Per Mertesacker has analysed the moment that cost Arsenal so dearly in the 3-2 defeat to Olympiakos on Tuesday and said that his team had no chance of reaching the Champions League knockout phase if they continued to demonstrate such failings.
Arsenal equalised for 2-2 through Alexis Sánchez in the 65th minute but they left themselves horribly exposed at the back immediately afterwards, which allowed the Greek champions to score the winner. The substitute Alfred Finnbogason’s goal came less than 60 seconds after that of Sánchez.
Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, had substituted the defensive midfielder Francis Coquelin for the more attack-minded Aaron Ramsey on the hour and Mertesacker suggested that there had been a rush of blood and a lack of balance after Sánchez’s equaliser.
“We rushed a bit and not everyone came back to a defensive position, like we should have done,” Mertesacker said. “I felt we were a bit exposed. There was no one on the edge of the box. We should have done much better, especially having come back and had a lot of possession in the second half.
“It looked like we rushed ourselves and that is very disappointing. After we scored, it looked like we were not ready to win this game. There was a lack of concentration, a lack of discipline. We need to do much better defensively on these occasions, because these occasions decide more and more games in modern football.”
Arsenal killed themselves with three soft concessions but Mertesacker also felt that their attacking game lacked speed and incision. “At home, we should be much more aggressive from the start and be more dynamic,” he said. “That is what our game is all about. Possession but also, dynamic-wise, we should do much better. The tempo, the speed.
“We need to come back to that if we want to be more successful in the Champions League. If we want to qualify, we need to do much better. When we play like that, with that lack of concentration and discipline, we have got no chance.
“Everyone is disappointed because this was not good enough. They took the lead three times easily and that is something that should not happen, especially when we are at home.”
Arsenal’s hopes of qualification hang by a thread and it is likely that they will need to take points off Bayern Munich, whom they meet at home and then away in the next two ties.
“Everyone is disappointed but we will get up and fight for a minimal chance,” Mertesacker said. “Bayern Munich is a big chance for us to show what a great team we are. We have to prove that we can show up with another performance. Play more aggressive, be more direct to the goal and be more convincing.”
