• News

‘I can see a lot of light’ – Arteta upbeat on Arsenal’s prospects

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal
Getty Images
Advertisement

The Gunners boss remains upbeat on the long-term results of his project despite a disastrous start to the new season.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta insists he ‘can see a lot of light’ at the end of the tunnel.

The under-fire Spaniard has overseen the club’s worst start to a season in 67 years. Arsenal lie 16th in the Premier League table after four games, with three points and only a single goal to their name.

A morale-boosting 1-0 victory over Norwich last weekend, however, moved the London club out of the relegation zone and eased some of the pressure off Arteta’s shoulders.

“I can really see the light,” said the Gunners boss about the future during a press conference on Thursday. “I’m telling you, I’m very positive most of the time. I’ve seen the light and I can see bright lights.

“There can be bumps in the road within that light, but I can see a lot of light.”

‘Things happen for a reason’

An upbeat Arteta also claimed that Arsenal’s poor start to the season could end up being a good thing.

Quizzed on how he has handled the tough moments, Arteta said: “Life brings you things, and you cannot decide it. There are certain things that you cannot control. What is coming to you is coming for a reason. Sometimes we don’t want to see it, but it’s coming for a reason – and it’s probably for the right reason.

“Then it’s about how you take it and how you respond to that. The way that everyone around me responded is the way that I responded. That’s why it’s been fine.

“It’s tough because it hurts, because you want to see something different. But what you want is not always what happens. Things happen for a reason and maybe what is happening had to happen and [maybe] it’s going to be really good for the club and really good for myself and everybody experiencing that situation.

“We have to believe that.”

Arteta and Arsenal return to action on Saturday for a trip to Turf Moor to face Burnley in the Premier League.

x