Arteta calls for 'fire in the belly' and calm heads after Arsenal quadruple dream dies

Arteta calls for 'fire in the belly' and calm heads after Arsenal quadruple dream dies originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . WEMBLEY STADIUM, LONDON — After watching the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City and, by extension, a shot at quadruple immortality slip away from Arsenal , a visibly dejected Mikel Arteta knew the constituency he needed to address.

Sure, he mentioned his players. As he later pointed out, they've motored through 50 games this term to arrive at the point where history might be on the horizon. As Arsenal manager, Arteta did not just need to pick up his dressing room; he needed to pick up a large and voluble fanbase, among whom emotion must remain a fuel for the team and not become corrosive after this setback.

"Very sad, it's a hard one to take, especially for our players and our supporters," he said. "We know how much it means to them, how much we want it. And the fact we haven't managed to deliver that obviously leaves you disappointed and sad, and leaves you with a bad taste.

" MORE: How Nico O'Reilly stole the show in the Carabao Cup final This meant a lot to Arsenal fans, who arrived early in their droves. One discerning commentator remarked it felt like an Arsenal home game on Wembley Way, albeit it's easier to come and hang around in north-west London when you're making the short hop from north London and not grappling with the M6 or trains to Euston. Still, the difference in enthusiasm before the match from the two fanbases was not just a matter of geography.