Mikel Arteta has tended to come out swinging after setbacks this season, but as he trudged into the press room following Arsenal's 3-0 defeat to Brighton, he appeared to have no fight left. "I hate the feeling of letting people down" the ashen-faced Spaniard exclaimed, all but conceding that the Premier League title race was over.
Arteta has become notorious for his scrappy personality on the sidelines this season, but even this touchline terrier needed some time to heal the wounds that such an uninspiring end to such an unexpected campaign had brought. He admits that there was a temptation to hide himself away from everyone in the days that followed. At this point the help of those closest to him was crucial to lifting him out of the slump.
“Sometimes you go in bed and just cover under the sheets for 12 hours and don’t speak to anybody," he said ahead of this Saturday's clash with Nottingham Forest. “Sometimes you need your wife and kids around you, your dog, and your family.
