Match report – Participant scores – 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 aim. They was once such a characteristic of this group, not a lot this season although, so it was pleasing to see us strike shortly.
Gabriel Martinelli did nicely down the left, his cross discovered Kai Havertz within the center and when he cushioned the ball completely again Declan Rice, the midfielder was there to fireplace house and make it 1-0. It was a half that Arsenal dominated, with out actually profiting from our possibilities. Gabriel headed a Martin Odegaard nook huge when he ought to have hit the goal, the captain arrange Rice however his shot was nicely blocked, Havertz headed huge from a Zinchenko cross, Martinelli shot straight on the keeper, and we must always in all probability 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 provided 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 finally we opened up house 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 house 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 have been horseshoeing a bit an excessive amount of, so he drove inside in the direction of the field, and produced an excellent cross which Havertz headed house to make it 2-0. A contact of selection to the way in which we operated in opposition to a group sitting deep, and lo and behold we doubled the lead.
Nwaneri did one thing related from the opposite aspect, placing a terrific cross in for Rice who obtained 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 sensible motion noticed him arrange Odegaard for a really welcome aim for the captain – his first from open play this season, and whatever the truth it got here in a recreation we’d received in opposition to poor opposition, it’s a optimistic. Generally 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 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 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 mentioned:
I’m very completely satisfied general, it’s a large step ahead tonight. It places us in a very robust place to play the final recreation in Girona. We scored three objectives, created loads of possibilities, dominated the sport, didn’t concede a shot and one other clear sheet at house. So general, very completely satisfied.
I believe it was simply what we would have liked actually. A cushty night time through which we didn’t actually need to 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 recreation when David Raya has needed to do much less. It’s not one that may go down within the annals of historical past as a terrific recreation, 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 optimistic.
The one little bit of worrying information was that Myles Lewis-Skelly has an issue along with his knee which requires additional checks at the moment, so hold every thing crossed. It could 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 have been something apart 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 a bit bit later this morning, so stayed tuned for that. Within the meantime, have a great one.