Arteta: We should've scored three or four in the first half; I'd still rotate heavily again

Arsenal beat Slavia Prague 2-1 away on Matchday 4 of the Champions League league phase to secure their third win in the competition this season. Speaking to the media after the match, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta discussed the stark contrast between his side’s first- and second-half performances, why they lost control of the game after the break, his six changes to the starting line-up, and the team’s recent run of away fixtures amid a congested schedule.

Reporter: Mikel, this was an away win in Europe, but judging by your reaction on the touchline, particularly in the second half, I take it you weren’t happy with the final 45 minutes?

Arteta: No, obviously we have to recognise that winning away from home in the Champions League is extremely difficult. We know that very well. We knew the venue we were coming to and the opposition we were facing. It was a game of two very different halves. In the first half, I thought we played at a very high level — at times, we were exceptional. We should have had three or four goals to show for it, but we didn’t manage to score them.

At half-time, I told the players that our opponents were an incredibly determined team, that they would keep running and believing in themselves, and that the game would become more chaotic. We completely failed to take control. We were on the back foot from the start, played far too casually, gave the ball away too often and made too many poor clearances. We couldn't keep possession or maintain our shape. When that happens, you have to suffer because every team in the Champions League is very good. We have a lot of lessons to learn.

Reporter: From your perspective, what changed? Why do you think they lost control and allowed their intensity to drop so much in the second half?

Arteta: Well, there are many different reasons. I’ve just mentioned some of them. I’ll keep the others in-house.

Reporter: Looking ahead, how do you plan to make sure this doesn’t happen again? Is it about guarding against complacency, maintaining your intensity and making sure you score the third, fourth and fifth goals you should have scored in the first half?

Arteta: Yes, we should have done that in the first half. If you don’t manage it in the first half, you have to keep pushing in the second and stick to what we discussed—the tactical principles and ideas you need to follow against a team that knows exactly what it wants to do. Otherwise, you’ll quickly find yourself in trouble.

Reporter: Did you see the positives tonight? Your changes to the lineup clearly paid off, with all three forwards looking sharp. Viktor Gyökeres scored again, and Noni Madueke seems unstoppable at the moment.

Arteta: Yes, we made six changes, which means a lot of rotation in the starting lineup, but we know the quality of our players. As for whether we were missing something, I don’t know, but I would still make the same decision because these lads deserve to play.

Reporter: Looking ahead, do you feel that securing these three points allows you to turn your attention to the match against Hull City?

Arteta: Yes, I really appreciate the effort the team has put in. It’s only early November, and we’ve already played 11 away games. This was our third away game in seven days, so I understand how difficult that is, but we should be setting higher standards for ourselves.