'We had no ideas' - Arsene Wenger slams 'complacent' Arsenal for Europa League defeat vs Ostersunds FK

A frustrated Arsene Wenger admitted his Arsenal side had been “complacent”, “open” and without ideas as they lost 2-1 to Ostersunds FK in their Europa League round-of-32 second leg at the Emirates Stadium.

Though the defeat was not enough to eliminate an Arsenal side who had secured a 3-0 victory in the first leg, a woeful display on home turf will hardly have the remainder of the competition trembling at the prospect of being paired with the Gunners in Friday’s last-16 draw.

Ostersunds FK grabbed both their goals within 69 seconds of each other midway through the second half, cutting through Arsenal’s disorganised defence at will as Hosam Aiesh and Ken Sema gave the Swedish minnows hopes of a remarkable comeback.

They faded early in the second half when Sead Kolasinac halved the host’s deficit, and Arsenal could perhaps have denied Ostersund a victory they will always cherish but for the wayward finishing of Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi.

Neither they nor many of their team-mates will have enhanced their prospects of featuring in Sunday’s EFL Cup Final against Manchester City, and Wenger was unusually blunt in his assessment of his player’s performances.

“We were not at the races in the first half, in the second we were much better,” he said. “We should have scored a few goals. Our energy was higher. Our domination was consistent. We were in control.

“But in the first half we were in trouble and danger. We were complacent, not focused. Every time we lost the ball we were open. We had no ideas with the ball. That’s why we were in trouble.

“We responded very well. We did the job to qualify. That’s what you have to take from the night and that’s it.”

Worryingly for Wenger, this was not the first time in recent weeks that a cadre of players looking to earn a spot in his strongest side blew their opportunity to make an impression.

Memories of last month’s 4-2 humbling at the hands of Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup third round were playing on his mind as he warned his players they cannot afford to be so blasé in the future.

“We prepared properly, in a serious way,” he told Standard Sport. “But you have external circumstances: the fact that we won 3-0, the fact that we have another big game on Sunday, the fact that people subconsciously think they have just to turn up to win the game.

“Football doesn’t work like that. We played against a good side. It’s what you see in the FA Cup. You can be in trouble every time you’re not 100 per cent focused.

“You have seen many times in the FA Cup upsets like that. Against Nottingham Forest we played a similar team. We were beaten because as well we were not at the level that is demanded.”