Mikel Arteta reveals the decision he made this season he wishes he could change
Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal side have a mountain to climb if they are to reach the Champions League final (Picture: Getty) Mikel Arteta admits he wishes he could turn back time and correct the mistake he believes derailed Arsenal’s season. The Gunners enter the last chance saloon this evening, knowing only a win will do if they are to progress to the Champions League final and cause a major upset against Paris Saint-Germain. If, as expected, they fall short against Luis Enrique’s emerging side, Arsenal will again end the season trophyless, struggling to avoid the tag of ‘nearly men’. Despite struggling with an injury crisis that had accounted for Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, at the turn of the year Arsenal were still in contention to win four trophies. A place in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup had already been secured, progress to the knockout stages of Europe’s elite club competition was virtually assured and confidence that Premier League leaders Liverpool could be hauled in was still high. Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. Mikel Arteta reveals his biggest mistake Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus was forced off through injury against Manchester United (Picture: Getty) Having been drawn at home to struggling Manchester United in the third round of the FA Cup, meanwhile, there were few who were predicting an early exit for Arsenal, but Arteta’s men were again, largely speaking, the architects of their own downfall as they crashed out on penalties. The Spaniard, in conversation with the Men In Blazers podcast, confessed he was partly responsible for that defeat and wished he would’ve had the foresight to have substituted a struggling Gabriel Jesus before he sustained a season-ending injury. Having been in the midst of a purple patch – the Brazil international had scored six goals in as many games following a lengthy drought – Jesus was cut down in his prime, sustaining a serious knee injury that required surgery. Moments before he went down in agony, the former Manchester City star appeared to be in a measure of discomfort but with the game approaching half-time Arteta decided to stick, rather than twist, and made a decision that had serious negative ramifications. The injury that changes Arsenal’s season Jesus was replaced by Sterling towards the end of the first half (Picture: Getty) Asked if there was a mistake he wished he could correct, he said: ‘Possibly yes. It’s very difficult to understand that, but if I could pause the game and say ‘Gabriel Jesus, we brought you back to life, you are doing incredibly well, you’re now going to get injured’, I would say ‘stop, we are going to swap him, bring another player in and continue to play the game’. ‘Unfortunately we cannot do this. It is not like VAR where we can overturn the decisions like this. The decision is made there is no way back.’ The loss of Jesus was compounded by the loss of Kai Havertz who tore his hamstring during the club’s warm weather training camp in Dubai less than a fortnight later. Arsenal resisted the temptation to sign a striker in what remained of the January transfer window and have soldiered on, relying on makeshift options to cover for their lack of a rescognised centre forward. Arsenal are in Paris to create history Mikel Arteta will be hoping to mastermind a miracle at the Parc des Princes (Picture: Getty) Despite their backs being firmly against a wall, Arteta is adamant his team, who will welcome back Thomas Partey from his European suspension, maintain the belief and ability required to prolong their hopes of silverware beyond this evening. ‘We are here to make history, and we have a big opportunity,’ he said. We bring a result that gives us so much clarity about what we have to do. ‘One win away from being in the final. We cannot ask for anything else. Let’s not do the talking [now], let’s do it tomorrow on that pitch at 9pm when the game starts. Show our best, best, best, best version and win the game.’
Mikel Arteta admits he wishes he could turn back time and correct the mistake he believes derailed Arsenal’s season.
The Gunners enter the last chance saloon this evening, knowing only a win will do if they are to progress to the Champions League final and cause a major upset against Paris Saint-Germain.
If, as expected, they fall short against Luis Enrique’s emerging side, Arsenal will again end the season trophyless, struggling to avoid the tag of ‘nearly men’.
Despite struggling with an injury crisis that had accounted for Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, at the turn of the year Arsenal were still in contention to win four trophies.
A place in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup had already been secured, progress to the knockout stages of Europe’s elite club competition was virtually assured and confidence that Premier League leaders Liverpool could be hauled in was still high.
Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday
Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we’ll send you so we can get football news tailored to you.
Mikel Arteta reveals his biggest mistake
Having been drawn at home to struggling Manchester United in the third round of the FA Cup, meanwhile, there were few who were predicting an early exit for Arsenal, but Arteta’s men were again, largely speaking, the architects of their own downfall as they crashed out on penalties.
The Spaniard, in conversation with the Men In Blazers podcast, confessed he was partly responsible for that defeat and wished he would’ve had the foresight to have substituted a struggling Gabriel Jesus before he sustained a season-ending injury.
Having been in the midst of a purple patch – the Brazil international had scored six goals in as many games following a lengthy drought – Jesus was cut down in his prime, sustaining a serious knee injury that required surgery.
Moments before he went down in agony, the former Manchester City star appeared to be in a measure of discomfort but with the game approaching half-time Arteta decided to stick, rather than twist, and made a decision that had serious negative ramifications.
The injury that changes Arsenal’s season
Asked if there was a mistake he wished he could correct, he said: ‘Possibly yes. It’s very difficult to understand that, but if I could pause the game and say ‘Gabriel Jesus, we brought you back to life, you are doing incredibly well, you’re now going to get injured’, I would say ‘stop, we are going to swap him, bring another player in and continue to play the game’.
‘Unfortunately we cannot do this. It is not like VAR where we can overturn the decisions like this. The decision is made there is no way back.’
The loss of Jesus was compounded by the loss of Kai Havertz who tore his hamstring during the club’s warm weather training camp in Dubai less than a fortnight later.
Arsenal resisted the temptation to sign a striker in what remained of the January transfer window and have soldiered on, relying on makeshift options to cover for their lack of a rescognised centre forward.
Arsenal are in Paris to create history
Despite their backs being firmly against a wall, Arteta is adamant his team, who will welcome back Thomas Partey from his European suspension, maintain the belief and ability required to prolong their hopes of silverware beyond this evening.
‘We are here to make history, and we have a big opportunity,’ he said. We bring a result that gives us so much clarity about what we have to do.
‘One win away from being in the final. We cannot ask for anything else. Let’s not do the talking [now], let’s do it tomorrow on that pitch at 9pm when the game starts. Show our best, best, best, best version and win the game.’
