‘There was nothing’: Nicolas Pepe delivers honest verdict after latest Arsenal defeat

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Arsenal attacker Nicolas Pepe has given an honest assessment of his side’s performance against Manchester City on Sunday.

The Gunners conceded a poor goal a little over a minute into the game. Things could have gone from bad to worse quickly, but we weathered the storm and somehow managed to end the game 1-0.

No Arsenal fan expected anything from the game considering how good City have been over the last three months. However, many are frustrated that the only goal they managed to score was a completely avoidable one if we had defended properly.

Pepe was asked about the same and the Ivorian bluntly claimed that Arsenal have ‘concentration problems’ which needs to be fixed immediately.

He told RMC Sport: “We have concentration problems, we have to fix that. We had chances in this match as well. There was a goal (from Sterling) and then there was nothing.”

Arsenal Insider’s view:

Arsenal started the game terribly and we just cannot afford to do that against a team like Manchester City. They punished us immediately and that mistake was enough to kill the game off completely.

The saddest part about the early goal is that it is becoming a recurring theme.

Manchester City have opened the scoring in under five minutes in four of their last six visits to the Emirates. They scored in the 14th and the 15th minute respectively in the other two games, and that set has set the tone every time.

Once they are in the lead, we will be playing into their hands. We will have to take risks to have an impact at the other end of the pitch. Once we do that, space opens up in our own half and they have multiple players who can exploit that.

Arsenal, thankfully, didn’t capitulate after conceding so early yesterday, but a loss is still a loss. That’s now 11 defeats in the Premier League this season and that is simply not good enough for a side aiming to make it into the top four.