Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal were never really worried by Ipswich Town in a 1-0 win at the Emirates Stadium on Friday, but how will the Gunners mastermind view his side’s failure to find a second goal under the light of a first match without injured star Bukayo Saka.
They won’t be replaying these 90 rain-soaked minutes on any “classic games” series any time soon, as Arsenal flew out of the traps but settled into a possession-heavy fight that did not deliver much over the final hour or so.
[ MORE: Recap, highlights from Arsenal 1-0 Ipswich ]
That left Ipswich within view of an equalizer were they to get one funny bounce or one moment of inspiration in North London.
Arsenal finished with 69% of the ball and 1.94 xG, conceding just 0.02 xGA on one shot attempt, but the fine margins include a Gabriel Magalhaes wide header off a corner kick and five blocked shots by the Tractor Boys.
Arteta also confirmed that Saka had surgery on a torn hamstring, and will be missing for “more than two months.”
Mikel Arteta reaction — Arsenal boss on Gunners’ laborious but straight-forward win over Ipswich Town
Closer than it should’ve been: “It what was it was. The first half especially we were super dominant. We generated some good chances. If anything, we should’ve had more than one. We started the second half not great, giving the ball away from the kickoff.
“Credit to them. They were really well organized, really well coached. You’ve got to score the second one in this league. The last few minutes they start to pour forward, play more direct and there’s the feeling more than anything that anything can happen at the end — we hate it.”
On the first game without Bukayo Saka: “Very good. It will be different. We had moments in the first half and better moments second half as well. The moments are new and it will take time for us to understand each other. I think [Martinelli] did well.”
On being second: “Considering the circumstances we had this season, the amount of times we had to play with 10 men, the injuries, the fixture congestion… It’s good but it’s not where we want to be — we want to be first.”
