Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta has praised his squad for a “really good” display in their 3-2 win at Chelsea in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.
Ben White and Viktor Gyokeres put the Gunners 2-0 up either side of half-time before Martin Zubimendi netted their third goal to give them the aggregate lead ahead of the second leg, albeit in-between an eventual brace for Chelsea’s Alejandro Garnacho.
Arteta in his post-match interview on www.arsenal.com praised the squad for their performance but felt that a fourth goal would of been achievable, yet believes that Garnacho’s second goal has left the tie in the balance ahead of the second leg on 3 February at the Emirates Stadium.
“First of all, I have to praise the players for the performance in the game that we just played against a really good opponent. With so much quality on that pitch, we had the feeling at the end, after the 1-3 and the very dominant period that we had in that time, that we had two massive chances to score the fourth one.
“The result would have been very different, but in that moment, they had an action, they created a corner, they scored a goal and it’s game on. So that feeling is not perfect, but as well we have to value what the team has done again.”
White opened the scoring with a seventh-minute header then provided the cross which set up Gyokeres’ finish from Chelsea goalkeeper – Robert Sanchez’s fumble, with Arteta pleased at his performance levels in the last few seasons beyond just recent weeks.
“I think I’ve said it many times about how I feel about Ben and not what he’s done in the last few weeks, but what he’s done for us in the last few years.
“He’s shown that in various contexts that he’s a player that’s going to give absolutely everything for the team, that he’s always there, he’s someone you can count on in any circumstances, and I think tonight he’s done what he has to do.”
Gyokeres had struggled to hit his goalscoring heights since he arrived at Arsenal last summer but Arteta was pleased with the Swede’s insistence which saw his second goal within this competition, having scored his only previous such goal in September 2020 at Brighton in a 4-0 home win over Portsmouth.
“Yes, for a lot of other things that he’s done, it’s exactly the same. I think he had a really good performance overall; I think what he brings to the team, it’s a lot sometimes. I understand that people cannot appreciate it, we certainly do that, and on top of that he got rewarded with a goal.”
Despite holding the aggregate lead in the tie, Arteta has refused to get carried away as he warned that their home leg will be just as tough as he complimented Chelsea for giving his team a proper battle.
“Well, it’s another step and it’s just half-time, and we know the big fight that we’re going to have back at the Emirates in a few weeks’ time, because they are a top side.”
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