Mertesacker Takes Blame for Missing Chances

Per Mertesacker regrets having rushed into a shot when he got the opportunity to score and put Arsenal ahead in the second half against Chelsea on Sunday.

“I rushed myself. When you are a defender in that position, you still need to learn how to deal with those situations. I rushed a bit, nobody told me that I had time. It came out of a set-piece and it was more than a coincidence. Our focus was strong today,” he said.

The Gunners were held to a goalless draw by Chelsea and John Terry put in a massive shift in front of the goal as the Blues restricted Arsenal from getting shots on target.

“Performance-wise it was a good one but it wasn’t enough to get the vital three points we needed to compete for the first place,” Mertesacker said.