Mikel Arteta spoke after Arsenal’s hard-fought 2-1 Champions League win at Slavia Prague in which Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokers scored for the Gunners.
Arsenal got the job done in Prague as they battled their way to a narrow 2-1 win over Slavia to take another step towards qualifying for the top eight.
The Gunners led 2-0 at half-time after goals from Noni Madueke and Victor Gyokeres, but bid the hosts back into the contest and fought tooth and nail to see out a victory that took their Champions League tally to 10.
Here’s every word Mikel Arteta had to say as he bemoaned his side’s sloppiness after the game.
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A good win in the end, but not the best finish. Did you end up having to work for it?
“Yes, well, first of all you have to appreciate that it is very difficult to win at home. As we expected, we did it against a really tough opponent. Two very different parts. First, we played at a really high level in terms of pace, intensity, quality and clarity. or five the game. Because this is a team with great spirit and great faith.
“And if you give them something, they’re going to take it. And right from the start, we were way off our standards in everything we had to do, every fundamental, every concept, everything we talked about in the second half to run away from the game we played. So, yeah, we were way off the standard we expected of each other. But, yeah, we found a way to get that result, we ended up winning the game.
What would you attribute this, the drop in the second half?
“I’ve already mentioned a few things and some others I’ll keep to myself.”
How do you explain the enemy? Slavia had 17 shots to your 12?
“I’ve already talked about the things we didn’t do. I’d rather not mention some of them. It’s a big learning. Learn from the first half and learn what we’re capable of. Learn from the second half. Obviously, this is the third away game we’ve had in a very few days. I think we’re the only team in the Champions League to have played three away games. I don’t like to use it because what we did in the first half was at the level we wanted and we need to improve in the second.
Gyokeres, goals and assists?
“I thought he was really good. It’s a game we believe he’s really good at. For the demands of the opposition, for the gaps he can exploit. He did that very well. Not only the assist and the goal, but he was really committed to the team. Yeah, it’s great news because I think he needed that performance.”
Gyokeres’ link play?
“He’s done that very well. He’s understood very well when to come on, when to threaten. Because they’re going to go, we’ve got four players tomorrow. Midfield, there’s a lot of space there. So when you say he’s really committed to the team, the main thing is what you just mentioned. I’m very happy because overall I think he’s had a great performance apart from the goals and the assists.”
Challenge for him? Is he Sweden’s main man?
“Well, that’s a question for him. But I imagine every player wants to play every game. Winning is no different. What players have to do when they’re given an opportunity in a part of the game is to show what he did today and the level he can produce. And that’s a very, very positive thing for the team.”
Ryan’s importance? is it still developing?
“He had to show his quality again. It was more than we expected. So that’s great. But yeah, it’s not like we’ve shown in the past to worry too much about what happened before.”
Konsa felt the knee, hey ok?
“Obviously he’s been playing a lot. He’s been playing a lot the last couple of weeks and he’s had some issues and we’ve decided to take him out.”
Rice started, worried?
“Well, the game called for it and he did it. He was well rested against Fleetwood as well. So he’s had a really good week to recover. It’s only the second game I’ve played, not the fifth. So we’re expecting our players to be able to do that. I think he’s had some really good moments.”
Is Slavia better than last year?
“I don’t know. I think they’re a really good side. Talking about the things we didn’t do in the second half, I think it’s fair to say they did very well. It’s an incredible team in terms of spirit and how committed they are to the game and how confident they are in what they can produce. And they cost us a lot throughout the game and continued. There are a lot of problems.”