is very rare, but it happened and it happened for a reason, and we need to react to that.
On the managing emotions right now…
If I ask the players what we'll have to do now, what the game requires, they know it, but we weren't able to do it throughout the game in various sequences and a lot of times as well. So, that's why we have to do better, but we didn't do it and that's the reality.
On Rob Edwards mentioning that Wolves weaponised the pressure Arsenal were under…
Well, I mean, that's an obvious thing, you know, if you are at the top and you have to win, you have to win and win and win. So that's nothing new. Everything will be like this from the first game when they play Arsenal.
On how to lift the players…
I think, we need to go through the pain and, and you need to, to go through that, looking in the mirror and, and understanding that what the game requires now and the next action is on Sunday. That's it. Anything that we say from here to there, it's fine. But we need to keep all that in our tummies to show it on Sunday. That's what we have to do.
