Mikel Arteta described his Arsenal team as “unacceptable” and “nowhere near” the standards of the club in the first 20 minutes of their 2-2 draw in Liverpool.
Days after he was beaten from the semi-final of the Champions League, Arsenal was 2-0 to the Premier League champions after Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz scored in the 87 seconds halfway through the first half.
The Gunners recovered through the second half of Gabriel Martinelli and Mikel Merino – the last to see a red card to create a nervous end. Arsenal could have won it through the late chance of Martin Odegaard, while Liverpool saw that a late winner of Andy Robertson led out for an error.
But asked if he was proud of the resilience of his team, Arteta seemed fed up. “No, because what we did in the first half, the first 20 minutes were not near the level,” Arteta told Sky Sports after the game.
“So to do it afterwards, it's too late. We reacted, great. But the standards within those 20 minutes were unacceptable.
“It's about action, not a response.”
When asked if the loss for Paris Saint-Germain in Europe had an impact on his team only a few days ago, Arteta Bullish remained: “Then you don't have to fight for trophies.
“Because if you fight for trophies, you could win or lose it, but then there is another [match] And another one.
“So that is the level that we have to assess. If not, you just accept things. For me, not acceptable.”
'It's not about winning – it's about the basics “
The draw means Arsenal remain 15 points behind Champions Liverpool. If the season ended tomorrow, this would be the fourth biggest margin between first and second in the Premier League history.
But Arteta said that the standards he is talking about has nothing to do with winning, it is about “doing the basics”.
“It's not about winning,” said Arteta. “Nobody can promise you win. You have six or seven teams praying to first be in the Champions League and then see if we can win silverware next season. That's it, it's not about it.
“It's about doing the basis, the simple things where you can dominate. I don't ask people to dribble past two players and put it in the top corner. Never go and do that.”
Asked if the players are responsible or whether he should blame, Arteta admitted that it was his responsibility. But he added that even with a player who was sent away, his team could compete. That is why there are no apologies to be that far behind.
“The action we had after those 20 to 25 minutes, then the second half, that's what I am [asking for]”He said.
“But me? They are it. It's not about asking. It is my responsibility if the team plays that way, it's on us or me? The 20 minutes, that's definitely on me.
“It's not about the players,” he added. “It's about us. Here, players, managers, nobody accepts those standards. They were not nearly close.
“In the second half, with all the respect, with all things: the position in which we are, 15 points behind it hurts. It has to hurt a lot.
“Regardless of all the apologies: this is the sixth time that we have played with 10 men this season, all the injuries, half of the starters who do not start, looks at what we can do when, where, there. That's it.”
Carra's reaction to angry arteta
Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher:
“He drives high standards, but what really stood out in the interview, and in the last few weeks in his press conferences is that he becomes emotional and sometimes he sounds a bit like a fan, not the manager.
“He was really strong in how many players they have sent this season. He puts his hands up and says six. I think he is convinced inside that they have been victims in some ways, with the broadcast and injuries they have had.
“I think he thinks she could have won the competition without this and that.
“The injuries affected them this season, but they also played for them [in their favour] last season. What they did in terms of competing man City in the past two seasons is fantastic, but much of them was due to having the same eight or nine players week in, week out, and he never rotated.
“I am a huge fan of Mikel Arteta. The job he did to get Arsenal from where they were here. They made the leap to compete with Man City and they followed it again last season, and they have been the team that Liverpool pushed this season.
“But this season felt like it should have been their season. There is no doubt that the pressure on Arteta will be enormous in terms of winning something and win something big.
“If they don't, the Arsenal Board will have a huge problem because they don't want to change the manager, but there will be many people who say” five or six years without trophy “and they will look at how many managers can take that next step.
“The problem with changing Mikel Arteta is that Arsenal could easily become what Chelsea is now, a team that ends in the second year in year, for a team that does not come to the Champions League. That is the big conundrum that Arsenal will have close again in 12 months but does not come close.”