Steve Gatting spoke to Arsenal.com after Arsenal Under-21s drew 1-1 against West Ham United at the Boleyn Ground.
on the performance…
I think it was a good draw for us. The result was decent. I thought we started off very well and scored early on. As soon as we scored, we seemed to sit back a bit and then really we were holding on for the rest of the half. In the second half, we came out, showed character and defended better as a team. We passed the ball better and I’m pleased with the result.
on Gnabry hitting the post at the end…
We could have won it, but so could they because Martinez made a great save just before that which kept the scores level. Then we could have scored at the end. That’s football.
on playing at a Premier League stadium…
It’s a great opportunity for the players to come to a Premier League club and play on a good pitch in a lovely stadium. It gives them a lift and these are the sort of games the boys should want to play in.
on Eisfeld’s return…
Thomas has been out for a month and did well. He kept going. At one stage we thought we might have to bring him off because of his fitness, but he got a second wind and was unlucky not to get a penalty.
on positives to take into the next game…
It’s another game where we haven’t lost. If you take away the half hour at the end of the first half, it was a gritty performance. We perhaps could have passed the ball better but we defended better as a team in the second half, kept in there and might have come away with a win.
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