Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, has encountered this scenario multiple times, and his frustration is palpable. The Gunners have squandered another opportunity to close the gap on the league leaders due to missed opportunities and self-sabotage.

The temporary experiment of utilizing Mikel Merino as a striker did not yield lasting results. Arsenal found themselves trailing 1-0 after a goal from Jarrod Bowen, and things took a turn for the worse when they were reduced to 10 men due to Myles Lewis-Skelly’s reckless tackle while goalkeeper David Raya ventured 50 yards from his position.

Arteta mentioned that he didn’t have a clear view of the red card incident and has chosen not to revisit it, insisting they will move forward from the setback.

[ MORE — Recap and Highlights of Arsenal vs West Ham ]

The Gunners’ offense failed to make an impact, echoing Shakespeare’s words: “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing,” as West Ham defended effectively after seizing their counter-attacking goal under Graham Potter’s guidance.

Arteta’s Post-Match Reflections — Insights on the Lewis-Skelly Red Card, Ineffective Attack, and Disheartening Defeat

“It’s very painful. I commend West Ham for their victory, while for us, it’s quite disappointing. We fought hard with just 10 players, putting in significant effort and energy, yet we fell short in quality and consistency.”

“We adapted to their style but didn’t perform well, particularly with the ball. Just before halftime, we conceded due to poor defending on a counter and cross from the right. This turned the match into a challenging one.”

“I won’t attribute our struggles solely to injuries. Our overall performance and execution were below par. I take responsibility for that.”

On substitutions prior to the red card: “We aimed to create a new dynamic, which added some attacking threat, but once Myles was dismissed, the situation became even more difficult.”

“Tomorrow brings a new day. We have every reason to feel disappointed with how things unfolded today, but there’s still a long season ahead and plenty of points to fight for. Such setbacks can happen to any team.”

“We struggled to assert control over the game due to our ball play. Their approach was very direct, making it a tough match. We made adjustments in hopes of building some momentum, but the red card complicated our efforts. We put in a lot of energy and emotion but lacked execution quality.”

Martin Ødegaard’s Comments — Need for Improvement in Front of Goal

“We didn’t perform at our usual level. The overall display fell short. We found it hard to break through and were ineffective in the final third, particularly with the last pass and entering the box. We allowed them too much room, especially in the second half. It simply wasn’t good enough.”

“This is a significant loss. Our performance was subpar today, which is incredibly disappointing.”

What went wrong? “Honestly, I’m not sure. We allowed them too many clear paths on counterattacks. We weren’t sharp enough in crafting chances in the box and lacked efficiency in the final stages.”

Did injuries play a role? “While we are missing some key players, we must concentrate on those who are available. We have more than enough talent at our disposal.”

“We continued to push until the end, but it still wasn’t adequate.”

How do they recover? “We must keep moving forward. There’s a long road ahead with many points still in play. We can’t dwell on today’s outcome; instead, we need to learn from this experience.”