Chivu: "A tough result, but this group showed courage and maturity"

“They were stronger in terms of intensity, technique, speed, and how they occupied the pitch. They’re a team that dives into every duel. We put in a good performance and could have scored at 1-1, but incidents can change the team’s mood. We were also unlucky with the second goal from a corner: our defenders were trying to clear it off the line, but it hit the bar and ended up on their player’s head. In the second half, Arsenal raised their focus and were more humble, and we struggled more to create chances. They’re well-organised, full of quality, and can bring the right players off the bench to cause you problems. We’ve got to wait for tomorrow to see what the table says. We know that we might have to go through the play-offs, that’s not a problem for us. There’s a sense of regret that, with a bit more focus and maturity, we could have taken something from our games against Liverpool and Atletico. I also think about our growth in terms of attitude and mentality: if we had played against Liverpool or Atletico tonight, perhaps the outcome would have been different. That’s my take on how this group has developed. This team is moving forward with the right mindset, even willing to take the game to a side that can trouble you in one-on-ones with top players. I take confidence from that, and from the growth we’ve shown recently. We put on Andy Diouf at the end. I had also thought about changing to 4-3-3, but I was lacking an attacking force, and Arsenal introduced Gabriel in defence when they realised that Pio Esposito was causing them problems. It’s true that we lacked a bit of individual flair and crosses down the right, but I have nothing to say against Luis Enrique and all the boys – they were focused and committed from start to finish. We tried to stay in the game. When we won a few duels near the box, we looked to break forward, to create something. The Premier League is a competition defined by top-level intensity, and in Italy we’re not yet used to playing certain types of games. I try to communicate specific plays and what we need to do on the pitch. We aim to keep progressing step by step, because it’s important to maintain the belief that what we’re doing is right.”