Arsenal beat Lille 3-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday night, but it took them 64 minutes to find the breakthrough before three goals came in the space of eight minutes.

It is becoming a pattern, one which former Gunners midfielder Emmanuel Petit has spotted. Speaking on After Foot, Petit said the slow start is now something opponents should be actively planning for.

“I agree with those who follow Arsenal, and I follow them closely, and I’ve seen their recent matches, it’s a team that has a really hard time getting into these games,” Petit said. “We saw it again last weekend against Leeds, who should have scored at least three goals and practically wrapped up the game in the first half. We saw it in the previous match where they got thrashed 3-0 by Brighton.

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Arsenal get the job done and beat Lille 3-0! What did you make of that performance? 👀

“And actually, when you play against Arsenal, you can’t just watch them play. You have to play knowing they’re a slow starter. You have to take them on right away, put them under pressure, bring intensity, make them run. For me, that was Lille’s only trump card in that match.

Emmanuel Petit’s point about Arsenal being slow starters is spot on

The numbers back Petit’s point up. As per Opta Analyst, Arsenal have now failed to score in the opening 45 minutes in each of their last five games. They have managed just three first-half goals in the Premier League all season. Chelsea, by comparison, have 10.

Mikel Arteta more or less conceded the point himself on Tuesday, admitting his side had to “increase the technical level” and pointing to simple balls given away, bad touches and mistimed movement before his triple change changed the game.

Of course, Arsenal keep winning. To be below their best for an hour and still win 3-0, or come from behind against an in-form Leeds side, they clearly have a high floor and the bench to go with it. Six points from two Champions League games is six points, however they came.

However, that approach relies on the opposition not punishing you first, and Brighton showed what happens when they do. Lille had a goal disallowed and were the better side for long spells before fading. A better team might not give Arsenal a second bite of the apple.

Next up is Nottingham Forest away on Sunday, where a quicker start would settle a few nerves.