Our under-21s head coach Max Porter felt his team at least deserved a point from the Premier League 2 trip to Chelsea on Saturday, October 25.
A second half fightback saw our young Gunners halve the deficit with 20 minutes to go through Marcell Washington, and an equaliser looked certain to arrive, but several chances went amiss.
"We didn't get what I felt we deserved. At the minimum, we deserved a draw, particularly after our second-half performance.
"We were outstanding between the boxes. We created lots of chances and we weren't ruthless enough to take them in the attacking box. Unfortunately, the two goals conceded, we didn't defend our box well enough. That's the disappointment, because we go away not getting what we probably deserved.
"To come to Chelsea with the academy they have, similar to us, a world-renowned academy, we dominated for a large period. Disappointed with that. Proud of our performance, but we've made the players aware that to be successful, you can't be happy with just being good between the boxes.
"You have to be ruthless and make sure that, for all your good play, you score and defend your goal."
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U21s report: Chelsea 2-1 Arsenal](https://www.arsenal.com/fixture/under-21/2025-Oct-25/chelsea-u21-2-1-under-21-match-report?utm_source=arsenaldotcom&utm_medium=embedded-article&utm_campaign=news)
Our under-21s dominated the stats in the second 45, and it had appeared only a matter of time before we grabbed a second, but chances were not turned into goals.
Max pointed out the significance of work on the training pitch to sharpen shooting instincts. "It's practice," he said. "And when we practice, it's got to be serious practice. We do a lot of finishing and we do a lot of work where the finishing is opposed and unopposed, and we have to try and replicate that.
"That's down to us to put that on, but it's also down to the players to refine their technique and decision-making in those moments, so that when they get the opportunity, they're ruthless.
"It's a mindset as well. If you look at the top strikers that have played for our club and in the world of football, you've got to be ruthless. If you get one chance, you've got to be in a position where your technique and decision-making allow you to take it, and you have a variety of finishes.
"For me, the positive thing is we are creating chances. The next thing is now, can our finishing quality be a lot higher?"
Attention now turns to our Vertu Trophy fixture on Tuesday, October 28, in a game which offers another test against senior-level opposition in League One's Exeter City. Max's side has already beaten League Two outfit Newport County earlier in the group stage, and our head coach has identified how he'll approach the challenge. "I think the big thing that we know will come from playing senior opposition is increased physicality, potentially more long passes and direct play.
"We're going to have to be very, very good at managing those moments in terms of the first contact, the second balls, and then massively we'll be set pieces. For us, it will be about getting enough possession in the areas that we feel that our game style, our game model can hurt them.
"We have to make the game as favourable to us as possible, and that will also make sure that we control the opponent as best as possible, being a senior team. We know at times we'll suffer, and we know at times that we're going to have to defend set plays, direct play, and more physical opponents.
"If we can make the game more suited to us, that's how we'll prepare the team to try and hopefully give us the best opportunity."
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