Mikel Arteta was left to watch on frustrated as Arsenal were held to a 0-0 draw by Burnley at the Emirates on Sunday – a result that also saw the end of a 13-year-old run. Arteta’s post-match press conference reflected a frustration with his attacking unit, bemoaning a lack of “spark” needed to win a game like this.
Mikel Arteta said: “The way we started the game, it was slow and we didn’t play forward enough and didn’t have enough urgency. Afterwards we picked the game up and started to get better, and certainly the second half was completely different. We were much more dynamic, we had more penetration, we played forward and we had better positions to (threaten them) in behind and the width, in many situations. We created a number of situations, shots, crosses. But to win this match you need to have a different level of quality, and we lacked that today. With the amount of situations we generated, you need a spark, and someone has to win you the game, if you want to be on top.”
It is a draw that leaves Arsenal in sixth place but only two points behind Manchester United in fourth, with a game in hand too.