Arsenal Must Start Games Better – Koscielny

Arsenal centre-back Laurent Koscielny has called on the Gunners to start games better after conceding in the first minute against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

Arsene Wenger’s side had to battle back for a 1-1 draw through Alexis Sanchez’s second-half equaliser after Edinson Cavini put PSG ahead after just 42 seconds, finishing off a quick attack after the Gunners defence were caught out of position.

It came just three days after Arsenal had to fight from a goal down to win 2-1 against Southampton in the Premier League, and Koscielny said the team must stop digging themselves a hole to climb out of.

“It’s like during the game against Southampton. We slept, and we need to change this in the future,” Koscielny told BT Sport. “Because every time we start 1-0 down, it’s difficult to win.

“We need to be strong from the first minute to the end and to play our football. I think during the game we played well, but if we start like this it’s difficult.”

Cavani had several chances to increase PSG’s lead but missed a couple of good chances in the first half and was then thwarted by goalkeeper David Ospina on two occasions after the break.

Koscielny said on balance the draw was a good result for Arsenal at their main Group A rival.

“It’s a good point, but we came here with our ambition and we wanted to have the three points,” he said. “But when you start like this it’s difficult to come back during the game. But we tried, we played football and I think we played well.

“Maybe in the final third we didn’t find the good ball to score earlier during the game. But we came back to 1-1, and it was against PSG. It’s a big team, it was away, so I think it’s a good point [going into] the other games in the group stage.”