Martin Keown has slammed Arsenal’s ‘unprofessional’ performance as they crashed out of the Europa League with an extra-time defeat to Olympiakos on Thursday night.
The Gunners legend has told talkSPORT ‘experienced players cost Arsenal’ in the vital moments, while he also criticised manager Mikel Arteta after an embarrassing night at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal were in control of their round-of-32 clash when they came away from Greece with a 1-0 away victory last week.
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Arteta could not believe it as Arsenal were sent crashing out of Europe, with their Champions League qualification hopes now hanging by a thread
But a goal from Pape Abou Cisse forced extra-time in north London and then it went from ecstasy to despair for the Gunners within about ten minutes.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put the hosts back in front with fine scissor kick, but the Greeks scored again after a defensive lapse from the hosts and Aubameyang then missed a glorious chance to win it as Arsenal were dumped out of Europe on away goals.
Keown joined the Sports Breakfast on Friday morning to offer his reaction to the performance, having watched the game as a television pundit for BT Sport.
And he believes the game was proof Arteta, despite the positive changes he has made since his appointment, still has a lot to learn as a top-level manager.
“I have been really impressed with Arteta… until last night,” the Invincible told talkSPORT. “I felt they started the game without pace.
“The opposition sat really deep and Arsenal didn’t have the answers and couldn’t find a way through, and at the end it was such a sucker punch.
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“Okay, you have to credit Olympiakos, but their away record in Europe is shocking – in their past 11 games they’ve lost ten of them.
“It was just too much for Arsenal last night.”
Keown also blasted Arteta for keeping Brazilian striker Gabriel Martinelli on the bench until extra-time.
The 18-year-old has been a surprise star for the Gunners with ten goals and four assists in 25 games this season following his arrival for just £6million last summer.
And Keown says the starlet would have made a huge difference had he been brought on earlier for the ineffective Alexandre Lacazette, who had a game to forget.
“I was incredibly disappointed with that [Martinelli staying on the bench], it seemed glaringly obvious to put him on,” continued the former defender.
“In fact, when Joe Willock went on in the 60th minute, Martinelli came running over to say, ‘when am I coming on?’
“Arteta didn’t put him on until the second half of extra-time and I felt he made the difference; he was involved in the build-up to Aubameyang’s great overhead kick goal. He gets into the box and makes things happen.
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Martinelli provided the assist for Aubameyang for the goal that got Arsenal back in it
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But it was despair for the skipper moments later as he somehow missed a late chance to put Arsenal through
“Lacazette didn’t really show the movement last night, although I rate him as a player, and I felt it was an obvious change to make and the manager didn’t see that.
“I think Arteta has got to work it out a little bit quicker, work out the players he can reply upon.
“It’s about learning but there are experienced players who cost Arsenal last night, not the youngsters, the youngsters are the shining lights at Arsenal.
“I know there’s going to be a lot of comings and goings in the summer, there has to be, but he’s such a new manager and last night I think he maybe stuck with that formation just a little bit too long.
“Every man and his dog wanted Martinelli on the pitch last night, he’s been wonderful.
“I know it’s difficult… Arteta maybe felt he wanted to stick with people; you start with an XI and you want to finish with that XI, and you trust in them, but at some point that initiative needed to come from the sideline.”
Listen back to Martin Keown on the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast IN FULL above
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