The Gunners face a London derby showdown at Chelsea just a few days after succumbing to Inter Milan on Wednesday evening. Arteta's side recorded a second straight 1-0 defeat at the San Siro, having lost away to Newcastle by the same scoreline over the weekend
And yet Arteta was keen to look on the bright side when he addressed his players after Hakan Calhanoglu's penalty condemned them to another loss. The Arsenal boss was surprisingly chipper speaking to the media following his side's third defeat in six games, revealing his pep talk after they came away from Italy empty-handed.
"If we play the way we play, we'll have a big chance to win against Chelsea," he told reporters in Italy (via the Daily Express). "That's the way we have to go. I told them that I'm proud of them.
"I haven't seen them play in Europe in the manner that we have today. We are disappointed because we didn't get what we wanted out of the game, that's for sure."
Arsenal's streak of three successive clean sheets in the Champions League was broken thanks to the steady aim of Calhanoglu. The Turkey talisman - who has never missed a penalty for the Nerazzurri - tucked away the decider after Mikel Merino's outstretched arm gave away a spot-kick on the stroke of half-time.
Despite a valiant effort to breach the opposition's defence, the attacking trio of Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Martinelli were thwarted at every turn. The Gunners racked up 20 shots on goal, hitting the target with just four, compared to Inter's seven, but it was Simone Inzaghi's team that notched the all-important goal.
Arsenal also dominated possession in Milan with more than 62% of the ball, securing 13 corners while Inter didn't manage even one. However, this dominance did not translate into victory as Arteta's side slipped to 12th in the Champions League standings.
He reiterated the display at Inter was "by far the best one" his side have played against Europe's elite in recent times. While the outcome might cast doubt on that claim, the manager's comments may well prove effective in raising his squad's spirits.
Arsenal's upcoming visit to Stamford Bridge is a mixed bag of hope and gloom based on their recent form in west London. They had to claw back a two-goal deficit to draw during their last encounter at Chelsea more than one year ago, yet they've managed to avoid defeat at the Bridge since August 2018.
Arteta can take solace in his commendable track record in this particular matchup, bolstered by the return of Martin Odegaard, who made a brief appearance against Inter. And the Norwegian will be eager to influence Arsenal's return to form in Sunday's derby duel.
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