Match report – Participant rankings – Arteta response – Video
Arsenal made it three wins from three Champions League video games final evening, turning on the model within the second half for a 4-0 win that few would have predicted over opposition like Atletico Madrid.
It was a sport we began brightly, an Eberechi Eze shot deflected and looped up onto the bar, and Declan Rice’s observe up bounced down and over within the fifth minute. Myles Lewis-Skelly dragged a shot that broad which may have been a tap-in had somebody gambled on the again submit, earlier than the sport settled down into what many had anticipated.
Atleti sat deep, defending properly as we all know they will, and up the opposite finish there was an actual let-off when David Raya tried to shepherd the ball out for a aim kick however needed to concede a throw. They took it shortly, and with the keeper scrambling to get again in, Julian Alvarez curled a shot simply broad. A fortunate escape.
Arsenal had a Gabriel Martinelli aim dominated out for offside after good work from Bukayo Saka, and the winger had a headed probability which he didn’t profit from simply earlier than the break. I do suppose, regardless of the emphatic scoreline, we have to acknowledge a few sliding doorways moments. Early within the second half Alvarez hit the bar with Raya overwhelmed all finally ends up, and the aim from which we opened the scoring sport from the award of a free kick that I feel was actually beneficiant.
Whereas I feel he’d most likely been clipped a second or two earlier than, Martinelli jumped into the defender and the ref blew in our favour. I’d be very sad if that got towards us, however on the identical time, that they had each probability to defend the set-piece. Admittedly, the supply from Declan Rice was completely very good, and when you might have somebody like Gabriel attacking that with the timing of his runs within the field, you’re at all times going to trigger the opposition issues. The Brazilian met the flight of the ball completely, and nodded house from shut vary to make it 1-0.
🎵 Set piece once more, Olé Olé 🎵
As I’ve stated beforehand, I’ve no complaints about us being actually, actually good at them, and as a technique to crack open a decent sport, our set-piece prowess bears actual fruit for us. One other technique to crack open a sport is for somebody to provide one thing particular, and simply 7 minutes later Lewis-Skelly did precisely that. He picked up the ball contained in the centre-circle in our half, reduce by means of their midfield like a sizzling knife by means of butter, then performed the right move for Martinelli to offer a superb first-time end to make it 2-0. Apparently Riccardo Calafiori was being readied for an introduction simply earlier than that MLS run, and understandably he was requested to sit down again down once more within the wake of that very good contribution. “That’s soccer”, stated Arteta afterwards.
Two minutes later it was 3-0, and this time it was Viktor Gyokeres. After 7 Arsenal video games and not using a aim, he actually wanted this one. Ultimately the end was untidy, a scuff between the defender’s legs and simply contained in the submit, however after a little bit of a dry spell, it doesn’t matter the way it goes in, as soon as it does. For me, it’s price nothing the standard of the move from Martin Zubimendi within the build-up, and if there was a bit of excellent fortune within the build-up, the Swede deserved it for the best way he labored all evening lengthy.
Three minutes later, it was 4-0. Rice delivered a nook, Gabriel headed it again throughout aim, and Gyokeres was there to thrust the ball over the road from one thing fairly near his particular space. I feel it was extra upper-hip than lower-mickey, but when he’d needed to take that ache for a aim, I’m certain he would have. The celebrations have been unbelievable, you could possibly see how a lot his teammates have been delighted for him, though Gabriel Martinelli was a bit extra Pan’s Labyrinth than Bane.
A sport that had been fairly even, swung massively in our favour with 4 targets in 13 minutes, and with that form of scoreline, the supervisor was in a position to make modifications and never lose any fluency. I feel Atleti had a shot on course, however Raya saved that at his close to submit comfortably (the one he saved from Conor Gallagher didn’t depend due to a foul within the build-up).
This was way more complete than I had anticipated, however on the identical time, there’s a effervescent momentum to this Arsenal crew in the mean time which means, whereas delighted, you’re not essentially too stunned that we did it. All of the targets got here with a G: Gabriel, Gabriel [Martinelli] and Gyokeres. 4G, not unhealthy.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta stated:
I’m extraordinarily blissful and pleased with the efficiency and the outcomes towards a very good facet. I used to be very impressed after I analysed them and what I’ve seen as we speak about them as properly. So, I knew concerning the issue of it. It required lots of aggression and lots of endurance as properly, and the best way they managed the context of the sport and the best way they will manipulate their behaviour was actually spectacular.
And on two aim Gyokeres:
The work that he does for us, he brings a distinct dimension to the entrance line. He opens up a lot areas. And as we speak you may see his response, the response of his teammates, how blissful all people is for his targets. The work charge and the whole lot that he brings to the crew is excellent and he totally deserves it.
As for Diego Simeone, a person who began the sport in animated vogue on the touchline and ended it sitting down slugging disconsolately from a bottle of water, he stated:
From 60 minutes they have been the higher crew and deserved to win. I might say they’re the very best crew we now have confronted this season. They compete so properly, they run they usually run, they usually have high quality all around the pitch.
In order that’s three from three this season within the Champions League, with out conceding a aim. And since our return to this competitors within the 2023-24 season, we’ve performed 10 9 video games at house within the group/league stage, gained all of them, and never conceded in any of them. That’s kinda ridiculous. Arteta has typically talked (usually phrases) about making the stadium one thing of a fortress, and there’s no query we now have made it a really, very troublesome place for the opposition to return. Once you add 4 targets into the equation like we did yesterday, it makes for a really pleasing evening certainly.
I don’t actually suppose that would have gone any higher to be trustworthy. On one other evening it may need been the form of end result that individuals sat up and paid consideration to, however there have been so many mad scorelines within the Champions League final evening, it’ll most likely get misplaced within the combine a bit. Nevertheless, I feel the profit isn’t actually what different individuals suppose, it’s how this can instill even larger confidence and perception on this crew, and in that regard there’s lots of positivity to remove from this one. A terrific evening’s work.
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Proper, I’ll depart it there for now. Stand by for an Arsecast a bit in a while this morning as we recap the sport and the efficiency, and I loved the WhatsApp I received from my pal Gary final evening who was sitting behind a person referred to as Ben from New York. Suffice to say he got here ready for a Gyokeres aim!
Till later.
