2-4

“Very disappointed, very frustrated and embarrassing as well to lose 2-4 at home with our supporters. Our performance was, collectively or overall, poor. To concede eight goals in two matches at home is not normal. The performance can’t continue like that, away and at home.

“Today, we started winning 1-0 and we were winning 2-1 and, with this advantage with this result, we didn’t keep going in our game plan to try to control the game with ball possession, with good positioning… trying to attack not only in transition but we were losing the ball and giving them chances and they’re taking their moments. They have very good players and have good build-up on the pitch and they were getting our balls easy. They are taking courage.

“At the end, it was 2-2, in my mind I have now about the match… We were with ball possession, minute 92, we didn’t keep ball possession, taking passes between us and trying to attack better. We did one long ball, easy, gave them the ball and they’d attack progressively in the build up and they created. Then they scored the third goal and that’s the example, for 90 minutes, for me. It’s an example of not the way I want to create and build here.

“We were doing and trying to create this style. The last match against Leicester, we lost the ball easily and made bad decisions. But that is the way, making good decisions at each moment. Today, for example, we didn’t lose one ball in the build-up. We didn’t but we were doing long balls more times and gave them more balls than we have to keep.

“We have to be consistent in our mind, controlling our emotions and, of course, controlling our game plan and to be prepared.

“Talking about emotions, and bad luck by the way because you deserved more than you got.

“Coutinho’s goal was good. It was perfect how we progressed with passes and how we attacked with this moment but we didn’t do it a lot of times like I want to do.

“Of course, Arsenal is a very good team. They have very good players and are fighting to achieve the title in the Premier League. They were very focused.

“We were focused as well about trying to win the match but we didn’t do it the right way. Not in the style or the idea in how we’re speaking or working. Why? Maybe it’s because we were winning 1-0 and we are not taking risks. But football is to play. If a player is in front of you, you have to win it. To have to beat him and have to play with combinations with your players. You have to play and do things and be protagonists. We are not doing it.

“For example, in the second half, we wasted more time than I wanted. We wasted time. For me, we have to play and we will progress trying to impose playing and being responsible and being protagonists on the pitch.

“I am frustrated. And with myself because they are not doing the game plan I have in my mind and are doing with them on the training ground. They are working, being confident in the training ground but, here, doing the opposite in the 90 minutes. This is the moment to do it. When they are not doing it, I am frustrated and really disappointed. I can be angry as well, with them, because it’s embarrassing for me to lose 2-4 at home two times. It’s embarrassing. It’s not normal and I don’t like it. It’s not the way.

“We have to play a match and, here, the Premier League is the best and most difficult league in the world. We have to be protagonists and play with personality in our style. We have to play with ball possession. We are not doing it and we are doing more long balls. Because when Arsenal had ball possession, they were progressing with passes and pushing us to defend low and I don’t want to defend low for a long time. That is the work, when I analysed the team before I arrived here, and when I was working with them, it’s something I’m trying to change.
I know we will need time and confidence. We have been taking confidence but losing the game. We are going bad in some circumstances in our work and it’s not something I want.

“Each match is different and it depends. Man City and Arsenal, the last two matches, are difficult matches. They demand us a lot, more defensively. In our moment, overall, we can play better today. I can demand them to play better and demand to myself to push them to do more.

“When we are repeating in different ways, like Leicester because we didn’t compete well against Leicester. Today we didn’t compete as well. We have to compete. We have to be consistent in the idea we want to win.

“Mentality is everything. Everything. You have to break lines, go ahead and to break lines… working to do more difficult things.

Yes, individually. He scored today, Watkins. Philippe scored as well but there’s not a lot of positive things today.

“We are training to do our game plan but then, on the pitch, we are not doing it.

“It’s run, run, run, no… That’s not the idea. I want to build a style.

“At the end, it was 2-2, in my mind I knew about the match… We were with ball possession, minute 92, we didn’t keep ball possession, taking passes between us and trying to attack better. We did one long ball, easy, gave them the ball and they’d attack progressively in the build up and they created. Then they scored the third goal and that’s the example, for 90 minutes, for me. It’s an example of not the way I want to create and build here.

“We have to play with ball possession. We are not doing it and we are doing more long balls because, when Arsenal had ball possession, they were progressing with passes and pushing us to defend low and I don’t want to defend low for a long time. That is the work, when I analysed the team before I arrived here, and when I was working with them, it’s something I’m trying to change.”

Unai Emery.


“He [Emiliano Martínez] decided and, sometimes, it’s good for a player to decide on the pitch himself. They are the protagonists but I don’t like it! I told him at the end of the match.

“Because, statistically and usually, you can go 100 times to score one goal in the end minute and the last minute of the match and, in the history, you score one, two or maybe three times. Goals in the transition there are more. Goals scoring against you, there are more.

“OK if we’re losing 2-0 but, 2-4, it’s worse. It’s very important and I told them and I’m going to tell him as well in the next few days.

“We have to be consistent in our mind, controlling our emotion and, of course, controlling of our game plan and to be prepared.

“Today, I am very, very disappointed. I am embarrassed about the last goal. I have never told my keeper to go forward. It’s not the spirit.

“We have to keep our mind clear and be smart. No, no, not like that [he didn’t ask me if he could go forward]. I have never told my keeper to do it. Today he decided it was his decision. I didn’t tell him. He knows now [not to do it].”

Unai Emery.


“At 2-2 with four or five minutes to go, we should see the game out and draw at the end of the day,

“I don’t think they can score two goals.

“Obviously Jorginho’s goal was lucky but they had a lot of the ball in the second half and kept putting pressure on us. It’s disappointing at the end of the day.

“We’ve shown that we play some good football at times. Maybe not today actually, we didn’t play great.

“There have been times we have played some really good football and been patient on the ball. Whatever team you’re up against you need to stick to the game plan and that’s what the boss has tried to implement. We can do it, it’s just turning the losses into draws and then winning games.

“I feel good. Going into each game I feel confident and feel like I’m going to score goals now going into each game which is a nice feeling for a striker.

“Any team I come up against I feel like I’m going to have the beating of the centre halves as long as my team-mates play me the ball. I feel good at the moment but it’s a shame we’re not winning to top that off.”

Ollie Watkins.