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Match report – Participant scores – Arteta response – Video
Arsenal made it three wins from three Champions League video games final night time, turning on the fashion within the second half for a 4-0 win that few would have predicted over opposition like Atletico Madrid.
It was a recreation we began brightly, an Eberechi Eze shot deflected and looped up onto the bar, and Declan Rice’s comply with 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 publish, earlier than the sport settled down into what many had anticipated.
Atleti sat deep, defending effectively 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 objective 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 objective dominated out for offside after good work from Bukayo Saka, and the winger had a headed likelihood which he didn’t benefit 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 objective from which we opened the scoring recreation from the award of a free kick that I believe was actually beneficiant.
Whereas I believe 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 in opposition to us, however on the identical time, that they had each likelihood to defend the set-piece. Admittedly, the supply from Declan Rice was completely excellent, and when you will have somebody like Gabriel attacking that with the timing of his runs within the field, you’re all the time 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 mentioned beforehand, I’ve no complaints about us being actually, actually good at them, and as a solution to crack open a decent recreation, our set-piece prowess bears actual fruit for us. One other solution to crack open a recreation is for somebody to supply 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 way of their midfield like a scorching knife by way of butter, then performed the right move for Martinelli to supply 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 excellent contribution. “That’s soccer”, mentioned Arteta afterwards.
Two minutes later it was 3-0, and this time it was Viktor Gyokeres. After 7 Arsenal video games with no objective, he actually wanted this one. Ultimately the end was untidy, a scuff between the defender’s legs and simply contained in the publish, 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 fine fortune within the build-up, the Swede deserved it for the best way he labored all night time lengthy.
Three minutes later, it was 4-0. Rice delivered a nook, Gabriel headed it again throughout objective, and Gyokeres was there to thrust the ball over the road from one thing fairly near his particular space. I believe it was extra upper-hip than lower-mickey, but when he’d needed to take that ache for a objective, I’m certain he would have. The celebrations had been unbelievable, you possibly can see how a lot his teammates had been delighted for him, though Gabriel Martinelli was a bit extra Pan’s Labyrinth than Bane.
A recreation that had been fairly even, swung massively in our favour with 4 objectives in 13 minutes, and with that type of scoreline, the supervisor was in a position to make adjustments and never lose any fluency. I believe Atleti had a shot heading in the right direction, however Raya saved that at his close to publish 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 group for the time being meaning, whereas delighted, you’re not essentially too shocked that we did it. All of the objectives got here with a G: Gabriel, Gabriel [Martinelli] and Gyokeres. 4G, not unhealthy.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta mentioned:
I’m extraordinarily completely satisfied and happy with the efficiency and the outcomes in opposition to a very good facet. I used to be very impressed once I analysed them and what I’ve seen as we speak about them as effectively. So, I knew concerning the problem of it. It required lots of aggression and lots of endurance as effectively, 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 objective Gyokeres:
The work that he does for us, he brings a special dimension to the entrance line. He opens up a lot areas. And as we speak you possibly can see his response, the response of his teammates, how completely satisfied everyone is for his objectives. The work price and the whole lot that he brings to the group is excellent and he absolutely deserves it.
As for Diego Simeone, a person who began the sport in animated style on the touchline and ended it sitting down slugging disconsolately from a bottle of water, he mentioned:
From 60 minutes they had been the higher group and deserved to win. I’d say they’re the very best group now we have confronted this season. They compete so effectively, 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 objective. 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, received all of them, and never conceded in any of them. That’s kinda ridiculous. Arteta has typically talked (generally phrases) about making the stadium one thing of a fortress, and there’s no query now we have made it a really, very troublesome place for the opposition to return. If you add 4 objectives into the equation like we did yesterday, it makes for a really pleasing night time certainly.
I don’t actually suppose that might have gone any higher to be sincere. On one other night time it might need been the type of consequence that folks sat up and paid consideration to, however there have been so many mad scorelines within the Champions League final night time, it’ll most likely get misplaced within the combine a bit. Nevertheless, I believe the profit isn’t actually what different folks suppose, it’s how this can instill even larger confidence and perception on this group, and in that regard there’s lots of positivity to remove from this one. A terrific night time’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 bought from my pal Gary final night time who was sitting behind a person known as Ben from New York. Suffice to say he got here ready for a Gyokeres objective!
Till later.
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