LONDON • Unai Emery's patience snapped towards the end of Arsenal's 1-1 Premier League draw at Brighton on Wednesday.
Frustrated by his side's failure to capitalise on a positive start and then his own inability to influence the game, he kicked out at a water bottle, inadvertently sending it in the direction of a fan.
An apology was immediately offered, and then again at the final whistle.
"I said to them apologies because I kicked the bottle after a disappointing action for us in the last minutes," the Arsenal manager said. "It wasn't hard, but it touched one supporter for them. I said to them I'm sorry."
According to multiple British media reports yesterday, the Football Association is looking into the incident and Emery could face retrospective action.
The Gunners fell short in their bid to strengthen their top-four ambitions as they failed to keep a clean sheet for a ninth away game. They have won two of four league games and only once in their last four in all competitions, a frustrating sequence that started when their 22-match unbeaten run ended at Southampton on Dec 16.
The defensive lapses that contributed to that loss were again evident at the Amex Stadium, when Stephan Lichtsteiner's headed clearance from a long ball fell right into the path of Jurgen Locadia.
NOT GOOD ENOUGH
In the second half, we couldn't impose our game plan. We didn't make more clear chances to win the match.
UNAI EMERY, Arsenal manager, admitting his team were good for only half the match against a mid-table side.
The Brighton forward then took the ball past the on-rushing goalkeeper Bernd Leno before tapping home for his first goal of the season.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had earlier moved one clear at the top of the league's scoring chart with his 13th goal of the season for Arsenal, and Emery was left a little disappointed by the equaliser.
The Spaniard said: "The first half was key in the match. We started winning and had another two chances, but they equalised.
"In the second half, we couldn't impose our game plan. We didn't make more clear chances to win the match."
He made a half-time change, bringing on Alex Iwobi for Mesut Ozil, increasing the feeling that the German is on borrowed time at Arsenal, where he is their highest-paid player on £350,000 a week (S$608,300).
It was the midfielder's first away league start since the match against Crystal Palace on Oct 28, but he again failed to impress his boss, who revealed the substitution was "tactical".
The 47-year-old said: "It's the same every match. Sometimes, I change it tactically when I need something to change."
However, the switch failed to pay off as Iwobi looked just as lost.
Equally puzzling was Emery's second-half decision to remove Alexandre Lacazette, who had set up Aubameyang's opener. Midfielder Aaron Ramsey was introduced despite their pressing need to score.
Forward Lacazette reacted angrily by throwing his gloves to the floor and Arsenal's disjointed display after the break did little to vindicate the manager's decision.
But Emery also defended his change afterwards, insisting Ramsey "deserved to play and take the responsibility because he wants to help us".
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, THE TIMES, LONDON
Juventus deny Pep link for manager, Football News & Top
Football: Ikhsan Fandi determined to step out of dad Fandi Ahmad's shadow and succeed in Norway stint Ikhsan Fandi tells us what his favourite local breakfast is, whether he has a girlfriend, and
Fandi's second son Ikhsan wants to step out of dad's shadow
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER, Manchester United's interim manager, putting the ball in the court of the Old Trafford board. The team are also unbeaten in the league under him, with 14 wins in 17 games in all competitions. He added: "I am not here to get excited, I am here to do my job. I love managing these boys and I love working here.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer refuses to give up on the Top Four after
Newport manager believes shock City victory possible LONDON • Newport County manager Michael Flynn believes his side can conjure up the biggest shock in the history of the FA Cup when they host Premier League champions Manchester City in the fifth round today.
Newport vs Man City: Manager Michael Flynn claims victory
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson says the memory of a Champions League semi-final victory over Barcelona will stay with him "forever" ahead of the showpiece event on June 1.. Jurgen Klopp's side lost
Champions League S/F: Three Things we Learned From Barcelona
Football: History made as women to referee men's AFC Cup
FOX Sports Asia takes a look at the teams and their prospects as we head into the domestic football season. of domestic football in Singapore. Albirex Niigata (S) new squad of players and
Football: Albirex Niigata earn point in 0-0 draw with Brunei
Liverpool put aside talk of title-race jitters as they returned to the top of the Premier League with a confident 3-0 victory over Bournemouth at Anfield on Saturday. The win, secured with goals
Liverpool back on top after 3-0 win over Bournemouth
Arnautovic ends drought as West Ham sink Saints May 4th, 2019 Reuters News Service Football , Premier League , Sport 0 comments West Ham's Marko Arnautovic, who had last found the net on Jan. 2
By Matt McGeehan Manchester United dumped holders Chelsea out of the FA Cup with a 2-0 fifth-round win at Stamford Bridge to leave Maurizio Sarri's position as Blues head coach ever more precarious.
Football: United dump holders Chelsea out of Cup to pile
LONDON: Jurgen Klopp has condemned 'disgusting' racist abuse aimed at Mohamed Salah and called for lifetime bans for the Chelsea fans accused of taunting the Liverpool star. A video circulated on social media ahead of Chelsea's Europa League match at Slavia Prague this week showed a group of six supporters chanting "Salah is a bomber
Liverpool coach Klopp condemns 'disgusting' Salah abuse ahead
0 comments:
Post a Comment