Mikel Arteta has paid tribute to a Leeds United side who ‘suffocated’ Arsenal during Sunday’s 0-0 Premier League draw at Elland Road, while speaking to the Gunners’ official website.
You would be forgiven for assuming that it was Nicolas Pepe’s foolish, second-half red card that paved the way for Leeds to dominate the London giants on a drenched West Yorkshire afternoon.
But anyone who witnessed another vibrant display from Marcelo Bielsa’s merry band of Duracell bunnies will tell you that, even before Pepe thrust his forehead into Gianni Alioski’s face on 51 minutes, the hosts were in full control against an Arsenal side who have now gone around eight hours without scoring from open play.
Leeds dictated proceedings in the first half, as well as the second.
By the time Anthony Taylor blew for full time, Leeds had accumulated 67 per cent possession and 25 shots to Arsenal’s nine.
“At the end we have to take a point because, credit to Leeds, they had chances to score,” Arteta admitted after a result which leaves Arsenal eleventh, two points above their newly-promoted opponents.
“There was a spell in the 15 or 20 minutes of the first half where we started to give the ball away, we did not control certain spaces against them and they suffocated us, which they were always going to do.
“They did it against every team in the Premier League. It’s impossible to dominate this team for 90 minutes. And then in the second half when you hope that you are going to get things adjusted and better, we go to 10 men and then obviously it’s a mountain to climb.”
Rodrigo, Patrick Bamford and Raphinha all hit the woodwork in the final 25 minutes as Leeds failed to turn their dominance into a much-needed goal.
But if they perform with such vim, vigour and vibrancy every week, and they certainly have the fitness levels to do just that, relegation won’t even be a concern come May.
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