Arsenal were denied an eleventh consecutive victory away to Sunderland in the Premier League after a late Brian Brobbey goal
Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta saw his Arsenal side drop points at Sunderland(Image: (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images))
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Mikel Arteta has admitted Arsenal's defensive performance against Sunderland was not up to his club's standards. For the first time all season, the Gunners conceded twice as Brian Brobbey scored a last-gasp equaliser after Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard goals turned the game on its head following Dan Ballard's opener.
The latter's fierce strike from close-range was the first goal Arsenal have conceded in 11 games, but the response was strong with both Saka and Trossard taking advantage of poor decisions to score. However, Arsenal very uncharacteristically failed to see out the game.
Another long ball into the box was not dealt with as Ballard got first contact which allowed Brobbey to flick home a stoppage time leveller. Arteta's post-match press conference was dominated by the failure to keep a clean sheet with the Gunners boss focussing on the manner in which his side conceded.
"Obviously, the last feeling is disappointment and frustration because we wanted the three points," he said when giving a verdict on the stalemate. "We have to navigate through a really tough game. We knew that, it was very disruptive. We have to deal with situations, obviously, that are difficult to deal with.
"They do it really well and we conceded a goal that is not in our standards. But after that, I think the team reacted really well, showed a lot of personality and courage. They scored the first goal, they scored the second goal and we totally dominated the game.
"You have to rely on defending the box when they start to commit six or seven players there. It can be from a direct play, it can be from a throw-in, it can be from any situation. We can defend the action better, and today we haven't done it; we conceded the goal.
"And in the last minutes we have another massive chance with Ricky and Mikel to win, which I think we deserve to do. But it didn't happen, but I think it shows what we've done in the last ten games. Winning them in the manner that we've done it, with clean sheets, missing seven players in the front line. So it shows you how difficult it is."
Arteta did also praised Sunderland for how they were able to get back into the game with that the first time Arsenal have dropped points from a winning position since April.
Asked specifically about his emotions when Brobbey scored, he said: "Again, unsatisfied because I want to win. And the game was almost there, but you know this is the Premier League and the manner that they play, they're going to hang in there when it's just one goal difference there.
"I'm upset and frustrated because it's an action that we can defend better, but as well you have to give credit to the opposition to do what they've done, to head the ball the way they've done it, and then they strike it to do that action and to put the ball in the net and sometimes you have to do that and recognise that as well."
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