Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says that a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal caused his side a 2-1 defeat to Lens in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Having won PSV 4-0 in the opening fixture of their Champions League campaign a fortnight ago, many expected the Gunners to ease past a struggling Lens in convincing fashion. That seemed to be the case after Arsenal opened the scoring through Gabriel Jesus.
However, the game did not follow the script as Lens came from behind to claim a famous 2-1 victory, throwing the group open after two rounds of action. It was worse for Mikel Arteta, who also lost Bukayo Saka to a hamstring injury, ahead of a mammoth clash against Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday.
Arteta says last of efficiency in front of goal cost Arsenal
Speaking after the game, Arteta said: “Firstly congratulations to Lens,”.
“They are a really good side, we knew that, we expected a really tough match, and we faced a really tough match.”
“We made the most difficult thing – scoring the first goal – we were in total control of the game, that’s when we conceded the goal. After that we had four or three big chances to score and in Europe you have to kill the game when you have those chances.”
“That was the difference between today and PSV. Against PSV in both boxes we were exceptional and today we haven’t, and when we haven’t done it in one area, in our own area, to concede the second goal was poor.”
“We knew that was going to be a battle, you see the atmosphere, you see the team that they are, what they have done last season.”
Arsenal will have the chance to return to winning ways on Sunday, when they take on Manchester City in a vital Premier League clash at Emirates Stadium.
“It’s a huge game for us,” Arteta added.
“We have to sort out this one. After 11 games to have the first defeat is always tough, it’s part of us to test how good we are to come back.”
Responding to whether he regrets starting Saka against Lens, Arteta said: ”No, it was a knock that he picked up the other day, and he was perfectly fine. It wasn’t an action, it was a backheel that can produce that type of injury. Let’s see what the extent of it is, and afterwards, it was too late as well.”
