Mikel Arteta is adamant Arsenal “must MASSIVELY improve” after giving away two more sloppy goals in the draw to Sporting Lisbon, with the Spaniard frustrated by the Gunners’ inability to defend the box.
- Mikel Arteta sends a notice to his players after the 2-2 draw with Sporting
- Arsenal took the lead in the game only to finish 2-1 down in the second half.
- Gunners boss says this team must improve in the second leg next week
Mikel Arteta admits his Arsenal side will need to ‘improve massively’ if they are to progress in the Europa League after a 2-2 draw with Sporting Lisbon.
The Gunners boss made six changes to his starting line-up for the Europa League round of 16, with debuting Polish defender Jakub Kiwior and Gabriel Martinelli deployed in the middle in the absence of Eddie Nketiah, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus.
Those changes seemed to have paid off when William Saliba put Arsenal into an early lead, but the Premier League leaders rallied before half-time and played out a 2-2 draw in Portugal to take the Emirates back.
After the game, Arteta warned his players that his team must stop conceding goals and must improve their game if they want to advance to the next round.
“It is true that it is something that we must improve a lot if we want to continue winning games.” The Spanish said Sport.
Mikel Arteta says his team must improve if they want to advance in the Europa League
Granit Xhaka’s deflected shot saw Arsenal win and draw 2-2 with Sporting on Thursday
“When you concede two bad goals like we did away from home in Europe, it’s very difficult to get a positive result.
‘We give away too many simple balls. We have to defend our box much better.’
Saliba’s header was annulled by Goncalo Inacio, with his own header from a corner, finding himself unmarked in the area. With substitute goalkeeper Matt Turner criticized for not reaching the center and not dominating his box.
Paulinho put Sporting ahead after half-time, before the Gunners haphazardly equalized, when Granit Xhaka’s attempted pass deflected wildly past Hidemasa Morita into the net.
“I don’t know if it’s luck, the second goal was luck,” admitted Arteta.
Martinelli was finished, we had a great chance with Fabi [Vieira] too, but it is true that with the 2-1 we conceded a great opportunity that they had to make it 3-1.
Many things to improve, that’s for sure. But we also showed a lot of resistance to stay in the game and to be alive in the tie.
Although Arteta made changes for the European tie, Bukayo Saka was called up again, with the Gunners without several key stars, and the Spanish coach has warned his players to be prepared to add minutes in the final months of the season.
William Saliba got Arsenal off to the perfect start as he led the Gunners into the lead.
Arteta’s men fell behind before halftime when Goncalo Inacio headed in
He continued: ‘At this club you have to play every three days and you have to be fit and available to do it. If not, it’s not worth it.
By making six changes, you lose a bit of cohesion, but we had to make the changes because some players weren’t available, some players have to play different positions because we don’t have forwards. We have to adapt to it.
Arsenal host Fulham this weekend ahead of the second leg against the Portuguese side next week, where Arteta knows his team will need to play better to progress to the next round.
And he added: ‘In this competition, if you want to pass, you have to go through difficult times. We are still alive and hopefully we will play better at the Emirates.”