Arsenal under-21s head coach David Horseman shared his thoughts following our narrow 4–3 defeat away to Exeter City in the Vertu Motors Trophy.

Despite taking the lead three times through Charles Sagoe Jr, Harrison Dudziak and Osman Kamara, the Grecians fought back on each occasion before grabbing a late winner to take all three points.

Reflecting on the result, Horseman felt it was a missed opportunity to seal qualification for the knockout stage.

“Yeah, it was probably a rollercoaster of emotions. There was so much that was really good, but as has been the case in a few of our games recently, we’ve let it slip. To concede four goals, from our point of view, just isn’t good enough. I’ve told the players straight that we should already be through in this competition.

“We should be through in the UEFA Youth League as well, but you can’t be conceding goals like that, not at a club that prides itself on defensive discipline, and expect to win games. It’s a harsh lesson, but one that’s really valuable for their development. They just need to learn quickly because we’re trying to help these young players build strong careers.”

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