Mikel Arteta shares what Arsenal players were saying about the fans after Chelsea loss

Add as preferred source on Google

Mikel Arteta has suggested that the Arsenal players were claiming that the fans inside the Emirates on Sunday were really good with them despite their loss to Chelsea – in comments reported by Football London.

The Gunners suffered another defeat at the start of the new campaign. Goals from Romelu Lukaku and Reece James in the first-half settled the game for the visitors.

The pressure is certainly building on Arteta. He was coming in for a lot of criticism after an incredibly disappointing season last time out.

And defeats against Brentford and now Chelsea have done his cause no favours. Certainly, some could not help but voice their displeasure during Sunday’s game.

However, the atmosphere inside the ground never turned toxic by any means. And Arteta has suggested that the players felt that the fans were more than fair in their reaction.

“They really tried to push the team. When you’re 2-0 down at half time no one is going to be happy. We would be fooling ourselves with a club with this history that anybody is going to be happy at half time with that,” he said, as reported by Football London.

“But in the second half you saw a different reaction. Every time the team was giving them something they were reacting positively towards them. The players were saying that they believe they were really good with them. At the end they have to show their frustration.”

Return of Arsenal fans leaves Arteta with nowhere to hide

Arsenal supporters obviously want Arteta to be a success. It looked to be an exciting gamble when the club decided to appoint him.

However, it has not gone to plan so far. Some may even feel that he is fortunate to still be in place at the Emirates.

The return of supporters could be a huge moment for Arteta. He will be hoping that it inspires a turning point in his tenure.

But of course, there is nowhere for him to now hide. The fans will make it abundantly clear how they feel about the direction the club is going in.

And it will be even tougher for Arteta to justify what is happening if some of the results of last season find themselves being repeated.