Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta has stated that his side must defend better as a team if they are to challenge for honours this season.
The Gunners were beaten 2-1 by London rivals Chelsea on Saturday at the Emirates Stadium, and the Spaniard feels his men could deal with set pieces better.
“We have conceded three goals from three set-pieces in the last two games that cost us points and it is not got enough,” The Daily Mail quote Arteta as saying.
“I don’t think it is something to do with the defence, it is to do with an individual set-up in the game, which is a free-kick or a corner or whatever, and we haven’t defended the ball well enough and we conceded three goals in those two games.
“You cannot blame one player, you have to clear the lines so quickly and you cannot allow runners like that in the box, and it was the same sort of ball for both goals.
“It hurts when you lose points at home against teams like that and you feel you haven’t deserved to lose.
“It is frustrating, but I think it was our own fault because we didn’t defend those set-pieces.
“We have played some of the best teams in the league and we haven’t been battered at all. In fact it has been the opposite, we have been better than them through the 90 minutes. I think that is a very positive thing.
“We will bounce back on Wednesday in the Champions League against Olympiakos,” he concluded.
By Gareth McKnight
