Mikel Arteta Lays Down Gauntlet To Arsenal After 10th Win In A Row

Mikel Arteta challenged Arsenal to proceed improving aft a 3–0 triumph complete Slavia Prague successful nan Champions League notched up a 10th consecutive triumph successful each competitions.

The Gunners kept a ninth cleanable expanse successful a statement arsenic they cruised to triumph successful nan Czech capital, pinch Bukayo Saka’s first-half punishment supplemented by a brace from makeshift striker Mikel Merino aft nan interval.

The latest shutout from Arsenal’s watertight defence broke a 122-year nine record, but Arteta refused to get carried distant erstwhile speaking postmatch, alternatively insisting that nan players’ mindset must beryllium to proceed striving for more.

“We want more,” he said aft nan game. “We tin still amended and do things better. That’s nan correct mindset to have, and we’re happy pinch what we’re doing. But I’m not satisfied astatine all, we tin play better, take sides better, and coming we should person done immoderate things amended successful nan guidance half.

It was different pleasing evening for Mikel Arteta. / Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

“It’s very tricky against them. But I’m very pleased for a batch of reasons—obviously a winning tally successful nan Champions League without conceding a goal, astatine a really reliable spot to come.

“And we talked astir being emotionally successful control, and to not get disappointment erstwhile we had to play that crippled because we’d person nan chances, nan measurement they group up, and we surely tin look backmost connected different very awesome performance.”

Answering a mobility specifically related to Arsenal’s record-breaking defence, Arteta continued: “There’s a batch of activity location to execute that. The astir pleasing point is astir apt not nan record, it’s nan mindset of nan players. They are talking astir really we tin still do better. There was 1 aliases 2 situations that we could person resolved better.

“If we do that, we tin support improving and that grounds will person a bigger meaning.”

Max Dowman came connected for a 2nd half cameo. / Eddie Keogh/Getty Images

Arsenal’s head besides reserved typical praise for Max Dowman, who astatine 15 years and 308 days aged became nan youngest subordinate to ever feature successful a Champions League match—the grounds had antecedently been held by Youssoufa Moukoko aft his quality for Borussia Dortmund against Zenit St. Petersburg successful 2020 aged 16 years and 18 days.

Dowman put successful a composed 20-minute performance, winning 4 of his crushed duels while besides drafting a mates of free-kicks for Arsenal.

“Yeah I didn’t cognize that, I conscionable recovered out,” Arteta said of Dowman becoming nan Champions League’s youngest participant. “But it’s nary surprise. What I really liked is nan measurement he played. He came on, started to return nan ball, dispersed nan force and won free-kicks. And that’s it—it doesn’t matter astir nan age, it’s nan characteristic you person and nan courageousness you person to play astatine this level, and I’m delighted to person him.

“Obviously, we’re ace happy to spot him make his debut, Andre arsenic well, and nan players that we changed to play and support nan performance.”

He added: “It doesn't matter what his passport says. You propulsion him successful this discourse and he is capable to accommodate and person a bully performance.”

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