Mikel Arteta sends warning to Chelsea after Arsenal’s misery continues against Inter

Mikel Arteta send a defiant message to Arsenal’s critics after their miserable run continued against Inter last night.

Hakan Calhanoglu’s controversial penalty on the stroke of half-time proved decisive at San Siro and condemned the Gunners to a second successive 1-0 defeat away from home.

With a game against Sporting Lisbon, conquerors of Manchester City, in Portugal on the horizon, Arsenal’s away form and inability to score goals is becoming an increasing concern.

Arteta’s men dominated possession and territory in the second period but created little by way of clear opportunities and persisted with relentlessly crossing the ball into Inter’s penalty area with little or no joy.

Arsenal must now lick their wounds ahead of a difficult trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday where they will face an improving Chelsea side who are likely to be smelling blood.

Arteta, however, insisted last night’s performance should be a source of encouragement to a group of players who look short of confidence on the evidence of their recent displays.

‘If we play the way we play, we‘ll have a big chance to win against Chelsea,’ he said.’That‘s the way we have to go. I told them that I’m proud of them.

‘I haven‘t seen them play in Europe in the manner that we have today. We are disappointed because we didn’t get what we wanted out of the game, that’s for sure.

‘The worst thing of the night, for sure, is the result, because the performance, the attitude, the dominance that we showed against one of the best teams in Europe in this stadium.

‘I haven’t seen it in all the other games that I’ve watched.

‘But the reality is the result and we participated in that because we had many situations that we can resolve much better in front of goal and score at least two goals and then extremely frustrated as well because there are two decisions that at the end marks the result and the course of the game.

‘The concern tonight is the result and obviously in both boxes at the end we didn’t do what we have to do. When we didn’t, then someone else didn’t and that’s it.

‘For sure, this is the way that I want to see my team. All the big games that we have in Europe by far this was the best one that we played in the last few years.’