This archive report was first published on 23 August 2021.
On August 22, 2021, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta faced a tough situation as his team suffered their second consecutive defeat in the Premier League season.
After losing to Brentford in their season opener, Arsenal were beaten 2-0 by London rivals Chelsea at home on Sunday, marking the first time they lost their first two league games without scoring.
Several key players, including new signing Ben White, were absent due to COVID-19 cases or injuries, with full back Hector Bellerin and midfielder Thomas Partey ruled out.
"It's really challenging at the moment. We are missing nine players and the majority of them are big senior players," Arteta said.
Despite the difficulties, Arteta praised his team's courage and determination, saying, "But credit to the boys... They are playing with a lot of courage in this situation, which is tough. They are trying their best - and at the moment it's not enough to win."
Arteta emphasized the importance of not feeling dejected and instead focusing on fighting and facing the challenges ahead, saying, "I want a team and individuals that want to fight and want to face the challenge that is ahead of us, because normally when you do that, at some stage you get rewards."
