Cooper: A Tough One To Take
- Leicester City were beaten 4-2 by Arsenal in the Premier League
- James Justin scored twice to draw the Foxes level during the second half
- Two stoppage-time goals saw the home side dramatically take the points
- Steve Cooper shared his thoughts on the late defeat at Emirates Stadium
It ended 4-2 at Emirates Stadium following an injury-time Wilfred Ndidi own goal and Kai Havertz's strike, after it looked as though Leicester’s excellent recovery from two goals down was going to be enough to claim a share of the spoils.
Cooper’s men, behind to Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard strikes ahead of the interval, rallied to level matters courtesy of James Justin’s double, only to leave empty handed at the end of an enthralling contest in the capital.
“It’s definitely tough to take with the spirit that we showed in the second half,” City’s Manager reflected after full-time on Saturday. “Obviously it was a tough first half with the goals we conceded. They were typical Arsenal goals.
“We knew we needed to do a bit better but the second half approach was a great show of the motivation and togetherness in the group. Getting back in the game with a set piece and then a brilliant goal from JJ, which was a finish of brilliant quality but a move that we are constantly working on in training, which is pleasing.
“I felt we were withstanding the pressure pretty good. We were worried about going down to 10 men maybe and a couple of attacking players cramping up meant we needed to make a few changes.
“I really felt we could get through the game without conceding that third. The deflection from the corner is something which has really gone against us. I’m trying to stand up and be counted for a run of results which could have been better.”
The intensity of the second half, which saw City race out of the blocks and score less than two minutes in, was a contrast to a difficult opening 45 minutes in which Arsenal pushed Leicester back, but Cooper acknowledged that was always likely against a side possessing such quality.
The 44-year-old continued: “It wasn’t the intention to be like that in the first half but you can suffer in games here. Most teams will come and have to defend the box and have to use counter attacks. There’s no shame in that and at times you’ve got to find different ways to win. We could have done better with the ball in the first half and that was the plan.
“The second half was more about the mentality and sticking to the gameplan because Arsenal were what we planned for because of the way that they play. It’s about withstanding that and trying to give yourself some opportunities.
“They came in the second half; they didn’t in the first other than at the very start when we got JJ in through a similar move to the goal, which is something that we looked at in the prep. Half-time was about encouragement and belief and telling the players to show the mentality that they ended up showing.”
Cooper also highlighted performances from Justin and Mads Hermansen, the former scoring his brace before City’s ‘keeper made a string of impressive saves – 13 in total, just one fewer than the Premier League record.
“It’s a real pity that it’s not getting the headlines that it deserves,” the Welshman commented on his full-back’s second goal. “The finish was amazing and what’s pleasing for us is that it’s a lot of the stuff that we’ve been working on, on the training pitch.
“I thought there were some really good individual performances today from the guys. We felt that might be needed. You do need your goalkeeper to turn up at places like this and boy he did. Mads [Hermansen] has made some good saves and you need that when you come to places like this.
“We have a talented young ‘keeper at Leicester and he stuck to his task brilliantly. For him to concede a goal like the third with the deflection, after the performance that he put in, and for the team to concede a goal like that, it was cruel on him really.
“It shows where the spirit and togetherness is. I know the results aren’t showing that but that’s on me. I only look at me and nobody else, but what I see every day is a group of guys who train really well, are engaged, are together and motivated. In the end, if we do better in terms of results, that’ll be at the core of anything that we do well.”