Mikel Arteta reaction — What did Arsenal boss say after dropping points vs Brentford?

Arsenal’s lead in the Premier League title race is now just four points after Mikel Arteta’s side was pushed to its limits in a pulsating 1-1 draw with Brentford on Thursday.

BRENTFORD 1-1 ARSENAL — Video highlights & recap

Below is the latest Mikel Arteta reaction, speaking after Arsenal failed to win for the fourth time in their last six Premier League games (2W-3D-1L). The title remains theirs to lose with 12 games to play, but the Gunners still play away to Manchester City, on April 18.

Mikel Arteta reaction — What did Arsenal boss say after dropping points vs Brentford?

“A really tough place to come, we knew that. Really difficult to dominate the game through long periods because they are really good. [When Brentford run set plays], it’s like a casino — anything can happen, and something really bad can happen. You have to navigate through that. I think after the first 15 minutes we dominated the game and started the second half really well, the first 20-25 minutes and scored the goal, and then from there we lacked more composure. … We started to give a lot of unnecessary free kicks away, and with bad clearances, allowing the ball in the channels — they started to generate set pieces and they are really, really good at it. Credit to them, for sure.”

On taking Eberechi Eze off at halftime: “It was tactical. I think we needed a different kind of profile in the middle, they were pressing. And we started really, really well in the second half.”

On the frantic end of the game: “We had a massive chance at the end with a 1v1, ball through for Martinelli but it wasn’t meant to be.”

On making errors in the first 15 minutes: “It’s part of the game. Sometimes it doesn’t start that well, and it’s credit to the opposition as well.”

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, on the 1-1 draw vs Brentford

“The game was split into different halves. It was their first 20 minutes; we ended the first half strong; we started the second half amazingly well; and they ended the half better than us. We suffocated a lot after the goal. … In this journey, you are never going to be at the level for 70 games of the season, but you have to be at the best you can. The small details, the basics, like I say, this is a rollercoaster of a season. You can’t be naive to think this is going to be easy. We are playing against the best teams week in, week out. We have to keep pushing and believing in ourselves, controlling the controllable.”

…

“We have to block out the outside noise. We have done that really well. People are going to talk up the title race and Arsenal, but we have a really calm group. I’m not naive to think Brentford are a pushover. They are one of the best teams in the league and their recent form shows that. It’s a point gained in our journey, but we wanted to win the game.”

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, on the result

“Disappointed with just a point. We stick together. It’s a tough place to come but we just have to stick together and we are still in a great position. We go again. … We are still in a great position. We have to focus on ourselves. We have the FA Cup on Sunday, but we go again on Wednesday.”