Mikel Arteta reflected on the emotional state of his players after their recent run of form.
**Arsenal**earned a 3-2 triumph over Kairat Almaty to hold onto a 100% winning record in the Champions League. However, their lead at the top of the Premier League went down to four points after they suffered a 3-2 loss to **Man United**last weekend that followed 0-0 draws with Nottingham Forest and Liverpool. Pressure has piled on the group, but the manager maintained his belief.
“It’s just understanding where you are. When you lose a game, you have a lot of feelings because especially the group of players are so competitive and they seek for excellence and when you don’t reach it, you ask yourself questions and we did that.
“But I think my role is to bring optimism and reality of where we are. Our club has a long, long history and to find a moment when in February, we’re in the position that we are is very difficult to find. We are doing so many things so well and let’s focus mainly on that.
“For sure we want to improve, we want to be better in every area, but with that sense of self-confidence and conviction that we are on the right path.
“I know how much they wanted the amount of games and the amount that we put on those players every day, and those moments. They need to understand and feel that we are right behind them, that I’m mainly responsible for that, and that they keep playing with that freedom, with that enjoyment as I discussed the other day.
“[We must] make sure that that journey is beautiful because what is ahead is great. Everybody has to be part of that, but in good sense and with good humour, good optimism and looking forward to it.”