Mikel Arteta criticised his Arsenal side after their 2-1 Champions League win at Slavia Prague on Wednesday, saying they were 'extremely far from our standards' in the second half. The Gunners extended their unbeaten start to the group stage, recording three wins and a draw from their opening four matches.
Noni Madueke opened the scoring after nine minutes, and Viktor Gyokeres doubled the lead before half-time. Slavia Prague, however, produced 18 shots over the match and scored a late consolation through Wiktor Novak.
Arteta praises Slavia but demands more
Arteta acknowledged the difficulty of the away win, telling a post-match press conference: 'First of all, you have to value the fact it's very difficult to win away from home. We've done it against a very tough opponent, we expected that toughness.'
He contrasted the two halves, saying: 'Two very different halves – the first we played at a really high level in terms of intensity, tempo, quality and clarity in what we had to do, and what the game was demanding. We were very efficient – we should have scored three, four or five.'
Arteta added that the team failed to extend their lead and that the opposition's spirit was a factor: 'We didn't make that gap, and at half-time, the message was clear. There was still a lot to do in the game – this was a team we were up against with huge spirit, and if you give them something, they will grab it.'
Arteta takes responsibility
Reflecting on the second-half drop-off, Arteta said: 'Right from the beginning of the half, we were extremely far from our standards, the basics, the concepts, and everything we discussed to avoid. It was far from what we expect from each other, but we found a way to hold onto the result and win the game.'
He described the match as a 'huge lesson' and accepted blame for the performance: 'I already talked about some of the things we didn't do, and others I'd prefer not to mention. It's a huge lesson, and we'll learn from the second half.'
Arteta noted the fixture schedule as a possible factor but did not use it as an excuse: 'It's our third away game in quick succession, and we're the only team to have played three away games in the Champions League and just one at home – there are a lot of factors – but I don't like to use that, because in the first half we were at the level we wanted. I take full responsibility for the drop in the second half.'
Raya echoes manager's concerns
Goalkeeper David Raya echoed his manager's assessment, saying: 'First half, we played really really well. We dominated the whole game, created a lot of chances and could have scored a few more goals.'
He added: 'The second half was a completely different half. From them, they went up a gear. We were a little bit surprised and they made it really difficult for us – which we have to learn from. We know how important away games are and how difficult places like this can be. They became man-to-man all over the pitch.'
Raya concluded: 'Delighted with the win, but we've got things to improve going forwards.'
