Match report – Participant rankings – Quotes response – Video
Arsenal are up into third place within the Champions League desk with one recreation to go, after a 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb final night time.
After such a busy schedule Mikel Arteta made some modifications, bringing in Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jorginho and Raheem Sterling to the beginning line-up, and the sport started brightly with a really early purpose. They was such a function of this workforce, not a lot this season although, so it was pleasing to see us strike shortly.
Gabriel Martinelli did effectively down the left, his cross discovered Kai Havertz within the center and when he cushioned the ball completely again to Declan Rice, the midfielder was there to fireplace house and make it 1-0. It was a half that Arsenal dominated, with out actually benefiting from our probabilities. Gabriel headed a Martin Odegaard nook large when he ought to have hit the goal, the captain arrange Rice however his shot was effectively blocked, Havertz headed large from a Zinchenko cross, Martinelli shot straight on the keeper, and we should always most likely have had this recreation sewn up by half-time.
The one moments of hazard got here from our personal errors. Kiwior was caught on the ball however we obtained again to defend, and when Timber did likewise, Kiwior was there to bail him out. Past that Dinamo had nothing a lot to supply. Early second half bookings for Sterling (who supplied little once more) and Timber noticed the introductions of Ethan Nwaneri and Thomas Partey.
We had numerous the ball, however did little with it. At one level we stored possession inside their half on the left hand aspect, and ultimately we opened up area for Zinchenko to get down the road. Besides he turned again and began recycling passes with Gabriel once more. I assumed he was tidy sufficient final night time, however that second kind of encapsulated among the underlying frustrations folks really feel. I don’t perceive why he didn’t burst into that area we had spent a few minutes attempting to create. Wasn’t that the purpose of all these passes?!
Which is why when Martinelli did one thing completely different it stood out, and paid dividends. The Brazilian had good recreation in my view, however we had been horseshoeing a bit an excessive amount of, so he drove inside in the direction of the field, and produced an impressive cross which Havertz headed house to make it 2-0. A contact of selection to the best way we operated towards a workforce sitting deep, and lo and behold we doubled the lead.
Nwaneri did one thing related from the opposite aspect, placing a fantastic cross in for Rice who obtained his header all flawed. It was fairly humorous that when he was requested about scoring his first ever Champions League purpose that he began his reply by speaking about how aggravated he was that he missed the prospect for his second. His purpose bonus ought to make a donation to Nwaneri’s help bonus piggy-bank.
After that the sport simply performed out to its pure conclusion. Substitute Leandro Trossard’s sensible motion noticed him arrange Odegaard for a really welcome purpose for the captain – his first from open play this season, and whatever the reality it got here in a recreation we’d gained towards poor opposition, it’s a optimistic. Typically a participant wants to interrupt that drought to get going once more, and within the absence of any reinforcements up to now, we’d like the gamers we have now to ship extra.
Proper on the finish, Arteta determined handy a debut to younger ahead Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, however the ball wouldn’t exit. When it did, it was for an opposition nook so he didn’t make the change, and I felt for the younger man who would have been so determined to get on and revel in a couple of minutes. It occurred ultimately however it was into the three minutes of added time and he didn’t get a contact of the ball. A disgrace, however nonetheless a pleasant second for him I’m positive.
Afterwards, the supervisor mentioned:
I’m very blissful total, it’s an enormous step ahead tonight. It places us in a very robust place to play the final recreation in Girona. We scored three targets, created loads of probabilities, dominated the sport, didn’t concede a shot and one other clear sheet at house. So total, very blissful.
I believe it was simply what we wanted actually. A cushty night time wherein we didn’t actually should push ourselves too far bodily, a purpose and an help for Havertz, a purpose for Odegaard, a pleasant help from Martinelli, and a clear sheet. I can’t keep in mind a recreation when David Raya has needed to do much less. It’s not one that can go down within the annals of historical past as a fantastic recreation, only one extra step in the direction of the knock-out rounds, and the win roughly assures us of that. These additional video games to make that stage of the competitors are gonna be for different groups to cope with, in order that’s one other optimistic.
The one little bit of worrying information was that Myles Lewis-Skelly has an issue along with his knee which requires additional checks right this moment, so maintain all the pieces crossed. It might be completely typical of this season to see him sidelined, however let’s hope that’s not the case. In any occasion, we had Riccardo Calafiori again within the squad, Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney each featured final night time, and there was even a sight of Takehiro Tomiyasu on the bench – so we have now choices. Lewis-Skelly has been such a lightweight this season although, it’d merciless if it had been something aside from minor.
Consideration now turns to Wolves on Saturday, however we’ll cope with that down the road. We’ll have an Arsecast for you slightly bit later this morning, so stayed tuned for that. Within the meantime, have an excellent one.
