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Mikel Arteta criticised the demanding schedule after Arsenal played Nottingham Forest on Sunday, faced Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday and returned to Premier League action against Everton on Saturday.
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The Gunners made five changes to their starting line-up following the Bayern Munich draw, with Ben White, Mikel Merino, Viktor Gyokeres, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Eberechi Eze handed starting roles in the 2-0 victory.
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The Spanish manager expressed his delight after Arsenal scored their first set-piece goal in the Premier League this season, welcoming the return of one of the team’s most effective attacking weapons from last season.
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The Arsenal boss received his second Premier League yellow card of the season for straying outside the technical area, leaving him one booking away from an automatic one-match touchline ban, while also praising Ezri Konsa for his impressive performances and growing partnership with Gabriel.
October 25, (THEWILL) – Arsenal coach, Mikel Arteta, has questioned the club’s fixture schedule following the 2-0 win over Everton at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The Spanish coach made five changes to the side that drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday to manage the workload.
The likes of Ben White, Mikel Merino, Viktor Gyokeres, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Eberechi Eze were handed a starting shirt.
Arsenl had travelled to Nottingham Forest last Sunday and drew 2-2 with Bayern Munich on Wednesday night before the 3pm kick-off.
Arteta was delighted with the team’s performance, but questioned the tight schedule.
He said: “Yes we’re very happy with the victory, with the performance and with the week, because we were given a terrible schedule.
“Sunday afternoon, then Wednesday night in Munich, coming here really late on Thursday and having to play again in the Premier League against a really tough opponent on Saturday at 3pm. We have overcome every hurdle, on top of some injuries, and I love the mentality of the team and the quality that we’ve shown today.”
The Gunners scored their first set-piece goal in the Premier League this season, Arteta was happy for the team to get going with what was their most potent weapons last season.
He added: “Yes, I hope now people are enjoying it, because they’ve been saying that we don’t score from a set play! So we did. I’m really happy for the team to find different ways to unlock the position and create problems.”
Arteta was booked for straying outside the technical area.
It was Arteta’s second yellow card of the Premier League season after he was booked against Sunderland, leaving him one caution away from an automatic one-match touchline ban.
The Spanish manager said other top-flight managers have repeatedly breached the rules without being punished.
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Arteta said: “I do have to be careful, yeah. I’m going to put sensors there.
“There are other managers (doing it), there are managers that have the record in the league: 36 times in 10 minutes they leave the touchline, no yellows.
“So I am clipping all of that so I have a massive storage of images, so if somebody comes to me (I can say) I’m not in the record yet, somebody else has the record.”
Arteta also showered praises on new signing Ezri Konsa following another impressive performance against Everton.
He concluded: “Unbelievable. He’s come to a huge club like Arsenal with no pre-season when (William) Saliba is here, with other players that are already here.
“And to position yourself in that manner, with that naturality and performing at the level that he’s doing and building already a chemistry and a balance with Gabi that seems so solid, it’s very, very difficult to do and we are really lucky to have him.”
Arsenal will be back in action against Fleetwood Town in the League Cup fourth-round on Tuesday.
