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Football London
Football London
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Art De Roche

Every word Mikel Arteta just said on Bukayo Saka, Shkodran Mustafi and the conditions at Burnley

Did you think a draw was a fair result?

"Depending on the moment of the game. I think we started really well, we could have scored at least two, we dominated the game like we wanted (to), we got out from their pressure pretty well, we played in the opponent's half and we controlled the long balls and second balls.

"After 20-25 minutes, we started to concede a lot of unnecessary free kicks, throw ins, corner kicks and when that happens you can't find any continuity in your play and that's not the game we want to play.

"I was very disappointed with how we started the second half. The first 15-20 minutes we could not control any aspect of the game and we allowed a lot of crosses and second balls inside our box and some would say we were lucky not to concede a goal.

Mikel Arteta on Ainsley Maitland-Niles' position

"The positive thing is the reaction in the last 20 minutes when we started to play again and we have courage to play and courage to take the opportunities that they allow because the space was there because they were committing a lot of people forward but we couldn't finish the actions well enough to score."

Will it take time to get a 90-minute performance out of the players?

"I hope it doesn't. There have been different circumstances. What happened in the last four games, two of those games we played with 10 men which is not easy. But we need more consistency with the ball as well. We were fantastic in some moments but we were so sloppy and put ourselves in big trouble with a lot of unnecessary situations that we have to improve because that gives the opponent an opportunity where there is no real scenario for anything to happen and we need to improve that a lot."

Is there anything you personally can do to stop the sloppiness?

"Well the conditions were difficult the grass was 'this' long. They didn't put any water on it and that's not a very helpful thing to play football."

How's Bukayo Saka and how much did you miss him?

"He's been a threat for us and the way we planned the game we thought we could exploit him and he did really well when he was fit. I think the last 10 minutes he was carrying his injury, we decided to substitute him because he wasn't feeling too good so tomorrow we will know how he is."

What is the injury?

"He had a knock in his knee and his hip so we'll see."

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You been here before you must expect it (the grass to be long)?

"Absolutely. I didn't water the pitch yesterday in the training ground so I was expecting it. That doesn't make it easier to play. It's their game, they do really well at what they do. It's their strength, you are allowed to do it so we have to adapt."

You didn't think your players adapted well enough in the second half?

"We adapted really well in some moments and in some others it wasn't (about) the grass it's the quality and what they do they do really well and we could not cope with that in the right way."

Have you been impressed with Mustafi's response to his mistake at Chelsea?

"Yeah, I said to him that he could make a mistake but I like his reaction afterward and the courage he had to play and make decisions. He's been training really well and I think you could see today how good he was."

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