Arsenal let a seemingly certain victory slip away against bottom-placed Wolverhampton, with Mikel Arteta harshly criticizing his team's performance in the second half and stating that the outcome was "deserved." The Gunners appeared to be on track for a comfortable win at Molineux but squandered a two-goal lead. At the end of the match, Mikel Arteta did not hide his frustration. "It's very hard to accept. In the second half, we didn't play the way we should have and that is necessary to win a Premier League game. It's better not to judge in the heat of the moment; we are all too emotional. We have to accept the blow because we deserved it," he said. The Spanish coach emphasized the need to improve the basic aspects of the game. "It's very easy, with emotion, to say things that can harm the team. Everyone wants to give their best. We have to go through tough periods. Today, in the last minute, we paid the price. We need to do the basics much better than we did," he added. When asked about the team's recent tendency to let leads slip, Arteta was direct: "It depends. Against Leeds, it didn't happen. Today, we have to accept it. We need to be self-critical because it wasn't good enough. In the Premier League, the reality is that we haven't been consistent in recent months. We have to rise up. When going through a tough time, we need to show how much we want this and how good we are," he asserted. Arsenal's next challenge is the North London derby away against Tottenham. Their lead at the top could be reduced to just two points if Manchester City wins their match against Newcastle, leaving the team in a very vulnerable position, despite still being at the top.
Arsenal Mikel Arteta remains central to this story.
Arsenal Mikel Arteta remains central to this story.
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