Mikel Arteta praised his Arsenal side as unbelievable despite their frustration at being held to a 0-0 draw against Everton at the Emirates on Saturday.
The Gunners dominated the match with 76% possession and 13 shots but failed to break through a resolute Everton defence. Sean Dyche’s side, who managed only two shots all game, successfully ground out a point to frustrate the Premier League’s second-placed team.
“We’re very disappointed not to win the game because if there was a team obviously that deserved to win it that was Arsenal,” Arteta said post-match. “We did everything that was necessary overall apart from the fact that we didn’t score a goal. We conceded absolutely nothing, dominated all the direct play, didn’t allow them to run and conceded no set pieces.
Despite their control, Arsenal couldn’t capitalise on key moments, with Arteta calling for more composure and quality in critical attacking situations. However, he was quick to highlight the team’s overall performance: “Tracking back? Unbelievable. Putting in the high press? Unbelievable. Dominating a lot of things? Unbelievable, but the disappointing thing is that you want to come away winning after what you’ve done on the pitch.”
The stalemate leaves Arsenal six points behind league leaders Liverpool, who were also held to a draw, sharing the spoils in a 2-2 thriller against Fulham. The Gunners are now one point behind Chelsea, who face Brentford on Sunday, having played an extra game.
Arteta’s side remains firmly in contention but will need sharper finishing as they aim to close the gap on Liverpool in the coming weeks.
