Emery’s frustrated as Wolves fail to wander
ARSENAL manager Unai Emery was frustrated following the 1-1 draw with Wolves despite Henrihk Mkhitaryan’s late equalising goal extending their unbeaten run to 16 games.
The Gunners responded to the horror injury suffered by Danny Welbeck against Sporting Lisbon on Thursday, and falling behind in the first half here through Ivan Cavaleiro’s strike, when Mkhitaryan was fortunate to curl home in the 86th minute.
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno also excelled in denying Wolves when the visitors to the Emirates could have extended their lead, but despite defeat long looking likely, Emery was dissatisfied with Arsenal’s recovery.
The 47-year-old also confirmed Welbeck had broken his ankle and had surgery on Friday.
He said: “In the 90 minutes tactically, it’s enough for a win. When we were drawing, we continued taking risks because we wanted to win but also conceded some chances for them.
“We finished not happy with this point but we also recognised their work.
“The team played with character and we had chances to draw before our goal. We also continued to look for ways to create and to win the game but then we drew. In the last five or 10 minutes, we had the same idea with the risk but also thinking to win.
“Maybe (starting slow is) one thing we can improve but that comes naturally in our work.”
His Wolves counterpart Nuno Espirito Santo praised the visitors’ performance, and their ability to contain Arsenal, following three consecutive defeats.
The promising Morgan GibbsWhite again impressed as a late substitute, hitting the crossbar in stoppage time, and the manager said: “We were defensively very solid, brave, created chances. It was a very good performance.
“We had other chances. It was a good game; to come to such a difficult stadium and be able to say that we were winning until the end against a very good team in Arsenal says a lot, about how we are working, how we want to play. I’m very proud.
“What enabled us to get those chances was our defending; we were very organised and didn’t allow Arsenal to play.
“I was wanting and wishing for that (shot from Gibbs-White) to go in. It was the best decision. He brought energy, which is what we expect from all the changes we try.”