Sunderland boss Lee Johnson has admitted he regrets any offence caused by his joke about Arsenal ahead of their League Cup clash and he certainly regrets it after being thrashed 5-1.
Before the quarter-final draw was even made, Sunderland boss Lee Johnson was already stoking up tensions with the Arsenal fans through a joke at their expense.
The manager was asked who he wanted to draw in the League Cup quarter-finals, after his side knocked QPR out of the competition on penalties.
“I’d love to have Arsenal away, or Tottenham away if not that,” he said. “And then we’ll wait for the really big guns when it’s two legs.”
Football has a funny way of fulfilling narratives sometimes, so it seemed inevitable when Sunderland really did draw Arsenal away in the next round.
By that point, Johnson had already come in for some abuse from Arsenal fans, and he was left in a bit of an awkward situation in his press conference leading up to the game.
When asked about the joke, Johnson admitted he regrets any offence caused, whilst insisting he actually does respect Arsenal.
“I regret if it offended anybody because genuinely, anybody that knows me and probably watched the clip will know that it was tongue-in-cheek dad banter,” Johnson said.
“My Twitter feed didn’t read it like that, let me tell you, for two or three days after.
“I can assure you I’ve got 100 percent full respect because the first part of the question was a genuine answer in terms of they are the two clubs that I actually wanted to play because I haven’t played there and I haven’t managed there.”
The good news is that Mikel Arteta probably helped him motivate his team.
Not only was it a cup quarter-final, with some of the fringe players coming in to impress, but pride was at stake as well.
After the game, he said, “First and foremost, I thought the fans were just brilliant,” he said.
“I bumped into them on the train and in a local pub as I walked past.
“Hearing them sing all game and support the lads was great.
“I thought the lads played really well in patches. It’s a massive lesson for them – the best lesson you could possibly feel.
“They all aspire to be top-level players, but are we doing everything to be able to develop top-level players?
“I think we are, but for them to feel it, I think it sharpens the pencil with everything – body fat, the details on the passing drills, everything.
“I shouldn’t have to nag now. I should just say one thing, ‘Remember the Arsenal game?’
“I’m proud of them because you could put together ten, 15 or maybe 20 minutes of highlights of really good play and a really strong philosophy.
“That was what I was pleased with, that we’ve come to Arsenal with all their quality and speed – and in the end it’s the speed that kills you – and we’ve done really well and shown in patches why we’re up in the top regions of League One,” he added.
“I thought in the first 20 minutes we were a little bit nervy and slung the ball in a bit too early.
“I actually felt once we beat their press, there was more passes there, and I think the goal actually gave us confidence to be able to do that.
“For that patch, 15 or 20 minutes after we scored and going into half-time, you felt ‘We’ve got a chance of getting back in this’.
“We had some corners and wide free-kicks and a couple of shots on goal, and we looked dangerous.
“Of course, they’ve always got that threat on the counter and with a couple of quick slick moves, which was impressive.
“The individual brilliance of the fourth goal in particular was fantastic. But again, we’ve got to learn. Denver’s been nutmegged a couple of times in the game, but that’s something we’ve identified and he can work on to become the best possible defender he can be.”