Arsenal look to win in any context, says Mikel Arteta
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Arsenal's Kai Havertz (right) has yet to score or assist in nine matches for his new club this season.
PHOTO: AFP
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LONDON – Arsenal have made an unbeaten start to the season in all competitions, a mentality which manager Mikel Arteta wants to see his side continue to have whatever problems they might face.
The Gunners are four points behind English Premier League leaders Manchester City (18), but they have four wins and two draws, along with victories in the Champions League, League Cup, and a Community Shield triumph.
“We have to continue to do that, and that’s the mindset that we want in every single game, win in any context, and we had very different contexts throughout this season already,” Arteta said on Friday, ahead of his side’s Premier League clash at Bournemouth on Saturday.
“That’s going to keep changing, and as you can see now with the amount of situations we have in the team, with uncertainty of players (due to injuries), it’s going to be even more.
“Playing every three days, having to win, having to compete in three different competitions in seven days, that’s the challenge, and we are up for it.”
Arsenal head into Saturday’s match on the back of a 1-0 League Cup third-round win at Brentford in midweek, the third time they have kept a clean sheet in as many away games this season.
They have also shut out Crystal Palace and Everton at hostile grounds in the Premier League – both 1-0 wins as well.
That bodes well for the game at the Vitality Stadium, but the Gunners are still vulnerable to defensive errors, as they showed during last week’s north London derby, where they went ahead twice but drew 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur.
At the other end of the pitch, they have scored just 11 goals in six games, the joint-worst among the top eight teams, alongside West Ham United.
Kai Havertz, a summer signing from Chelsea, has yet to score or assist in nine matches in all competitions but Arteta has backed the German midfielder.
“(We are) trying to help him as much as possible. He needs to keep improving. If he doesn’t perform, it’s up to us (to help). (We will) try to give him as much support and confidence as we can,” he said.
Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are the latest injury absentees, while Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey are all out.
Bournemouth, meanwhile, have yet to win a single league game and are hovering above the relegation zone in 17th.
The Cherries’ winless run in the league currently stands at 10 games, since they beat Leeds United in April.
Manager Andoni Iraola will miss the services of striker Dominic Solanke after admitting that it will be “tough” for his top scorer to be fit in time for the clash. The Englishman has four goals in eight matches this season. REUTERS
