Arteta Unleashes Fury on Arsenal Squad as New Weakness Emerges Alongside Old Demons
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta criticized the unusual lack of focus that affected his team during their frustrating 1-1 stalemate with Bayer Leverkusen, emphasizing how his players were "aware" of the threats their Champions League opponents presented but still fell victim to them.
The Gunners were lucky to leave the opening leg of their round-of-16 clash in Leverkusen with a point. Following a lackluster opening period, the German side earned a well-deserved advantage just moments into the second half through a cleverly executed corner kick. Kai Havertz scored from the penalty spot in the 89th minute against his former club to secure a draw, though Arteta's demeanor remained notably grim.
Leverkusen's goal especially troubled the Arsenal manager, whose team takes great pride in their set-piece dominance. Martin Terrier had nearly opened the scoring earlier with a coordinated move right after the second-half restart. David Raya managed to push the French forward's header over the crossbar but was helpless to stop Robert Andrich's close-range strike moments afterward.
"We talked about this during the break and anticipated they would come out aggressively, particularly since we were familiar with specific patterns they use from kickoffs, having seen three examples over the weekend, yet we still got exposed," Arteta fumed. "We lacked sufficient preparation."
When it was suggested to the Arsenal boss that Leverkusen had crafted an excellent routine, skillfully screening the red shirts to give Andrich clear access to the ball, Arteta remained skeptical. "There are always two perspectives to consider," he remarked coolly.
"One aspect is how the opposition identified that vulnerability, that absence of focus or intensity in both instances, and the other is our responsibility, because we were informed, we presented them with three video examples from the previous weekend showing three different approaches, yet we weren't prepared for it, and we were caught off guard."
Arsenal can (and have been) criticized for numerous issues this campaign. However, among accusations of delaying tactics, set-piece dependency and outright gamesmanship, complacency hasn't appeared on the charge sheet. Andrich's 46th-minute surprise strike marked only the fourth occasion Arsenal have conceded within five minutes of the second-half resumption. In comparison, they have found the net eight times during this period.
What Leverkusen Manager Said to Arsenal's Set-Piece Coach
What Leverkusen Manager Said to Arsenal's Set-Piece Coach
Leverkusen head coach Kasper Hjulmand letting Nicolas Jover know Arsenal aren't the only ones who score from set-pieces. pic.twitter.com/OLLgHBw9xI
This campaign has been rewarding for Arsenal's set-piece specialist Nicolas Jover. The controversial figure featured in a north London street art piece has watched his team match the record for most corner goals in a single Premier League season—each reportedly earning him a financial reward.
Nevertheless, Jover found himself in an uncomfortable position when Arsenal conceded from a corner in Leverkusen. The German club's manager Kasper Hjulmand deliberately approached Arsenal's confused coach, who could only respond with, "You employ these tactics as well, don't you?"
Hjulmand had spoken highly of the Gunners before the match and disclosed afterward that he drew inspiration from Jover's strategies. "I'm simply wondering, is it actually within the regulations to body-check and eliminate players away from the ball?" the Danish manager pondered.
"So he [Jover] was simply observing [and commenting], 'You employ these methods too, don't you?' Indeed, we utilize them as well. Therefore it applies to all clubs, we're all implementing these approaches."
Arsenal Take Unwanted Trip Back in Time
Arsenal Take Unwanted Trip Back in Time
Very 2020 coded pic.twitter.com/sZCFYbItzt
While allowing a corner goal might damage Jover's reputation, it was far from the sole worry on Wednesday evening.
The Gunners had scarcely troubled Leverkusen throughout the opening 45 minutes. The sole notable opportunity arose from an uncommon burst of swift passing after the hosts had pushed forward but concluded with Gabriel Martinelli striking the woodwork. Even after conceding, Arteta acknowledged that his team displayed minimal signs of mounting a comeback.
"We experienced 10-15 minutes where we lacked sufficient danger and adequate comprehension of how we needed to break down that defensive structure," he regretted. This inability to penetrate resolute defensive organization has characterized the season—Arsenal sit fifth in the Premier League for expected goals from open play—but this performance was particularly poor.
Confronted by the dense wall of Leverkusen's 5-4-1 formation, the Gunners couldn't even create opportunities to attempt incisive passes. Too frequently, Arsenal's extended spells of possession amounted to circulating the ball around the opposition penalty area in a tediously predictable horseshoe pattern. This sluggish lack of penetration strongly echoed the difficulties Arsenal faced during the early stages of Arteta's tenure.
Martin Ødegaard's permanent signing in 2021 helped solve this problem and his absence in Germany was glaringly apparent. Despite the strangely targeted criticism directed at the captain, he remains the most effective creative player in Arsenal's roster—a position that Eberechi Eze has failed to seriously contest.
Bukayo Saka also struggled against Leverkusen, yet his substitute, Noni Madueke, demonstrated an alternative path to goal. When there's no space to thread a pass through, simply drive toward that cluster of defenders. This approach earned the penalty that kept Arsenal level in the tie, but they must perform better to progress further in the tournament.