Match report – Participant rankings – Arteta response – Video
We received our first Champions League win of the season beneath our belts final night time, beating PSG 2-0 because of first half objectives from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka.
The staff noticed each Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori begin at full-back, with Ben White absent once more. The remainder was just about as anticipated. The opening phases had been fairly attention-grabbing as the 2 sides felt one another out. PSG seemed to press excessive, so David Raya went lengthy, enjoying an excellent go 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 ideal 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 reduce inside, noticed the run of Havertz and delivered a superb 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 excellent (it was courageous too). That’s six dwelling video games in a row through 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 an interesting one. The Portuguese defender cracked a shot simply vast after he forayed ahead, however it was his foul on the Arsenal captain that led to the second. The free kick from out vast was one you’d count on Saka to ship excessive into the field, however he went low in direction of the entrance submit. Arsenal gamers ran in that path, PSG defenders didn’t get any contact on it, and I don’t suppose Donnarumma lined himself in glory – significantly once 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? Certain. I’m not satisfied that’s what he meant to do, however all of them rely, and it gave us some respiration 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 submit 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 staff 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 attempt 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 wish to take a threat with a muscular challenge he complained about. That meant Jakub Kiwior got here on at left-back, so we shifted Calafiori over to the appropriate. I feel there have been a few moments the place the positioning on his ‘improper’ facet brought about him a difficulty, however largely he seemed as snug there as he did on the opposite flank.
I don’t fairly know tips on how 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, quite than dispose of it, as a result of it provides the staff a lot – significantly once 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 difficult than they wanted to be. PSG wished a penalty for handball, however for me these sorts of incidents ought to by no means lead to 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 offered a dual-screen for the again 4, and in the long run the French champions had no solution to break us down.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta mentioned:
I feel it raises the arrogance and perception that we will compete with any staff at that degree in European competitions, with the type of video games which are very totally different to the Premier League. I feel we confirmed a whole lot of maturity in the way in which we performed and we put our stamp on the way in which that we wish to behave in Europe in opposition to high groups and I actually like that.
Whereas PSG boss Luis Enrique mentioned:
I take the blame. I’m chargeable for this. Arsenal had been a lot better by way of depth and stress. They gained 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 staff that has matured earlier than our eyes, however the query as as to whether we will reveal that in opposition to large opposition continues to be be totally answered. Final night time gave us an excellent clue, there’s extra to return clearly, however it’s a efficiency and a end result we ought to be very happy with.
Stand by for an Arsecast a bit in a while this morning as we go over issues in a bit extra element, for now, I’ll go away it there.
