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Mikel Arteta: Arsenal ‘on right path’ after FA Cup win

Mikel Arteta

From left, Arsenal’s David Luiz, and his teammates goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, and Sokratis Papastathopoulos celebrate at the end of the English FA Cup fifth round soccer match between Portsmouth and Arsenal at Fratton Park stadium in Portsmouth, England, Monday, March 2, 2020. Arsenal won 2-0. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

AP

Arsenal posted a comfortable-enough 2-0 win over Portsmouth in FA Cup action at Fratton Park on Monday, easing into the quarterfinals.

Manager Mikel Arteta and veteran David Luiz are happy with the progress but continue to plead for patience with the process.

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“I’m really enjoying working with this group of players. It’s a process. I know everything has to be today or yesterday but in football it doesn’t happen like this. I’m seeing a lot of things I’m happy with but there is a lot of room to improve.”

It would be a major boon for Arsenal to collect a trophy so early in the Arteta era. The Gunners have claimed 13 FA Cups, more than anyone else in England. Manchester United is second with 12.

“There is a long way to go,” Arteta said. “But we’re on the right path. We’ll see what happens in the draw. We’ll keep going because we love this competition.”

Arsenal leader Luiz said the club is on the right track, especially given the fine performances from young players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

The teens were joined by fellow youngsters Reiss Nelson, Joe Willock, Eddie Nketiah, and Matteo Guendouzi in the Starting XI, and 22-year-old Ainsley Maitland-Niles came off the bench.
“We need to be humble and understand we are not there yet,” he said. “Tonight I was pleased with the team and the young boys, they have a great mentality and understand what is need at a high level. We need to be ready to react and understand football.”

Arsenal hosts West Ham United on Saturday.