“We didn’t manage the game well enough,” says Arteta after 1-1 draw against Slavia Prague

“We didn’t manage the game well enough,” says Arteta after 1-1 draw against Slavia Prague

Arsenal Vs Slavia Prague

Mikel Arteta lamented his team’s game management skills as they failed to hold on to a crucial 1 goal advantage. Slavia Prague equalized in the 93rd minute of the match as they came out of London with a crucial away goal.

Nicolas Pepe scored in the 86th minute to give Arsenal a lead to protect for the last 5 minutes plus extra-time. However, Arsenal could not defend a corner and conceded much to displeasure of their manager Mikel Arteta.

Arteta wanted his side to be more clinical in front of goal

The Spanish head coach told BT Sport after the final whistle: “It’s difficult because they were a good opponent. They have beaten some big teams and are really difficult to play against. They have a lot of man-to-man situations and you have to resolve them. When we did that, we created chances, but when you can’t, it’s not easy.

“We were effective in our high press – they had the capacity to run in transition if they won the ball back but we controlled that well. It’s more about the final result that leaves a difficult taste.

“We played two or three balls we shouldn’t do and we put ourselves on the back foot and conceded the corner. They put bodies in there and it can happen.“

Arteta knows his side must score in Prague to have a chance of progressing to the semi-finals. Given we’ve not kept a clean sheet in 14 games, it seems likely we’ll have to do that more than once.

“I think psychologically to go there at 1-0 is completely different to the 1-1,” he said in his press conference.

“Now we know that we have to go there and win the game and we have to score goals. We cannot play any games, we have to go there with the determination to be an attacking team and hurt them.”

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