Freddie Ljungberg has admitted his Arsenal players looked ‘scared’ as they slumped to defeat against Brighton.
Interim manager Ljungberg’s first game in the Emirates dugout did not have the outcome he was hoping for as a header from Adam Webster and a late Neal Maupay strike gave Brighton their first ever away win at one of the Premier League’s ‘big six’.
It was a ninth game without a win for Arsenal – their worst run since 1977 – and the Swede has not been able to inspire a turnaround in the week since he replaced Unai Emery.
And after the loss, described by former team-mate Lee Dixon as ‘abject’, Ljungberg said: ‘They look very short on confidence. The first-half, they were a bit scared to get the ball, a bit scared to move.
‘They were just standing still. That’s something we need to talk about but they need to have a win.
‘We need to dig out a win and get them some confidence. They can do it, they showed that at the beginning of the second half. I thought we did that really well for 20 minutes, it’s hard to say that when they lose at home but I thought they did that.’
The Emirates crowd, which was sparse in parts, turned on the home players at half-time, booing them off. Ljungberg, whose side are now 10 points behind the top four, suggested the response may have had an impact on his players’ performance.
He continued: ‘It’s obvious that the nervousness from a crowd being at home can affect football players. It doesn’t matter what quality you have, they are human beings like everyone else.
‘They want to do well and they feel the pressure but that’s something we need to work on. If they dig out a win, they can get there.’
The victorious Graham Potter was asked whether he sympathised with the position Ljungberg found himself in and said: ‘Well, yes. It is a great opportunity for him. He’s a fantastic football person.
‘It’s not an ideal situation to come in at the time he has. I don’t know their situation but he’s a good football man.’
