After the excitement and celebrations following the crucial victory over Everton last weekend, allied to the probable arrival of the next big English football star, it was back to the bread and butter of the Champions League. Less stress and a different type of football, the type you get with European opposition, only it wasn’t, because European clubs at the top level learn fast and the stifling ‘deep block’ so beloved of many EPL clubs has migrated across the channel and has been adopted to stop the Premier League takeover.
Bayer Leverkusen did as good a stifling job on Arsenal a week ago, as good as any Premier League club (even Liverpool and Man City) have done this season. So with that in mind Arteta made some tactical tweaks, in particular pressing higher and not allowing Bayer to build from the back.
In came Gyokeres, Hincapie and the fit again duo of Trossard and Ben White, which meant four changes from the Everton game as Arteta rotated what he could to save energy but retain the top performance level.
Arsenal meant business and following the early exchanges we went up a notch. On 9 minutes Saka drove in a ballistic corner which Big Gabby got to despite the grappling but could only head wide, it was a good chance. On 15 minutes and following an earlier shot he scuffed wide, Leo had a second chance which he really caught well but the Bayer goalkeeper pushed it around the post making one of what must have been a dozen saves throughout the match. Arsenal were really imposing themselves on the Germans and although Bayer remained a threat the composure they showed in the 1st leg wasn’t as evident this time!
Yet another corner from Saka arched into the box on 21 minutes but Big Gabby’s royal forehead could only nod the ball over the bar. Two minutes later a Rice free kick from just outside the penalty area close to the corner flag was driven with force at the goal but the Bayer goalkeeper again palmed it away, he was becoming a bit of a problem. Three minutes later White got himself time and space on the right flank and put across and inviting centre which Saka rose to head, but maybe it was too close to you know who and another chance was pushed over the bar.
Bayer broke dangerously after that and it looked serious until Hincapie swooped in to clear the danger. Almost immediately from a Bayer throw in, Arsenal turned over possession and Saka got in another shot on goal. Moments later Rice and Saka combined to set up Trossard who looked certain to score but once more, this time with his feet, the keeper saved Bayer’s bacon.
On 32 yet another Saka corner was drilled into box which led to a goalmouth scramble with red shirts trying to get that vital touch, but once again the man in the gloves saved the day. You couldn’t criticise the endeavour of the Arsenal players because their efforts on goal were decent, it was just that the Bayer goalkeeper was having one of those games.
Finally on 36 minutes and following great work by Rice (as usual) and Trossard, the ball ran to Eze who as he had been at Mansfield had his back to the goal and just as in the FA Cup tie he spun and fired an explosive a shot into the back of the net which the goalkeeper never had a chance with. Up to that point Arsenal had had 12 attempts on goal with 7 on target.
The Bayer goalkeeper was the man of the half because of the home teams’ efforts should have seen the Gunners cruising 3-0 but at half time it was just 1-0.
The pressure continued after the break, with Trossard cutting in and smashing a drive narrowly wide and moments later another Arsenal turnover had the Bayer goalkeeper saving from Gyokeres on 51 minutes. The next 10 minutes saw Bayer dominate possession as they went for an equaliser. The Gunners defence was given a thorough examination but held firm under intense German pressure. We needed a second goal because at this level in Europe you can completely dominate a game and still get punished.
Viktor broke the siege but once more his effort was saved then from a corner the Arsenal press made the Bayer defenders make a mess of a clearance which ran out towards Declan Rice patrolling as our midfield sweeper. Declan surged forward and as the ball ran kindly he blasted a low drive just inside the post and beyond the man with the gloves. That was the breathing space we needed. As Arteta was preparing to make changes on 67 minutes Eze went on a great run, he is really developing into an effective midfielder in the Arteta style now, the shot from Ebbs was blocked and he got a kick.
On came Mosquera, Norgaard and Martinelli for White, Zubimendi and Trossard, then as an afterthought Arteta took off Eze and replaced him with Havertz just to make sure.
Great work by the tireless Gyokeres set up a cross to Saka on the far post who nodded the ball back into the middle where Havertz turned it home, unfortunately he did it with his arm so no goal.
On 75 and from a Bayer corner the ball found its way to Gyokeres who streaked away into the Leverkusen half, Mosquera had charged up in support and Viktor slipped him in for a shot, but Christian got cold feet and tried to square it to Martinelli who had joined the attack but the man in gloves got to it first. Three minutes afterwards Saka had another shot saved, he just can’t buy a goal at the moment but it was approaching game management time and the Gunners began running down the clock and saving some gas for Sunday.
On 87 Bayer put together their best move of the game, cutting through the red wall as the ball ran to Kofane. Their young centre forwards effort had goal written all over it as it flashed towards the far corner, but Raya moving like a cat got across to push it wide. That pretty much broke Bayer and the Gunners played out the remaining minutes and added time. Myles Lewis Skelly made a late but very welcome appearance in place of Gyokeres and he tucked into midfield – hooray!
We now have a trip to Lisbon to face Sporting in the next round, but before that we have an appointment with Senor Guardiola at Wembley on Sunday.
We march on…
By Kev
Good post Kev, thank you.
Morning to you and all.
Great performance, two fantastic goals, a stunning save from Raya and a very good team performance against a well coached and strong Bayer side.
Now for City..
Good morning Rico.
What a lovely one it is too in sun scorched Norfolk. 😎
An excellent result last night, the MotM award should have gone to Leverkusan ‘keeper Blaswich, without his string of saves Arsenal could have run up a double digit score line.
Raya continues to astound everyone with his amazing saves. What a beauty late in the game, which relieved my stress leave.
