According to manager Mikel Arteta, Arsenal lacked “purpose and quality in the final third” in their 1-0 loss to Everton.
Arteta’s side were beaten for just the second time in 20 league games this season as James Tarkowski headed Everton’s winner in the 60th minute. Their only other league defeat came at Manchester United in September.
The Gunners struggled to create chances and failed to deal with Dwight McNeil’s corner delivery, allowing James Tarkowski to head in a second-half winner, with Sean Dyche marking his first game in charge at Goodison park with a much-needed victory.
“We had loads of the ball but we lacked that purpose and quality in the final third, we generated many chances,” said Arteta.
“But then we conceded and they slowed the game down and we struggled.”
“They do this to every team, that is their strength with the height, the physicality is their strength. If you want to control the game against them you have to control this. We did not do that today.”
“We needed more composure and to control emotionally the game better. We gave away so many unnecessary free-kicks and that’s what they want.”
“Today I love them much better than the week before or a month ago. It is easy to be next to someone when they are winning well. I am still so proud of all of these players, they deserve it.”
“This is not going to be a rose pathway. This is going to be tricky and we will have to dig in and play much better than we did today,” Arteta said to BT Sport..
Arsenal still lead second-placed Manchester City by five points, after the champions once again fell to the hands of fellow North London club, Tottenham on Sunday, thanks to a 15th-minute goal by Harry Kane.
