A Bukayo Saka-inspired Arsenal were far superior to Slavia Prague during their 4-0 Europa League quarter-final victory, coach Jindrich Trpisovsky admitted in quotes reported by iSport.
From wasteful to ruthless.
After squandering chance after chance after chance during that 1-1 first leg draw at the Emirates, Mikel Arteta’s side wasted no time righting the wrongs of last Thursday in Prague.
Slavia had not lost a home game on their own soil in nearly 18 months going into the game but you’d have never guessed it, given the way Arsenal ripped into their usually iron-clad defence early on.
The London giants were three goals up and cruising inside 24 minutes, with Nicolas Pepe, Emile Alexandre Lacazette and the sumptuous Saka all finding the net.
A late Lacazette strike put the cherry on the icing on the cake too, with Arsenal producing perhaps their finest performance of the European campaign at precisely the right time.
“Arsenal were better (than us) at everything. They deservedly advanced (to the semi-finals),” said an understandably disappointed Trpisovsky, who believes a lack of energy cost his side dear against a team who exchanged passes with pace and precision.
“In particular, they were extremely good at moving the ball. We had an empty tank, we were not able to move as before in matches.
“They were much more dynamic, faster, more mobile than we were.”
Arsenal will now face Villarreal – and former coach Unai Emery – with a place in the final at stake.
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