Mikel Arteta bemoans Arsenal's slow reaction to Bayer Leverkusen kick-off in UEFA Champions League - ‘Not paying enough attention’

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Mikel Arteta explained that he had shown his Arsenal players clips of Bayer Leverkusen's restarts before their match in the Champions League on Wednesday in preparation for their creative set-pieces. But at the start of the second half, Leverkusen worked their way through the Arsenal team and had their best chance of the game. From the resulting corner, the German side took the lead.

Highlights: Last-gasp Havertz goal rescues Arsenal draw at Leverkusen

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Mikel Arteta was not impressed by Arsenal's slow reaction to Bayer Leverkusen’s second half kick-off in their 1-1 draw in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

Straight from the restart at half-time, Leverkusen played through the Arsenal defence with a slick passing move resulting in an acrobatic save from David Raya to tip Martin Terrier’s header over the bar.

But from that ensuing corner, Robert Andrich powered home to give the German side the lead against the Premier League leaders.

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Although Kai Havertz levelled the scores from the penalty spot in the final minutes, Arteta expressed his displeasure at how his team began the second half.

"We wanted to start very strong in the second half and we’ve done completely the opposite," the Spaniard told TNT Sports. "It starts [from] not paying enough attention on the kick-off which we already discussed before the match. From that they have a clear header and they score."

Arteta added that Arsenal’s coaching staff had shown players clips of Leverkusen’s restarts in previous matches to prepare themselves for it.

'Football has some nice stories' - Arteta on Havertz scoring on Leverkusen return

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"They are the details. Everybody is so prepared in every action and we knew that and they have certain routines because they have done it a few days ago in the Bundesliga three times in a row," he said.

"And we showed those images but you actually have to see it and do it. But we haven’t done it and we’ve paid the price for it."

The moment was the embodiment of Arsenal’s performance in Germany as they looked well below their best.

'They were still in the dressing room' - Keown

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown said The Gunners "switched off, fell asleep" from the restart, while TNT Sports pundit Karen Carney explained that the goal was a result of team-wide failings.

"Leverkusen came out for the second half but Arsenal didn’t," Carney said. "[Bukayo] Saka steps in as if to go: ‘Right, I’ll press.’ And fair play to Leverkusen, we said aesthetically they’re a good team and they can play through you.

"And they said: ‘Right, we’ll throw this at Arsenal and see what they do.’ And to be fair, Raya comes off with an unbelievable save there. But they switched off, Arsenal were still in the dressing room."

Saka, Arsenal’s captain on the evening, particularly looked out of sorts before he was eventually substituted on the hour mark.

Andrich heads Leverkusen in front against Arsenal moments after stunning Raya save

Video credit: TNT Sports

His replacement, Noni Madueke, injected a much-needed spark into the Arsenal team from the right. And his probing run resulted in the foul in the box which gave Havertz the opportunity to level the score.

Despite the "poor" performance, Carney said that Arsenal will feel relatively happy with the position they’re in before next week’s second leg at the Emirates.

"Ultimately a poor performance tonight but still came away at 1-1. So as bad as they played, as poor as they played, as sloppy as they played, they’ve still come away, away from home in Europe, very much still in the game and back to the Emirates for the second leg," she said.

"I thought they were too slow to take opportunities when there were spaces available. But ultimately, when you’re a good team and you don’t play well, you come away with a result and a positive one. And that was what it is."

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