The Gunners missed the chance to restore a six-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League after Keane Lewis-Potter cancelled out Noni Madueke’s second-half opener in a 1-1 draw on Thursday (12.02.26).
Now, Arteta has admitted his side failed to show enough ruthlessness in both penalty areas against a Brentford team renowned for their physicality and long-throw threat.
Speaking after the game, the manager said: “If you want to win here, you’re going to have to be really ruthless in both boxes and today we lacked that.
“They are exceptional at what they do. The chaos that is in and around that ball is very, very difficult to defend.”
Madueke had given Arsenal the lead with a header after the interval and Arteta felt his team had the game under control at that point.
But Michael Kayode’s long throw led to Lewis-Potter’s equaliser 10 minutes later, shifting momentum and setting up a tense finale.
Reflecting on the decisive moment, Arteta said: “Against them, that’s not enough, because they just need somebody making a foul that is unnecessary.
“A ball in the channel, they push you. The clearance is not good, ball goes for a throw-in. Then you have to pray, because they are exceptional at what they do.
“We said, you want to win here, you’re going to have to defend the box with your life, and you’re going to have to clear the ball, because there’s a lot of people there. We haven’t done it in one of the actions.”
Arsenal had opportunities to win the game late on, including a one-on-one for Gabriel Martinelli, but could not find a second goal.
When asked if Martinelli needed to score, Arteta said: “You have to.
“It’s football, and the keeper, as well, can make the decision and the action that he did. But if you want to win here, you’re going to have to be really ruthless in both boxes.”
The visitors were without William Saliba and Kai Havertz, who missed out through illness and injury respectively, and Arteta also substituted Eberechi Eze at half-time on his first Premier League start in two months.
Arteta said of Eze: “It’s not easy when you move to a new club. When you play against a team that is like this and the ball is a lot of times not on the floor and you have to be constantly breaking the play, especially for attacking and creative players, it’s more difficult.”
Arsenal now lead City by four points with 12 games remaining.
Arteta said: “We are going to be preparing to win every single match. The only thing that we can do is focus on that and raise the levels collectively.”
