Arsenal ‘lack spark’, says Mikel Arteta as EPL title bid fizzles out
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Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes looking dejected after the match.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta conceded that his side lacked the creative spark to break down Nottingham Forest after a 0-0 draw on Feb 26 dealt a fresh blow to the Gunners’ English Premier League title bid.
Arteta’s forward options have been ravaged by injury, with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz all sidelined. They also failed to score in a shock 1-0 home loss to West Ham United on Feb 22.
Second-placed Arsenal, who have played 27 matches, now trail Liverpool by 13 points. They do have a game in hand on the runaway leaders, but their hopes of a first title in 21 years are fading fast.
“We dominated the game. We tried in many different ways. We insisted but lacked that spark, that final pass to unlock a well-organised team. We have to generate more shots on target,” said Arteta.
In the absence of fit forwards, Arsenal have been reliant on defenders coming up with goals and Riccardo Calafiori nearly obliged. The Italian came closest to scoring when his first-half effort came back off the inside of the post.
Midfielder Mikel Merino deputised as a makeshift centre-forward and had the Gunners’ only effort on target with a header that Matz Sels saved early in the second half at the City Ground.
Arsenal did at least limit Forest to precious little. Striker Chris Wood had the hosts’ only chance 20 minutes from time, but he fired too close to goalkeeper David Raya.
Arteta had said on the eve of the match that he would give up in the title race “only over my dead body”.
The Spaniard again refused to concede his side’s challenge was over, but said they just had to get back to winning ways.
“It was same a week ago, two weeks ago, three months ago. The only thing we can do is win our matches and see how many points we get,” he added.
“We have dropped two points in this game and it is painful. It doesn’t feel good because we’re here to win. We showed unquestionable character in how much we wanted it and tried. We tried until the end, but weren’t able to do it.”
A point kept Forest in third place, ahead of reigning champions Manchester City, who beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on Feb 26. It was Erling Haaland’s 20th goal of this league campaign.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s men have struggled of late, winning just one of their last five league games.
But after three defeats in four, the Forest boss was happy to get back to the defensive solidity that has been the bedrock of his side’s success this season.
“After this period we had been conceding, it was important to go back to basics – solid, clean sheet,” said Nuno.
“In terms of the game, positive because it was very important to go back to the team we are that allows us to be successful.
“It was a good point that we worked very hard for but, more than anything, it is about finding ourselves, realising how we do things and I think the players did it in a very good way.” AFP, REUTERS
