Soccer

Mikel Arteta rejects talk of Arsenal dark arts and insists team sheet will bear him out

Arsenal manager may start 16-year-old goalkeeper against Bolton

Mikel Arteta, who supported his defensive tactics when Arsenal were reduced to 10 men. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Wire
Mikel Arteta, who supported his defensive tactics when Arsenal were reduced to 10 men. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA Wire
David Hytner
Tue Sept 24 2024 - 16:32

Mikel Arteta has rejected the accusation from Manchester City that Arsenal employed the dark arts in Sunday’s 2-2 draw at the Eithad Stadium, saying the truth about his players’ condition would be revealed by his team sheet for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie at home to Bolton.

City were furious at how a succession of Arsenal players went to ground and called for treatment during the second half as they tried to preserve a 2-1 lead with 10 menafter the dismissal of Leandro Trossard in first-half stoppage-time.

David Raya, Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel Martinelli and Jurriën Timber were accused of deliberately breaking up the game with City players – namely John Stones, Bernardo Silva and Manuel Akanji – going on the record with strong criticism of Arsenal’s approach. Stones, who scored a last-gasp equaliser for 2-2, said Arsenal had used the dark arts for a “few years”.

Raya left the Etihad with bandages to protect a thigh problem while Calafiori, the summer signing from Bologna, had not previously started a game for Arsenal and Timber missed most of last season with an ACL rupture. Martinelli has also had his fitness issues. All four are doubts for Bolton, although it is unclear whether Arteta would have picked them in the Carabao Cup anyway.

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“I always prefer the facts to words or supposing things,” Arteta said. “Let’s see who is available tomorrow and then we can talk about dark arts or these things or if it’s a reality. Other things will be factors and that’s it. We will use the facts. What are the other factors? Well, if a player is faking something that means he will carry on and be involved in the squad and play. Unfortunately, there will be a few players not available.”

Arteta was asked whether his team had suffered any serious injuries at City. “We have to wait on one of them,” he replied.

If Raya does not play, Arteta would probably turn to his fourth-choice goalkeeper, Jack Porter, who is 16. The second-choice, Neto, is cup-tied, having played for Bournemouth in the competition earlier in the season while the third-choice, Tommy Setford, is injured.

Arteta is also without the injured Martin Ødegaard, Mikel Merino, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Kieran Tierney while Ben White is a doubt. Trossard is suspended. Arteta said Ødegaard, who has an ankle problem, would be out for “a matter of weeks ... how long exactly I cannot tell you. We might get a surprise [before the October international break] but it’s unlikely”.

The manager said Arsenal’s rearguard action in the second half against City was born of necessity and he was clearly frustrated that its excellence was largely ignored as the focus fell on the time-wasting. On the subject of alleged cheating, it has been lost on no one at Arsenal that City are defending themselves against 115 charges from the Premier League of wrongdoing. City deny them.

Erling Haaland of Manchester City speaks to Gabriel of Arsenal. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty
Erling Haaland of Manchester City speaks to Gabriel of Arsenal. Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty

Arteta said Arsenal had “learned from the past” in terms of playing City with 10 men, which they did twice in 2021-22. In the first meeting that season, they had Granit Xhaka sent off at 2-0 down after 35 minutes en route to a 5-0 defeat. In the second, they lost Gabriel Magalhães at 1-1 in the 59th minute; they would concede in stoppage time for a 2-1 reverse.

“We’d better learn ... if not I would be thick, very thick,” Arteta said. “We had to play the game that we had to play [on Sunday]. The first 10, 15 minutes ... we couldn’t with 11 v 11. Then we got much better. Then we were thrown in a very different context [after the Trossard red card] and did what every team does. All managers want a team that is happy and able to compete in any context thrown at you. This is what we want to achieve as a team.”

Arsenal’s defiance evoked memories of how José Mourinho’s Inter team got past Barcelona in the 2010 Champions League semi-final, second-leg at the Camp Nou, having been reduced to 10 men in the 28th minute. Arteta discussed how he had been influenced by Mourinho, whose Chelsea teams he encountered as a player.

“More than influence, I think you learn a lot from other top coaches and you just try to understand why they have been successful, what really touches that team that makes it really special and very consistent – especially to win at this level,” Arteta said. “At this level and with the amount of games we are playing, you might have an idea ... you think the game can go in that direction but if it goes in a different direction, do you have the ability to adapt and be happy now playing that game? Because that is the level we are in.”

Arteta has had time to reflect on Trossard’s sending-off but as he did after the game, he only hinted at his unhappiness. It was the second time this season an Arsenal player had been given a second yellow card for kicking the ball away – after Declan Rice in the 1-1 draw against Brighton.

“For passing it, you mean?” Arteta said. Had he reminded his players not to do that? “Yeah I think so,” he replied. “Don’t touch the ball ... We will play without the ball.” – Guardian