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Mikel Arteta tells Arsenal to brace themselves for ‘rollercoaster’ run of matches

 (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
(Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Mikel Arteta has told his Arsenal players to get ready for a “rollercoaster” run of games after the international break as the Gunners’ schedule intensifies.

Arsenal return to action against Crystal Palace on October 18 before taking on Aston Villa four days later on the Friday night.

The following week, they host Leeds in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night and then face a trip to Leicester in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off.

The quick spell of games allows Arsenal to build momentum and Arteta is eager to do so after stretching the side’s unbeaten run to five games with a 0-0 draw at Brighton on Saturday.

The manager said: “We will analyse what we have done. The last month we have had four wins and one draw in all competitions, we conceded one goal.

“We have to improve individually and collectively and prepare well because a rollercoaster is coming with the amount of games.

“I’m never happy with a point, but I don’t think we deserved anything more than that.

“We got a point because we defended really well in the last 15 or 20 metres of the pitch, and for the rest I think it was a game that we have to improve and do better in many other areas.”

Arsenal struggled to get going against Brighton in a game that was played in awful conditions of constant rain.

In the end, they were forced to dig in and battle for a point and defender Takehiro Tomiyasu praised his team-mates for battling to a draw.

 (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

“I am happy about the clean sheet,” he said. “You have to think positively because in the box I think we won the duels.

“But only in the box, in other spaces we lost the duels most of the time. We have to improve this.

“I am not happy with the result but I have to think positively about the one point because they controlled the game most of the time.

“We will take one point. I’m not happy with the result but we have to be positive.”

At the heart of Arsenal’s performance was the centre-back pairing of Ben White and Gabriel, who have conceded one goal since being put together.

“They’re getting a really good connection, good chemistry, and I think their qualities match and complement each other really, really well,” said Arteta. “I think both of them were terrific.”

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