Arsenal players “need someone to hit them”, Martin Keown claims while beating their “negligent mistakes” … before Karen Carney says that Mikel Arteta “seems lost” after the agonizing of the Europa League equality against Slavia Prague
- Martin Keown says Arsenal players need someone to punch them in the face
- The Gunners drew level in the last minute against Slavia Prague
- Keown said Mikel Arteta’s players must wake up before they can play
- His colleague, Karen Carney, added that he thought the Arsenal boss seemed “lost”
- Disaster for the throws, while the Czech team scores the last-minute draw at the Emirates
Martin Keown said that Arsenal players need someone to “put them on their feet” to wake them up after their gloomy display saw them give up an equalizer during the injury against Slavia Prague in the Europa League.
The Gunners took the lead in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Europa League at the Emirates, thanks to the completion of Nicolas Pepe in the 86th minute, but Tomas Holes equalized to give the Czech team a vital away goal.
Mikel Arteta’s team was disheartening and missed chances to withdraw early in the game before a weak defense from a corner saw them give up the advantage.
Martin Keown entered Arsenal after his draw with Slavia Prague on Thursday night
Arsenal awarded a last-minute euqaliser in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals
Former Arsenal defender Keown joined the Gunners for their misleading approach in the first half before improving after the break.
The pundit claimed that it was as if the players needed to be woken up to start playing.
“For me it was about Arsenal tonight and about the way they played. Sitting, they chose the wrong tactic, “Keown said BT Sport.
“There was an opportunity to take the initiative and ask questions, can you play? But they were allowed to settle down and build from behind.
Tomas Holes equalized from a corner during the injury to give Slavia a vital away goal.
Keown also hit the “careless mistakes” that led to the equalization of visitors to death
“In the first half he got nervous and they weren’t the team we saw a few weeks ago against West Ham, for example. It seems that Arsenal are not proactive in games, they need someone to slap them or punch them in the face before they wake up and start playing.
“He (Arteta) did it in the second half with substitutions, but they didn’t make it.”
Keown added that it is difficult for Arteta to receive a reaction from the players, before criticizing the careless mistakes that led to Slavia’s equalizer.
‘(The result is) extremely disappointing, it will be difficult now for Arteta. He made a lot of changes in the club, many people were allowed to go. There have been a lot of problems for Arsenal over the years with players coming in and out.
“He leads now and doesn’t get much reaction from the team. I make mistakes carelessly and it cost them. We expected him to speak in the field. It’s the same old story, Arsenal scoring goals. It is a disastrous result, but it is not the end.
Karen Carney said the Gunners boss seems “lost” and suggested the game group be split
Karen Carney, her BT colleague, said the Gunners boss seemed “lost” and suggested the game group was split.
“It took them too long to fix and maybe because of the lack of driving on the field,” Carney said.
“They had chances and they didn’t take them. He certainly wanted a better reaction. Sometimes it was hard to follow, they didn’t know what to do.
“I think Arteta seems a little lost and maybe he needs even a little guidance, he is still the youngest manager in the Premier League.
He tried one way, he tries differently. The group seems a bit fragmented and they don’t do what he wants them to do. It’s almost everywhere in the store. ‘
