Mikel Arteta ready to take bullet for Arsenal stars

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is ready to take bullets for Arsenal’s poor run of form.

Arteta’s team have won only once in the last eight games and are currently languishing in the 15th position on the table – just five points above the relegation zone.

This has been the club’s worst start since 1974 and calls his players to stand up and be daring in these hard times.

“I feel the pressure all the time,” said Arteta. “When we had those [good] spells [last season], everything was not beautiful. In the last few months of last summer there were a lot of difficult moments, believe me. It wasn’t everything nice and easy and enjoyable.

“But obviously when you are winning you create a different mood and then the pressure once you win is to win again. And the pressure is always going to exist.

“I prefer that pressure when you are always thinking about winning and going into the next trophy. But this is our reality right now and we have to face it.

“And we have to face it being brave, fighting and no-one giving up or anything because it is no time to hide, it’s time to put your face and your body on the line. At the moment, I’m sorry, but we have to take the bullets.

When asked if he was ready to take bullets rather than his players, Arteta added: “It’s natural, I accept it. It’s part of the job.

“When you are not getting results, at the end of the day it’s the manager who has the maximum responsibility.

“That’s why I accept them, because you can say whatever you want to explain but at the end you have to win football matches and this club is too big to accept this many losses in the last weeks.

“So my chest is here, hit me guys.”

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