Match report – Participant rankings – Arteta response – Video
We bought our first Champions League win of the season underneath our belts final night time, beating PSG 2-0 due to first half objectives from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka.
The group noticed each Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori begin at full-back, with Ben White absent once more. The remaining was just about as anticipated. The opening levels had been fairly attention-grabbing as the 2 sides felt one another out. PSG appeared to press excessive, so David Raya went lengthy, enjoying an outstanding move to Gabriel Martinelli that he simply couldn’t fairly get a contact on.
Calafiori needed to defend in opposition to Achraf Hakimi, Havertz discovered some area in behind and performed an excellent ball throughout however no person was there, however that transfer – which included some good work from Leandro Trossard – was a warning for the guests. The Belgian created the opener, getting away from his marker on midway and driving into the PSG half. He in the reduction of inside, noticed the run of Havertz and delivered an excellent ball into the field, which the German headed over the onrushing Gianluigi Donnarumma. The standard of the supply tempted the Italian goalkeeper to go for it, however the timing of Havertz’s run and header was good (it was courageous too). That’s six house video games in a row during which the German has scored now, and with 5 objectives he’s our main scorer this season to this point.
PSG had moments. The battle between Saka and Nuno Mendes at left-back was a captivating one. The Portuguese defender cracked a shot simply vast after he forayed ahead, nevertheless it was his foul on the Arsenal captain that led to the second. The free kick from out vast was one you’d anticipate Saka to ship excessive into the field, however he went low in the direction of the entrance publish. Arsenal gamers ran in that course, PSG defenders didn’t get any contact on it, and I don’t suppose Donnarumma lined himself in glory – significantly while you see the angle from behind.
It’s the primary time we’ve scored from a direct free kick since Martin Odegaard’s strike in opposition to Burnley in 2021. Was it a contact lucky? Positive. I’m not satisfied that’s what he meant to do, however all of them rely, and it gave us some respiratory room within the sport. From one other free kick, did we see one other set-piece ruse as a Gabriel Martinelli ‘harm’ appeared to unsettle PSG? Saka virtually discovered the run of Trossard, however barely overhit it, and he delivered a cross to the close to publish for Trossard once more however the contact on the end wasn’t proper.
Within the second half, I feel we noticed the development and maturity of this group in full impact. I don’t suppose the plan was to let PSG have that a lot of the ball, however after they did we teased them to try to break us down. For essentially the most half, they couldn’t. A speculative shot from distance which swerved and gave Raya a second’s panic earlier than he readjusted and saved, and one effort from a nook which hit the bar and bounced away. That was about it, though their two second half modifications gave us extra to consider.
Keep in mind that we’d taken off the spectacular Timber at half-time as a result of we didn’t need to take a danger with a muscular situation he complained about. That meant Jakub Kiwior got here on at left-back, so we shifted Calafiori over to the suitable. I feel there have been a few moments the place the positioning on his ‘incorrect’ facet induced him a problem, however largely he appeared as snug there as he did on the opposite flank.
I don’t fairly know the right way to describe the way in which he performs. He’s a really front-footed defender, who likes to win the ball and drive ahead, however there’s a form uncooked innocence with it too. I’m certain that Arteta and his teaching employees will look to develop that, reasonably than dispose of it, as a result of it provides the group a lot – significantly after we are in that low block simply shutting out the opposition, and he helps us spring ahead.
We might have scored extra. An excellent transfer noticed Martinelli volley straight on the keeper, Havertz had a header, whereas Gabriel Jesus got here on and made issues 10 instances extra sophisticated than they wanted to be. PSG needed a penalty for handball, however for me these sorts of incidents ought to by no means end in a spot-kick and fortunately the officers agreed.
There was time for a shock debut for Mikel Merino too, the summer time signing changed Thomas Partey within the second half and slotted in alongside Declan Rice as they supplied a dual-screen for the again 4, and in the long run the French champions had no approach to break us down.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta mentioned:
I feel it raises the boldness and perception that we are able to compete with any group at that degree in European competitions, with the fashion of video games which can be very completely different to the Premier League. I feel we confirmed loads of maturity in the way in which we performed and we put our stamp on the way in which that we need to behave in Europe in opposition to prime groups and I actually like that.
Whereas PSG boss Luis Enrique mentioned:
I take the blame. I’m accountable for this. Arsenal had been significantly better by way of depth and strain. They received each duel.
If I had to decide on one phrase to explain our efficiency, it might be ‘skilled’. That is precisely what you want to have the ability to do in video games like this at this degree. I’ve mentioned it earlier than, this can be a group that has matured earlier than our eyes, however the query as as to whether we are able to reveal that in opposition to large opposition continues to be be totally answered. Final night time gave us clue, there’s extra to return clearly, nevertheless it’s a efficiency and a outcome we must be more than happy with.
Stand by for an Arsecast a bit afterward this morning as we go over issues in a bit extra element, for now, I’ll go away it there.
