Why quiet Arsenal dressing room pleased manager Mikel Arteta after Chelsea draw

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta applauds the fans after the Gunners' 2-2 draw at Chelsea in October 2023.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says he was encouraged by going back to a quiet dressing room after the Gunners' 2-2 draw at Chelsea on Saturday.

The north London side scored twice late in the game to come back from two goals down and earn a draw at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

“We became a much better team even though we conceded the second goal and it’s a disappointment," Arteta told reporters after the game.

"The way the team reacted is phenomenal. I really liked as well going into the dressing room and the dressing room being quiet, after drawing 2-2 against Chelsea [after] being 2-0 down, because I know that they wanted more."

Arteta added that he can see the progression of character inside his team.

"I could see at half time, it was a knife between our teeth and we accepted that we had to do much better and the game was still there for us," he said.

"We had that belief. Even with the goal we conceded, we continued to be like this."

"And I loved that about the team and I'm going to demand that every single day. Because this is who we are and the only way as well to – when you are not at your best - still create a lot of issues to the opponent."

Arsenal remain unbeaten after nine rounds of matches and are level with leaders Manchester City on 21 points.

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Arthur Renard has been writing for FourFourTwo since 2013, when Ronald Koeman hosted him for a Readers interview in a small room in stadium De Kuip. Two years later Arthur moved to London, where he still lives and from where he covers English football, while he has also been travelling the world to cover events like the World Cup and Copa America.