Arsenal squandered another chance to close the gap on league leaders Liverpool as Everton hung on for a 0-0 draw at the Emirates.
Despite dominating possession from start to finish, Arsenal delivered an insipid attacking display, rarely troubling Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Captain Martin Odegaard was among those off the pace, prompting Mikel Arteta to make several second-half changes that refreshed tired legs but failed to add cutting edge in the final third.
After dropping points against Fulham last weekend, the result raises serious questions about Arsenal’s title credentials – understandably a concern for Arteta.
“It’s very disappointing not to win the game, obviously,” he told BBC Sport.
“You don’t concede any shots on target, off target, you dominate the direct play, you dominate the second [ball], they don’t run at all, you don’t concede any set pieces, you do the process with the ball really good, you arrive there [the box], you have chances…it’s about scoring goals, we lacked that today.”
Clearly, the fact he’s created a team who are very good in many aspects of the game but lack a killer instinct is hugely frustrating for the manager.
“We opened them up, we had chances, at the end, you have to put them away.
“We had to run back, we’re one of the best in the world, we had to dominate direct play, the same. The next phase, the same. High press, we regained every ball, but we have to be the best in the last 25 metres when we have those situations to put them in again.
“Against a block like this, it’s not like you’re going to generate 20 open chances, that’s the disappointment. For the rest, I cannot ask much more from the team.
He added: “Everton, at the end, they got a point. We didn’t score so they are happy, without any shots, they have to be happy about the result.”