Arsenal vs Slavia Prague: 4 talking points from Europa League draw

Arsenal have left themselves with it all to do after conceding a careless late equaliser against Slavia Prague in their 1-1 Europa League first leg home draw on Thursday night. Here are the talking points.

The pre-match meltdown was in full swing little over an hour before kick-off with the decision to leave Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang out of the side in favour of Alexandre Lacazette as the centre-forward.

That was one of a number of changes with Hector Bellerin also returning after a few weeks out of the squad, while Cedric took over the left-back duties in Kieran Tierney’s absence.

Team selections are just an instructional guide to how the team will play, with the true meaning behind the lineup only visible after the opening few minutes. Even then it wasn’t entirely sure what the plan was.

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Arsenal vs Slavia Prague: 4 talking points from Europa League draw as Nicolas Pepe has goal cancelled out

Bernd Leno was asked to kick long and beat the Slavia Prague press with balls up to Lacazette, few that came off with the visitors comfortable in possession and Arsenal unable to create anything of note in a flat opening 45 minutes.

Bukayo Saka had a great chance when clean through on the angle, but the one weak point of his game, finishing, let him down when he bent an effort wide of the post.

After the break the Gunners had more control but the issue of having an option in the box remained with the two wide players having acres of space between them in advanced areas and nothing to aim for centrally.

Mikel Arteta changed things around in the 77th minute, bringing on pace to exploit Slavia’s spaces in behind, a move that produced the opening goal with Aubameyang demonstrating strong link up play to feed Nicolas Pepe, who used speed and skill in equal measures to lift the ball over Ondřej Kolář four minutes from time.

However, a failure to clear their lines saw Tomáš Holeš score a crucial away goal deep into stoppage time and leave Arsenal with it all to do in the reverse leg.

Mikel Arteta’s Unwillingness to Change

For a club that had one manager for an unprecedented length of time, certain comparisons will always be drawn. For Arteta, his insistence to stick to his original gameplan when the on-field circumstances are begging for him to alter the approach is very Wenger-esque.

It took Arteta until the 77th minute to make the changes this encounter was screaming out for, even if Gabriel Martinelli entered the fray four minutes prior.

Arsenal were having incredible joy on the break, at least in terms of the numbers, but were hamstrung by the frightening lack of pace of both Willian and Lacazette on the break.

The Frenchman would come so short to link play and release Saka or Emile Smith Rowe either side, leaving the duo with it all to do as they aimed to angle their way into the box. Eventually, he stayed further forward but if you’re looking for someone to release from turnovers, Lacazette is last on the list.

As soon as the changes were made it took literal seconds to produce a result, with Pepe’s energy in behind and Martinelli’s constant movement off the ball disrupting the Slavia backline.

There will not have been a keyboard untouched or a voice box left silent in pleading for these alterations to have been made sooner. It was clear as day.

Arteta’s in game management remains a weakness on his CV.

David Luiz Absence Telling Once More

Rob Holding collects the ball and sees Saka making a darting run in behind Jan Bořil. The defender takes one look down at the ball and one look up to angle his pass. It spoons horribly out for a throw in.

During a desperately flat opening 45 minutes the only avenue worth exploring for Arsenal was through the 19-year-old, who was keeping Bořil heavily occupied on that side. Only found by Lacazette who’d dropped so deep he was alongside the centre-backs, if David Luiz was fit that angle could have been exploited to a far more telling degree.

Additionally, this game would’ve suited Luiz perfectly with Slavia operating in a man-marking system that saw them keep tight on everyone in midfield, in a similar vein to Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds.

Doing so meant the central defenders had the license to carry the ball closer to the halfway line and force the opposition to press differently, freeing the likes of Saka to continue making that run.

Holding’s weak delivery saw a peculiar positional swap take place as he moved out to right-back and Bellerin shifted centrally, perhaps with an eye on having someone who could hit the ball into the vacant spaces.

This game was made for Luiz. 33 years old and heavily scrutinised, his absence is once again missed.

Negligence in Both Boxes Comes Back to Bite – Again

Slavia Prague were there for the taking. They were average. And sadly, this is becoming a regular trait that when should result in one outcome, does not.

Their decision to cover their kit man in a mask and stick him in goal to pose as their No. 1 worked as scared finishing from Arsenal meant he was never tested.

Arsenal should have won this game. Fairly comfortably. Saka spurned a fine opportunity, Lacazette showed zero composure when a simple touch would’ve opened the scoring and Aubameyang had chance seconds after coming on, albeit not an easy one.

To concede the goal so late was cruel, as it can’t be said that Arsenal didn’t deserve to win this game having had all the chances. A bizarre approach and reluctance to change it meant they could have had more.

This was a poor performance. Of that there can be no arguments. Was it among the worst this season? Far from it, but a measure of ‘good’ teams is always if they can win when they play poorly, whereas Arsenal have to play very well to stand any chance.

And this team will continue to fall by the wayside until they eradicate their failings in either box.

Everyone is to Blame for Woeful Game Management

In the seven minutes that followed between Nicolas Pepe‘s goal and Slavia Prague equalising, Arsenal failed to keep possession of the ball for a move lasting longer than three passes.

For seven minutes, the most crucial period of the game, Arsenal did not string four passes together. This is not how you hold a lead. The first rule of protecting your advantage is to keep the ball away from the opponent. This is the antithesis.

Attack is the best form of defence. When you’re winning a game and in relative control of it like Arsenal were in the latter stages, there is no need to shift the approach. Of course, nerves come into play and many players will naturally retreat a few yards, but this insistence to suddenly back so far into your own box and invite pressure is a ticking time bomb.

The decision to bring on Dani Ceballos upset the balance as Smith Rowe’s pressing caused all manner of problems to the makeshift central defenders. This was where Arsenal had the control and while there is sense in protecting Smith Rowe from further injury, three extra minutes will have made no difference to his fitness.

It’s similar to bringing a fifth or sixth defender on in the last minutes, a ploy that while can slow the clock down also abandons whatever got you into that winning position in the first place.

As for the players, Cedric’s frightening lack of a left foot was a contributing factor in the poor decision to fizz a pass back to Gabriel with the pitch open in front of him. As Xhaka said, ‘just clear the ****ing ball away, man’.

Mental weakness unaided by coaching that invites the wrong attitude.