Arteta has made his decision after Arsenal's heavy defeat to Brighton.
Mikel Arteta, manager of the "Gunners" Arsenal, accepted that his team deserved to lose 0-3 away to Brighton in the English Premier League last night, as the opponents clearly played better. However, he believes the team will return to winning ways in the next match.
Arteta said, "It's very disappointing, but first of all, I think we must congratulate Brighton on their victory. I believe they deserved to win and were the better team. From our perspective, there are basic football fundamentals, especially in the Premier League, that we failed at—winning the first duels, second balls, which dictate the flow of the game, particularly their direct style of play, which was difficult for us."
"We did not respect any playing principles to escape from those one-on-one situations, which forced us to defend. Therefore, it was very hard to control the game. In the moments when we did control the game, we attacked them, but we did not finish well enough to compensate for our mistakes. Overall, they deserved to win, and this is a big lesson for us."
Regarding the difficulty of Premier League games, he added, "I think we knew how tough this game would be. If you cannot finish your chances early, it becomes very hard to control and win the match. Credit to them for beating us and showing strength over us. At this level, understanding this is crucial above all else."
On why their performance differed from previous games, Arteta explained, "First, Brighton played very well. They were sharper and had better timing. Many 50/50 balls changed possession and mostly went their way. They did not give us space. That is a lesson we must learn. It does not diminish what this team and the players have done over the past six to seven weeks since returning from the World Cup. With 18 players back, our competition and number of wins have been remarkable. But this game is an important lesson about what is necessary to win at this level."
"We know what it takes to win every match. We know how to beat Leeds when we return. That is not surprising, but it does not lessen the disappointment and feelings we have right now."