Mikel Arteta explains Rice and Odegaard subs as Arsenal boss left red-faced after gamble | Football | Sport

Mikel Arteta has admitted it was a ‘tactical decision’ to hook Martin Odegaard midway through Arsenal‘s 0-0 draw with Everton on Saturday.

It was a move that raised eyebrows inside the Emirates Stadium and on social media, given Odegaard’s creative threat.

Declan Rice had been taken off at the same time, with their replacements failing to make the desired impact.

Arsenal had been frustrated by a resilient Everton backline but had failed to find a breakthrough, with Arteta turning to Ethan Nwaneri in search of a winning goal.

The gamble didn’t pay off. Everton held firm and denied the title hopefuls of a winning goal, meaning the gap between Arsenal and leaders Liverpool remains six points.

Speaking in his post-match debrief, Arteta explained the double substitution, saying: “With Declan I had to take him off because he was feeling something. With Martin it was a tactical decision to try to change their rhythm.

“If Ethan comes in and he scores a goal, it’s a great sub. If he doesn’t, you have taken your captain out. That’s football.”

On his side’s overall performance, Arteta added: “Very disappointing not to win the game. We fully deserved to win the game. We conceded no shots. We dominated play. When we generated big chances we didn’t score a goal.”

When asked if Everton being afforded extra time on the training ground because of Arsenal‘s European commitments made a difference, he said: “No. It doesn’t matter.

“Look at the intensity of what we generated in the second half. [Frustrating] especially when we concede zero [chances] and dominate the game so much.”

While Arsenal were the only side that looked like winning the match throughout, the north Londoners lacked a moment of magic – something all teams need if they’re to get over the line in a title race.

Speaking about his side’s at-times-bluntness in attack, he stated: ” That’s difficult. At the end you need the spark and you need to be precise. I mean, we had the chances, this could have been two or three nil, and nobody’s talking about it.

“The reality is 0-0, and they’re not going to talk about all the incredible things that the team did in the game. I mean, certainly, it’s not energy. When I see my team track-back, it’s unbelievable. Every three days, 70 metres, all the team is going there. So very difficult to ask them something else because they want it.”

He concluded: “We have to manage the frustration. If nobody start to speed up the game, or there is no room to speed it up and we start to watch the game, we need to understand that nobody starts to force [the opponent] to make mistakes and to lose a grab of the game. We have to say very far away from that.”

Arsenal return to action in midweek when they take on Crystal Palace in the League Cup quarter-final.

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