Mikel Arteta urges his players to show resilience and consistency after Arsenal blew a twoโgoal lead to draw 2โ2 with Wolves in the Premier League.
Arsenalโs Premier League title bid suffered a setback after the Gunners allowed Wolves to fight back for a 2โ2 draw at Molineux on Wednesday.
Mikel Arteta admitted his team did not perform at the required level, especially after holding a twoโgoal advantage. He told reporters that Arsenal must โstand upโ and show character following the disappointing result.
The Gunners twice scored early through Bukayo Saka and PieroโฏHincapiรฉ. They looked set to extend their lead at the top of the table. But late goals from Hugo Bueno and 19โyearโold debutant TomโฏEdozie forced a draw for Wolves deep into stoppage time.
After the match, Arteta said Arsenalโs secondโhalf performance fell below expectations. He urged his squad to be selfโcritical and resilient.
โIt was very tough to accept,โ he said, adding the team had to face reality about its inconsistency. He stressed that the players must show how much they want success when they hit a moment of difficulty.
Arteta emphasised that emotion can harm performance and that basics like control and dominance must improve. He said players needed to learn from the setback without damaging team morale.
Arsenal led for much of the game but struggled after halftime. Wolves, bottom of the table, showed fight and took advantage of Arsenalโs poor control.
Wolvesโ equaliser came late, and the draw means Arsenal have dropped crucial points in their title bid. Manchester City, second in the league, now sits closer behind with a game in hand.
The result follows another disappointing away draw, after Arsenal were held 1โ1 by Brentford last week. This recent inconsistency has raised questions about the Gunnersโ ability to maintain their lead at the top.
Bukayo Saka, who opened the scoring, expressed disappointment in the teamโs overall performance. He said the locker room felt flat after the draw, especially given how the Gunners dominated early.
Saka also noted that Arsenal must focus on basics and regain their rhythm to build momentum again. He stressed that the team has quality but must fix its defensive lapses and inconsistency.
The dropped points have increased pressure ahead of a crucial north London derby at Tottenham this Sunday. Arsenal will look to respond quickly to halt the momentum shift and reassure fans of their title credentials.
Arteta called the derby a โperfect gameโ for his side to show resilience and character. He urged players to let their response on the pitch answer critics rather than words off it.
