Mikel Arteta hailed Arsenal’s response to their bad start and warned there must be no respite as they travel to Burnley on Saturday.
Arsenal averted the club’s unwanted record of four defeats in their first four Premier League games thanks to a 1-0 win over Norwich City last weekend, scoring their first goal of the season in the top flight.
Arteta’s team now look forward to Burnley, against whom they are unbeaten in their last nine league away games, their last defeat at Turf Moor in 1973.
The Gunners manager is full of confidence following the learning curve he experienced at the start of the 2021-22 campaign.
“The guys were happy because we experienced a reaction from the fans towards the team and winning the first game, coming out of the blocks in the Premier League, was an important part of our next moment,” Arteta said at the press conference.
“Now we have to put together a race and we know how much we need the results and the performance will lead to that.
“The way everyone around me responded is the way I responded and that’s why everything went well. It’s hard because you want to see something different.
“But what you want isn’t always what happens. Things happen for a reason and maybe what’s happening had to happen and it will be really good for the club. Now we have to believe it.
“I can really see the light. I’m telling you I’m very positive most of the time. I have seen the light and I can see bright lights. There may be bumps on the road within that light, but I can see a lot of light. “
Arsenal also chose to use new goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale against Norwich after signing him from Sheffield United in the transfer window, leaving Bernd Leno on the bench.
Indeed, Ramsdale has kept a clean sheet in both of his appearances so far in all competitions and could become the first Arsenal goalkeeper since Wojciech Szczesny in 2010 to record a set of defeats in his first three games as a starter.
Leno’s relegation to the bench in recent weeks has led to rumors that the German goalkeeper is unstable, but Arteta has ensured the competition is healthy.
“Aaron [Ramsdale] he came here to try to improve us and I decided to play with him that day, that’s all, “said Arteta.
“It is the same in every position. We want them to improve each other. We are competing against our opponents, we are not competing against each other here.
“We are trying to raise the level of the team and the level of the club.
“Bernda [Leno] he should be disappointed, and he should support his teammates as everyone did with him. That’s exactly what he did. “