HELL HOLES AS GUNS BLOW IT
Arteta’s stung by last-gasp header
MIKEL ARTETA told his team to do their talking on the pitch – but they were left speechless after a late sucker punch.
Stung by criticism from former Gunners great Emmanuel Petit and Sky TV pundit Gary Neville, Arteta wanted a message sent out.
But the major talking point was that skipper Pierre-emerick Aubameyang is back in the dog house.
Dropped for the North London derby after turning up late to a team meeting, he was back on the bench again for this quarter-final clash.
And without him Arsenal lacked cutting edge, with Willian and Alexandre Lacazette both hitting the post against a dogged and dangerous Slavia Prague.
That was until Nicolas Pepe came off the bench to give the Gunners the lead in the 86th minute with a delightful dink.
But Slavia Prague fought back with a last-minute strike from Tomas Holes to gift them a vital away goal.
With his team sitting 10 points off a top-four spot, Arteta admitted before kick-off that this was all or nothing. On paper it could have been a lot worse, as Slavia had major injury problems at the back. Defender Ondrej Kudela was suspended while UEFA investigates claims he racially abused Rangers player Glen Kamara in the last round.
But Slavia quickly served notice of their attacking intent when Lukas Provod, shooting on sight, smashed a long-range effort just over.
That though was either team managed blazed over at the minutes in.
A piece of magic from Cedric Soares, playing as a makeshift left-back after Kieran Tierney’s injury, resulted in Rob the only shot until Lacazette other end 28
Holding having a header tipped over. Arsenal pressed and harried. They ran and chased and put a shift in. But they created so little.
Bukayo Saka, who had been as good as anyone, was brought down right on the edge of the Slavia box just after half time by David Zima.
And from the resulting free-kick Willian hit the post with a curling effort that left Prague keeper Ondrej Kolar rooted to the spot.
But whenever Arsenal seemed to get into good positions from open play, they chose the wrong option or played a poor final ball.
And Bernd Leno had to be alert to stop a Jan Boril shot that took a deflection off Hector Bellerin.
The Gunners should have taken the lead when Lacazette robbed Oscar Dorley in the centre circle.
The Frenchman had a free run on goal but chipped the ball up past the keeper only to see it hit the woodwork and the danger was cleared.
Lacazette spooned another good chance miles over shortly afterwards, wasting a glorious low cross from Saka.
Petr Sevcik should have punished a poor clearance from Cedric before Arteta finally gave in and sent on Aubameyang – who promptly missed from six yards!
But thankfully for Arsenal’s misfiring strikers, Pepe was composed enough to lift the ball over Kolar to give them a late lead.
But, in typical Arsenal fashion, Holes was in the right place to head home inside the six-yard box at the death.
ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Leno 6; Bellerin 7, Holding 7, Gabriel 6, Cedric 6; Xhaka 6, Partey 7 (Elneny 78); SAKA 8 (Pepe 77), Smith Rowe 6 (Ceballos 88), Willian 6 (Martinelli 73, 6); Lacazette 5 (Aubameyang 78) SLAVIA PRAGUE (4-2-3-1): Kolar 6; Bah 6, Zima 6, Holes 6, Boril 7; Hromada 5 (Sevcik 46, 6), Provod 6; Dorley 6 (Lingr 69, 6), Stanciu 6 (Masopust 84), Olayinka 6 (Traore 85); Sima 6 (Kuchta 69, 6) REFEREE: Andreas Ekberg 6