Photo: Ronnie Macdonald from Chelmsford, United Kingdom / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons
.jpg){kind=link}
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed disappointment after his side's pre-season defeat to Real Betis in Dublin on Wednesday, while refusing to comment on transfer links to Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.
"I'm not going to talk about any players that are not Arsenal players," Arteta said when asked about reported interest in Guimaraes.
Arteta acknowledged the squad's limitations on the night, noting that 25 players were used and that roughly half the first-team group has yet to return for pre-season. "We know half of the squad is still not with us, and we had four players join in three days ago," he said, adding that the squad would return to London for two home games before the Community Shield.
He identified clear problems in how the team defended, particularly in the first half. "We competed especially in and around our box — that's not the standards that we are used to," Arteta said, while also pointing to positive spells in open play.
On the mood among the players, Arteta described a dressing room that reacted strongly. "Very upset, even at half-time. They are fuming — but this is good. That's what we need."
Arteta praised young Irish midfielder Ceadach O'Neill, who featured during the match. "For his age, he's really mature, really focused and he has a tremendous quality," the manager said.
Arteta also paid tribute to Christian Norgaard following the midfielder's departure from the club. "He played a tremendous role for us. When I brought him here, I said that he could be our glue player — an incredible capacity to bring people together, to keep the standards high," he said, wishing Norgaard well at his new club.
There was also concern over an injury to Louie Copley sustained during the game. "It doesn't look good; the mechanism is not too positive," Arteta said, adding that a fuller assessment was expected the following day.