Arsenal boss Arteta: ‘we should have got more from the game’

Europa League Round of 32

BENFICA 1 (Pizzi 55 pen)
ARSENAL 1 (Saka 57)

IT’S a reaction that is becoming worryingly all-too-familiar: “we played well, created big chances but wasn’t ruthless enough.”

But with Arsenal’s hopes of reaching the last-16 of the Europa League hanging in the balance following a 1-1 draw against Benfica tonight (Thursday) explanations are starting to sound a lot like excuses.

Fans have long had mixed feelings about this competition, but European success – as far-fetched as that might sound – is now all that can save Arsenal from a season of abject failure.

Yet such motivation doesn’t seem enough to get the Gunners into top gear, with Mikel Arteta sticking to a script that is now defining the start of his managerial career.

“My feeling is that we should have got more from the game from the amount of chances that we created and the dominance that we showed,” insisted the Gunners boss as he once again repeated his mantra to the press.

“We should be in a much better position than we are. We haven’t been ruthless enough in the opponent’s box and then we gave them a goal with the actions leading to the corner and then the handball.”

One thing that was different this time is that the chances Arteta was talking about were not, for once, just aimless crosses into the box, but gilt-edged.

Fresh from scoring a hat-trick against Leeds in the Premier League, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was perhaps oozing too much confidence as he squandered two great chances.

The striker was more casual than clinical when he inexplicably side-footed wide from close range in the opening 20 minutes.

If he was eager to make amends for the howling miss, however, it didn’t show as the Arsenal captain dragged another effort off target in the second-half.

Instead, it was the ever-reliable Bukayo Saka who once again saved the day as he struck from close range following good work from Cedric Soares.

It was a tidy and timely finish that came just two minutes after Arsenal had fallen behind in the tie, which was played in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico instead of Portugal because of Covid-19 regulations.

Against the run of play Benfica had taken the lead from the penalty spot after Emile Smith Rowe was adjudged to have handled the ball in blocking Diogo Goncalves’ cross, allowing attacking midfielder Pizzi to add to his tournament-high of seven goals.

Reacting to the penalty, Arteta said: “I think it was harsh. He touches the ball maybe on his body before it touches his hand.“

A “positive” second-leg awaits this Thursday at another neutral ground – this time the Karaiskakis Stadium in Athens.

“It’s really difficult to see what the ‘home’ game is going to be like,” added Arteta. “We’re going to be playing in Greece with no crowd and everything will be a bit strange but we’re going to go there to win the game. I am feeling positive.”

Benfica: Leite, Verissimo (Chiquinho, 85), Otamendi, Vertonghen, Goncalves, Taarabt (Gabriel, 77), Weigl, Pizzi (Seferovic, 63), Grimaldo, Waldschmidt (Silva, 45), Nunez (Everton, 63)
Substitutes not used: Svilar, Vlachodimos, Gilberto, Cervi, Pedrinho, Tavares, Ferreira

Arsenal: Leno, Bellerin, Luiz, Gabriel, Cedric (Tierney, 64), Ceballos (Elneny, 90), Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard (Willian, 90), Smith Rowe (Martinelli, 77), Aubameyang (Pepe, 77)
Substitutes not used: Ryan, Hein, Lacazette, Holding, Chambers, Mari, Nketiah