Match report – Participant rankings – Quotes response – Video
Arsenal are up into third place within the Champions League desk with one sport to go, after a 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb final night time.
After such a busy schedule Mikel Arteta made some adjustments, bringing in Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jorginho and Raheem Sterling to the beginning line-up, and the sport started brightly with a really early aim. They was once such a function of this workforce, not a lot this season although, so it was pleasing to see us strike rapidly.
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 fireside dwelling and make it 1-0. It was a half that Arsenal dominated, with out actually taking advantage of our possibilities. Gabriel headed a Martin Odegaard nook extensive when he ought to have hit the goal, the captain arrange Rice however his shot was effectively blocked, Havertz headed extensive from a Zinchenko cross, Martinelli shot straight on the keeper, and we should always most likely have had this sport sewn up by half-time.
The one moments of hazard got here from our personal errors. Kiwior was caught on the ball however we bought 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 a number of the ball, however did little with it. At one level we stored possession inside their half on the left hand facet, and finally we opened up area for Zinchenko to get down the road. Besides he turned again and began recycling passes with Gabriel once more. I believed he was tidy sufficient final night time, however that second form of encapsulated among the underlying frustrations individuals really feel. I don’t perceive why he didn’t burst into that area we had spent a few minutes making an attempt to create. Wasn’t that the purpose of all these passes?!
Which is why when Martinelli did one thing totally different it stood out, and paid dividends. The Brazilian had good sport for my part, however we have 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 dwelling to make it 2-0. A contact of selection to the best way we operated in opposition to a workforce sitting deep, and lo and behold we doubled the lead.
Nwaneri did one thing comparable from the opposite facet, placing a terrific cross in for Rice who bought his header all improper. It was fairly humorous that when he was requested about scoring his first ever Champions League aim that he began his reply by speaking about how irritated he was that he missed the prospect for his second. His aim 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 good motion noticed him arrange Odegaard for a really welcome aim for the captain – his first from open play this season, and whatever the reality it got here in a sport we’d received in opposition to poor opposition, it’s a constructive. Typically a participant wants to interrupt that drought to get going once more, and within the absence of any reinforcements thus far, we’d like the gamers we now have to ship extra.
Proper on the finish, Arteta determined at hand 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 finally but it surely 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 stated:
I’m very completely satisfied general, it’s an enormous step ahead tonight. It places us in a extremely sturdy place to play the final sport in Girona. We scored three targets, created loads of possibilities, dominated the sport, didn’t concede a shot and one other clear sheet at dwelling. So general, very completely satisfied.
I feel it was simply what we would have liked actually. A snug night time wherein we didn’t actually must push ourselves too far bodily, a aim and an help for Havertz, a aim for Odegaard, a pleasant help from Martinelli, and a clear sheet. I can’t bear in mind a sport 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 terrific sport, only one extra step in the direction of the knock-out rounds, and the win kind of assures us of that. These further video games to make that stage of the competitors are gonna be for different groups to take care of, in order that’s one other constructive.
The one little bit of worrying information was that Myles Lewis-Skelly has an issue together with his knee which requires additional assessments immediately, so hold every thing 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 now have choices. Lewis-Skelly has been such a light-weight this season although, it’d merciless if it have been something aside from minor.
Consideration now turns to Wolves on Saturday, however we’ll take care of that down the road. We’ll have an Arsecast for you somewhat bit later this morning, so stayed tuned for that. Within the meantime, have a very good one.
