Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted his side fell "extremely far from our standards" during their 2-1 victory over Slavia Prague. Despite securing three points in the Champions League, Arteta took full responsibility for a alarming second-half drop-off.
Arteta frustrated by stark contrast in performance
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta offered a candid assessment following his side's 2-1 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague. While pleased with the first-half display, the Spaniard expressed deep concern over how the Gunners lost control after the break.
"Two very different halves - the first we played at a really high level in terms of intensity, tempo, quality and clarity in what we had to do... We were very efficient - we should have scored three, four or five," Arteta stated.
"Right from the beginning of the half, we were extremely far from our standards, the basics, the concepts, and everything we discussed to avoid," the manager added.
Boss accepts full blame for second-half slump
Slavia recorded 17 shots in the second half—the joint-most faced by Arteta's Arsenal in a Champions League fixture—prompting the manager to address the tactical regression directly. "It’s a huge lesson, and we’ll learn from the second half," Arteta explained.
"There are a lot of factors - but I don’t like to use that... I take full responsibility for the drop in the second half."
Addressing Ezri Konsa's early substitution, Arteta noted: "He’s played a lot, so many games in the last few weeks, and he had some issues and we decided to take him off."
Manager highlights Raya reliance and Gyokeres impact
Arteta praised goalkeeper David Raya for making crucial late saves while admitting the stopper was overworked. "He had to show his quality again, much more than we expected... but we’re concerned about what happened before that," Arteta remarked.
Conversely, the boss hailed Viktor Gyokeres' goal-and-assist contribution: "He was really good... He’s done it really well, not just for the assist and the goal, but he was really connected to the team."
"It’s really great news for him, because he really needed that performance," Arteta added.
Domestic focus follows European warning
Despite the performance concerns, Arsenal returned from the Czech capital with 10 points from four matches to sit third in the Champions League table.
Arteta will use the second-half display as a vital teaching moment as domestic action resumes.
The Gunners host Hull City in the Premier League on Saturday, aiming for a fifth straight league win before the international break.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
