MIKEL ARTETA fears “engine trouble” is damaging Arsenal’s drive for a first Premier League title in 21 years.
Blowing the lead at Chelsea means they now sit nine points behind leaders Liverpool with no wins from the last four league games.
And boss Arteta reckons injuries to key players are forcing him to chop and change so much that the season is stalling.
The Spaniard said: “We had a very clear intention of what we could do as a team and that was about making the pieces in the car much better, more efficient and unpredictable.
“But what we found out was that every day we had to change something big – the engine, the wheels or the steering wheel because we have problem after problem.
“There’s nothing that we can do about that. What I’m praying is that after the international break we have the team fully physically equipped.
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“That they are available and that they are fit, because it’s been a nightmare for eight weeks.
“Doubt after doubt, issue after issue, not only with the ones that are not able to play, but with the ones who are able to play only for certain moments and not able to play.
“So I’m just asking that, because the desire the team has and how much we want it there’s no question. It’s going to come. We just need that on our side to be more consistent.
“When it gets nasty, show your teeth and show how much you want it.
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“When it’s Disneyland it’s very easy. Everybody’s next to you, telling you how beautiful you are. When it gets dark and difficult and everybody’s questioning it, that’s when I want to see people.”
Arteta himself took to tumbling over – accidentally crashing to the floor in frustration after Leandro Trossard wasted a gaping chance at the death
Arteta’s woes worsened when his England duo Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka asked to come off with knocks.
He has welcomed back skipper Martin Odegaard to help Arsenal ‘flow’ again but also blames lack of concentration for letting the lead slip.
They did the same twice in the same game against title rivals Liverpool last month.
Gabriel Martinelli put Arsenal ahead on 60 minutes only for Pedro Neto to smash a stunning equaliser ten minutes later.
Arteta said: “I’m very disappointed with how we conceded their goal. That’s nowhere near the standards of our defensive habits, how we allowed it.
“The moment you give space and time to any of their players with the quality that they have you’re going to get punished, so that’s not bad luck.
“That’s not very much like us. I think today in that sense with the way we conceded, we have to fault ourselves.
“That’s something that we have to do better, especially when you’re not scoring two or three goals and, at the moment, we are not.
“I’m disappointed with the result because I think we deserved more. And at the same time very proud of the team for the way we played against this opponent in this stadium.
“Chelsea have battered everyone here and it wasn’t the case today.
“After their goal the team showed its teeth. We took risks, we were very aggressive, we created three big chances. Unfortunately we weren’t able to put the ball in the net, but we deserved to win it.”
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca believes his team is still some way behind clubs like Arsenal, who finished second last season.
But the Italian is convinced that his young squad is only getting stronger.
Winger Noni Madueke stomped off down the tunnel when he was substituted in the 68th minute.
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Maresca said: “Very soon, we are going to win these types of games. For sure, we at least 100 per cent deserved a point.
“The problem is that when you change a player, they are never happy. But it’s not only about Noni, it’s about all the players.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
