LONDON • Arsenal will face Belarusian outfit Bate Borisov after yesterday's Europa League round of 32 draw and Unai Emery knows the tournament may just be his side's best chance of qualifying for next season's Champions League should there be more defensive horror nights like Sunday.
The Gunners' 22-match unbeaten run in all competitions ended after a shock 3-2 Premier League loss against struggling Southampton, falling three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
Right-back Stephan Lichtsteiner, midfielder Granit Xhaka and a half-fit Laurent Koscielny, playing only his second game after seven months out following Achilles surgery, formed a makeshift backline that struggled to cope with the Saints' aerial bombardment.
They conceded three headed goals at St Mary's and the Spaniard conceded afterwards his side had to defend with more composure if they were to clinch a place in the top four to end their two-season Champions League absence.
"If we won't win like today, we cannot be in the top four. Other teams, usually they are winning," he said after a sloppy display capped by an error by goalkeeper Bernd Leno for striker Charlie Austin's 85th-minute winner.
The Arsenal manager, however, refused to blame the one-game suspensions of regular centre-backs Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos, as well as the injury to right-back Hector Bellerin, who went off at half-time, for the error-strewn performance.
He said: "We haven't conceded a lot of chances but today, they (Southampton) scored three goals. We need to do some analysis on how we can improve and do better. We need to continue taking responsibility for the 90 minutes."
Â
Â
Â
Bellerin would likely be out for "some weeks" after suffering a calf strain and Emery admitted he might move for players in the January transfer window if Arsenal fall further behind in the top-four race.
He added: "Only if we think the players can't help us with a good performance. January is not a good transfer window for this reason, but we are going to look and the club is working on transfers in January."
However, the club also have a Plan B as winning the Europa League represents a direct route into European football's premier competition and they were given a boost after a comparatively easier draw which also saw the Blues paired with Sweden's Malmo.
The pick of the round was the tie between five-time champions Sevilla and Italian side Lazio. The first legs will be played on Feb 14, with return legs a week later.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
Dec 13, 2012 · MLS: Former Mexico and Barcelona star Rafael Márquez is to leave the New York Red Bulls, ending a troubled time in MLS. But where does he rank among the league's big-signing flops.
Footballer Emiliano Sala's family grieved on Friday after British authorities formally identified his body as the one recovered from the submerged wreckage of a plane that went down in the Channel
Family mourn Emiliano Sala after body in Channel wreckage
Abu Dhabi: Japan captain Maya Yoshida promised the Blue Samurai would come back stronger after suffering a shock 3-1 defeat by Qatar in the Asian Cup final. A moment of magic from Qatar striker
2019 AFC Asian Cup - Wikipedia
Juventus achieved objective, despite everything going wrong - Allegri even on a night where everything seemed to go wrong," Allegri told Rai Sport. "I haven't seen the disallowed goal
Goal achieved despite everything going wrong, Football News
SINGAPORE: Singapore's national footballer Ikhsan Fandi has signed a two-year contract with Norwegian second tier side Raufoss IL, the club announced on its website on Sunday (Jan 13). The 19-year
Ikhsan Fandi: European football is different and Raufoss
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said he was not disappointed by his players' effort despite suffering a surprise 3-2 home defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday. Ilkay Gundogan opened the
Guardiola stays cool despite shock Man City defeat
With Silva, Portugal no more just the Ronaldo show, Football
Revived Dutch ready for 'big things' AMSTERDAM • After years of languishing in the wilderness, it is fair to say Dutch football is enjoying something of a renaissance, with Ajax, the country's most successful club, at the heart of its revival.
Dutch Sheets: A Great Shift Is Upon Us That Will Continue
Rescuers ended their search on Thursday for the plane carrying Premier League soccer player Emiliano Sala, which disappeared over the English Channel three days ago, after saying there was little
Football: British rescuers end search for missing plane
West Ham leave it late to see off spirited Huddersfield Soccer Football - Premier League - West Ham United v Huddersfield Town - London Stadium, London, Britain - March 16, 2019 West Ham's
West Ham leave it late to see off spirited Huddersfield - msn.com
May 4 (Reuters) - Edinson Cavani missed a stoppage-time penalty as Paris St Germain continued their stuttering end to the season with a 1-1 Ligue 1 draw at home to Nice, with Neymar notching his 50th goal for the club. The visitors took the lead early in the second half through Ignatius Ganago
0 comments:
Post a Comment