Arsenal Win 2-1 in Prague But Slavia Made Them Work For It
SportSignals Match Desk · Football analysis desk ·
Arsenal win. Two goals to one. Noni Madueke in the ninth minute, Viktor Gyökeres in the 38th, and then a nervy final ten minutes after Wiktor Nowak pulled one back for Slavia Praha in the 90th. Job done. But only just.
The thing is, Arsenal came into this in decent shape in this competition. Five Champions League matches completed, three wins, two draws, no losses. That is a good record. Slavia came in with no wins from their three completed matches, one draw and two losses, conceding seven. On paper, Arsenal were always the better side. The pitch told a slightly different story.
The First Half: Arsenal Take Control, Then Get Sloppy
Madueke got Arsenal moving early. Ninth minute, right foot, with Viktor Gyökeres supplying the assist. That is exactly the kind of start you want away from home. Get the goal, make them chase the game, and control from there. Arsenal had 56 per cent of the ball overall and they put it to decent use in the first period.
Gyökeres then turned scorer before the break. Mikel Merino with the assist this time, 38 minutes on the clock. Two-nil at half time against a side who had conceded seven in three Champions League matches. That should have been enough to coast through the second half. It was not.
Listen, Slavia were not a walkover. They had 18 total shots in this match to Arsenal's 12. They had six shots on target. They had 15 total crosses, five of which were accurate. They were creating. Their big chances created number was four. Arsenal's was five. This was not a one-sided match by any means. Slavia have an attitude. They competed. You cannot take that away from them.
The Second Half: Discipline Issues and a Nervy Finish
The second half was where Arsenal got ragged. Ezri Konsa picked up a yellow card in the 53rd minute for a foul and was then substituted off in the 62nd, replaced by Cristhian Mosquera. Declan Rice followed with a yellow of his own in the 68th minute. Two yellows for Arsenal, both for fouls. That is an accountability issue. You are two goals up in a Champions League away game. You cannot afford to be giving the referee decisions to make.
Eberechi Eze was also taken off in the 62nd minute, with Christos Tzolis coming on. Ben White made way for Jurriën Timber in the 78th. Gyökeres, who had done the damage with his goal, was withdrawn for Ødegaard at the same time. Arsenal were managing the game. The question is whether they managed it well enough.
The answer is almost. Slavia got their goal in the 90th minute through Wiktor Nowak, assisted by David Jurásek who had come on as a substitute in the 71st. A late goal conceded. Sloppy. It did not cost Arsenal the points on this occasion but that is exactly the kind of moment that tells you standards have slipped. You are two goals up with ten minutes left. You do not give the opposition a goal on a plate at the death.
What the Numbers Tell You
Slavia had 19 interceptions to Arsenal's eight. They worked hard. They pressed. They fouled Arsenal 15 times. They were not passive. Slavia also won 46 duels compared to Arsenal's 67, so Arsenal were physically dominant, but Slavia refused to lie down. They had 12 shots inside the box. They hit the woodwork once. They had three big chances missed. In a different match, on a different night, that could have been level.
Arsenal's goalkeeper made four saves. Slavia's keeper made three. The clean sheet was gone by the final whistle, which will not please anyone who backs Arsenal to keep one in this competition. Arsenal had kept clean sheets in three of their five previous Champions League matches. This was not one of those nights.
Duels won: Arsenal 67, Slavia 46. Tackles won: Arsenal 14, Slavia 12. Successful headers: Arsenal 23, Slavia 12. Arsenal were stronger physically across the board, and that matters. But the shots total going 18 to 12 in favour of the home side is not something you can ignore. Slavia generated volume. Arsenal were more economical. Two goals from five shots on target is a decent conversion. Slavia managed one from six.
What This Match Means Going Forward
Arsenal have the quality. Madueke on the right, Gyökeres through the middle, Merino in midfield providing assists. When Arsenal are switched on and moving, they are hard to stop in this competition. Five matches, three wins, two draws. No losses. That is a solid body of work in the Champions League.
But the late goal here, the yellow cards, the volume of shots Slavia were allowed to generate, these are the things that will cost you against better opposition. Arsenal got away with it in Prague. Slavia Praha, with no wins in their three completed Champions League matches coming in, pushed them right to the wire. That should not be happening.
The thing is, results business. Arsenal got the result. Three points. That matters most. But the performance had enough holes in it to make you think there is work to do. When you are winning two-nil with minutes left, you see the game out. You do not give them a consolation that keeps their fans singing and your manager answering questions afterwards.
Slavia competed. They had desire. But desire without quality only gets you so far in the Champions League. Arsenal had both on the night when it mattered. End of.
