Every word from Mikel’s post-Newcastle presser | Press conference | News

After seeing his side taste defeat at St James’ Park, Mikel Arteta fielded questions from journalists on Tyneside following our 1-0 loss.

He was asked about recent performances, our current position in the table, individual performances and much more.

Here is everything he had to say:

on the frustrating result:
We started the game really well. I think we were on top of it, we looked sharp, we looked alive and then in one action, direct play, second ball which they are really good at. They put the ball in behind with an unbelievable cross and finish. After that, momentum changes, the energy shifts, they know how they want to play and it’s clear and then you get two options in that kind of game.

We weren’t good enough and didn’t have enough answers to get out of that, especially creating the threat that we needed, so at the end, you are reliant on two or three big chances that we had with Mikel, two with Declan and one with Gabi. Not enough threat to change the game in any moment and win it. That’s the frustrating part, but credit to them as well for what they did.

on the feeling around league standings:
I understand that the last eight, nine, 10 games last year we didn’t talk about it, and we’re not going to talk about it now. It’s about how we react. We’re not going to find the right answers or words right now to describe, but how we feel, we certainly have to put it out on that field on Wednesday night against Inter.

on the players heading out onto the pitch early after half-time:
No, it wasn’t done on purpose. We did what we normally do and they left early, because they decided to do so.

on emotions and the pressure:
I didn’t feel that. I think I would’ve felt that at the beginning of the game and I didn’t have that feeling. What I did feel, especially when we had to come from behind, was that we lacked more purpose, more threat and more capacity to really go and hurt them. We gave the ball away, I think we gave 17/18 free-kicks away, so that stops the game constantly, so it’s not a good outcome for us.

on if the level has dropped recently:
Yes, especially with a lot of the things we’re doing with the ball consistently, but that is something that certainly we have to improve.

is Martin Odegaard:
We don’t have him. You know, we can discuss all day long that at the moment we don’t have him, we haven’t had him for the last 4-6 weeks and we don’t have him yet, but we have many other answers which have been very effective. Today, we need to look at ourselves, congratulate Newcastle and move on.

on the physicality favouring Newcastle:
It’s easier to say that than to get it done actually. We expect every opponent has their qualities and characteristics and they’re really good at what they do.

on Thomas Partey’s performance:
I’ll need to make that assessment once I have more clarity about where he struggled, but I don’t have the impression he struggled much. Every time we have that situation with Thomas playing a different position because we don’t have another right-back at the moment. We’re always going to have that debate and Thomas is fantastic.

on Isak’s impact:
They are all big and very physical, Joelinton especially he was the one he [Partey] had to deal with him, especially playing directly on his side. I love my players and I wouldn’t change them for anyone else.

on not taking the chances created:
Obviously when you create three big chances in the game you’re hoping to score a goal because this is the fine margins we’re always discussing, but I think the team should have generated more and that’s my responsibility.