Morning all.
When Jurrien Timber sat alongside Mikel Arteta in the pre match press conference, the ex Ajax defender said:
I think the motivation is there. We showed in the group stages that we did really well, we have a good team and this is a beautiful game and a chance to change the narrative to win.
Ironically, just a few hours later, it was he who opened the scoring for Arsenal against PSV Eindhoven. PSV had just hit the woodwork, blowing an opportunity to go ahead in the game before Mikel Arteta’s team went from very good to great. Ok, maybe I’m over egging it a bit but hey, there’s been too much negativity about Arsenal this season.
What Arsenal did last night was make history. Seven goals away from home, brilliant! We’re through to the next round unless the whole squad gets hit with a virus next Wednesday morning. One of Real and Atletico Madrid await us and by then, we should have Gabriel Martinelli back, perhaps Bukayo Saka too.
Mikel Arteta:
It was a beautiful night. The players really made us enjoy the night. It was a big game obviously, in the Champions League, in the knockout stage and to play with flow, to score the goals we did and in the manner that we won the game – very, very impressive.
It was a great night for the club and this injury hit group of players. Their penalty? Well, I’ll let others criticise Thomas Partey because if the referee penalises the first foul, which was on our midfielder, there is no penalty.
Our goals, two from Martin Odegaard and one each from Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri, Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino were all good in their own right but they came about because the players made them happen. There was more movement in and around the box, more determination and certainly more energy.
Before the game, my expectation was pretty low because not only have Arsenal struggled to find goals of late but the performances having been lacking energy. Not for one minute did I expect to watch what I did. Arsenal started quickly and didn’t give up until the final whistle.
Declan Rice scored what would have been a lovely goal had he not been marginally offside but it was he who delivered a fine cross for Timber to head home our opener. A big jump from our defender. Odegaard thought he should have been awarded a penalty when just as he was about to shoot, he was pushed but the officials didn’t agree.
Myles Lewis-Skelly set up our second with a cross from the left, Nwaneri got to the near post to bury his shot into the roof of the net.
Merino scored our third. The PSV defence were all over the place, the Spaniard won the ball, took his time and then coolly slotted the ball into the far side of the net.
Lewis-Skelly, already on a yellow card, could have easily picked up another shortly after but the referee was kind. Wisely, Mikel Arteta soon replaced the youngster rather than risk playing another game with ten men. Calafiori came on in his place.
Just before the break, PSV pulled one back from the penalty spot and with it, probably thought there might be way back into the game. They would have been wrong. Very wrong.
Two minutes after the break, we went 4-1 up. Nwaneri beat his man quite easily on the right before sending a cross into the box. Their keeper palmed the ball straight to Odegaard and he made no mistake.
We weren’t done yet though as an exchange of passes between Calafiori and Trossard on the left ended with the Belgian chipping home our fifth. Trossard thought he’d scored another but he was miles offside. When Odegaard made it 6-1, the away fans could be heard – “Ole” with every pass the players completed. There was still time for one more though which came from Calafiori.
PSV and their fans might have been enjoying carnival week before the game but it was Arsenal who put on the real show.
Next up, Man Utd at Old Trafford….
Carnaval in Catalonia 1 bar 3 screens good fun
Last night, the guys showed everyone just how lethal they can be when they put their minds to it. They did themselves proud as well as us Supporters. Next round will be tougher with either Real Madrid or A Madrid, but they are more than capable of shutting the door on these teams and hopefully with Saka and Martinelli back in the squad. Man U next. Fingers crossed that last night’s great win dented Man U’s confidence, leaving them feeling nervous.
I think I’m still in shock over how good we were… 😂
Excellent post Rico, thanks.
Carnival time and a very good win away from home. Let’s hope it’s not pantomime time at Old Toilet at the weekend.
Thanks Cicero. Yes, let’s hope we can play as well on Sunday..
Old Trafford has not been a happy hunting ground for us for many many years. Even last season when Arsenal were clearly superior and ManYoo were in a funk we struggled to a tedious 1-0 win.
United always seems to find a positive performance against us regardless of how good we are and how poor they are. I think that Wenger in all his years only managed 3 PL and 1 FAC win at Old Toilet in over 20 years.
All the same we owe them for that FACup defeat back in January…
The United game wil be another Premiership game and unfortunately, will be miles in difference with the PSV game. PSV gave us yards of spaces, left Odegaard to roam freely, and did not sit back, or play the counter game. Against United, they will shackle Odegard, sit back, with little space for our attacking players. PSV just reminded United how not to play Arsenal.
We definitely owe them for the cup defeat…. At least the ghastly Martinez won’t be playing.
Konate should have been off… Typical jammy Scousers.