Two sumptuous goals and an all round exciting and entertaining performance by all the Arsenal players, oh, and Mikel too, his touchline antics deserve an Oscar.
Gotta go, swimming time.🏊
Thanks Kev. You’ve called it as I saw it.
Great use of the squad by Mikel. Benny Blanco was combining beautifully with Bukuyu, offering something different to the excellent Timber. Victor had a good game and must relish the opportunity to go up against his old team. Declan is the best midfielder in the world right now, a Rolls Royce engine and all the fire power of James Bond’s Aston Martin. Eze is purring, if Max reminds us of Kaka, then Eb’s is conjuring up some peak Jack Grealish and, as LG will confirm giving off Michel Platini vibes. He is a natural born footballer, marked by God and born for such a time as this. How blessed we are to see him wearing the cannon over his heart. Our defence is so invested, a lean, mean machine, the best in world football with a keeper whose cat like reflexes reminds me of Peter Bonetti.
We are living in it, boys. Days of miracles and wonder.
Marching on we are!
Morning Cicero.
Their keeper was excellent. I imagine clubs will be after him in the summer with the promise of first team football. He’s too good to be a backup imo.
History suggests Eze is usually brilliant in the spring and summer. Hard to argue with that right now.
Peter Bonetti, that’s a name from my childhood days. I used to like him and Peter Osgood. Lol
Morning all. Good report Kev, your cat reference also reminded me of similarities Stuart, to those old enough to remember, Peter Bonetti, a fine keeper. Eze really growing into this role now, what a connection! To think a year ago I thought Saliba was Arsenal’s best defender. He may be the silkiest, but what warriors around him we now have right across the back line.
Morning Gooners, morning Rico, thanks boss, so much for boring Arsenal although there’s a few dickheads on the BBC website producing some Football 365 level garbage, obviously with an agenda behind it. Yes Rico, I think Eze has just found his perfect rhythm now and is exactly who we need at this stage of the season, a player who breaks the deadlock with a flash of brilliance.
You know even at 2-0 I couldn’t relax because at this level in Europe teams can score out of nowhere so flowers to Raya who possibly made the best save of the game near the end saving us from a nervous finale.
Cheers Stu, yes that’s a great comparison Platini and Eze, it’s quite a compliment to Ebbs and shows he has found another level to play at. The natural return of Odegaard doesn’t seem so natural anymore – what a nice problem to have, Martin as a finisher could be the answer? Although Mikel will go game by game and choose those he feels best combats the particular opposition we face at that time. Nous marchons sur.
Yes Rico, Peter Bonetti did cross my mind Rico as I wrote that but I can think of him without thinking of the 1970 World Cup and West Germany.
Hincapie is proving to be a great signing. A proper defender..
Great job, as always, Kevski.
I loved the “he was becoming a bit of a problem“ understated part, in particular. Be honest, will you? You were calling him the same all sorts of names I was, then – and shouting them at the top of your lungs, too. 😉
Gyö’s stare when he was subbed off had “Cantona-given-his-marching-orders-at-Selhurst-Park“ vibes, or so I thought anyway. I get the lad’s point, in a way, because the few minutes left were those when he had the best chance of finally getting his name on the scoresheet, as a reward for the tremendous amount of work he put in yesterday.
On the other hand, the gaffer has reached near-perfection lately, as far as squad-management is concerned – and as Stu has already pointed out. I have a feeling our big guy has what it takes to turn anger into positive energy, though … and wouldn’t scoring his first at Wembley, on Cup Final Day, be the perfect way to prove it?
Some people will never be content with how we play Kev, that’s why listening to McCoist and the guy alongside him last night was so refreshing. They were loving our performance as much as we were.
Thanks Andrew, Hincapie was brilliant yesterday, he is so committed it’s scary and great to see Ben White overlapping, interchanging possession and exchanging passes with Bakayo.
It’s as if the team has come through its recent period of looking collectively fatigued and are now digging into resources of untapped energy. Winning gives you that boost and desire to keep going and we seem to have it in spades.
Merci LG, regarding the man in the gloves, no ami, but I do murmur the odd expletive when we’re defending corners and free kicks around our box, you know s’en foutre or eloigne-le, but with an Olde English slant.
Yes I agree, Gyokeres wasn’t delighted to be taken off but I was happy to see Myles strut his stuff and whose to say, regardless of the rumours, that Arteta doesn’t see a place for him in midfield, taking some of the strain off of Zubimendi? Good to see Norgaard coming on and despite the whispers being trusted by the manager at a crucial period of the game.
I’m glad Viktor was disappointed to go off, there’s nothing worse than seeing a player happy to leave the pitch.
Hincapie is an excellent fullback, one of the few in the Arsenal squad who knows how to tackle and is not afraid to do so when the need arises. I hope M L S can learn the art from him, if he does he could become a ball winning midfielder.
Having read the comments above it is worth remembering that although we are top of the Premiership table, through to the Champions League quarters and about to play in the Carabao Cup, we haven’t yet won anything..
Beware of hubris!
Agree wholeheartedly, until Odegaard gets his hands on a trophy, we keep fighting hard.
Thanks Kev great report,
Ah Peter Bonneti,hard to imagine now there was a time when Chelsea players could be admired.
We were very good last night,a team performance. Leverkusen were pretty good at making it hard for us but you’ve got to expect that.
Sporting will be a test but Lisbon has got to be a better trip than the alternative,we destroyed them last time so same again would be good.
Cicero is right to remind us we have won nothing yet,we couldn’t be better placed to win at least one of the big trophies,I’m not greedy,I hope the players are.
I hope history can repeat itself with Eze,didn’t he score in the FA Cup final against Man City.
He did Limey..