Match report – Participant scores – Arteta response – Video
We obtained our first Champions League win of the season underneath our belts final evening, beating PSG 2-0 due to first half targets 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 remaining was just about as anticipated. The opening phases have 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 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 house in behind and performed an excellent ball throughout however no one 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 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 by which the German has scored now, and with 5 targets 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 enchanting one. The Portuguese defender cracked a shot simply vast after he forayed ahead, but it surely 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 put up. Arsenal gamers ran in that course, PSG defenders didn’t get any contact on it, and I don’t assume Donnarumma coated 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? Positive. I’m not satisfied that’s what he meant to do, however all of them depend, and it gave us some respiration room within the recreation. From one other free kick, did we see one other set-piece ruse as a Gabriel Martinelli ‘damage’ appeared to unsettle PSG? Saka nearly discovered the run of Trossard, however barely overhit it, and he delivered a cross to the close to put up 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 assume the plan was to let PSG have that a lot of the ball, however once 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 subject 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 ‘incorrect’ aspect brought on him a difficulty, however largely he appeared as snug there as he did on the opposite flank.
I don’t fairly know methods 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 kind uncooked innocence with it too. I’m certain that Arteta and his teaching workers will look to develop that, fairly than eliminate it, as a result of it offers the staff 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. A superb 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 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 ultimately the French champions had no approach to break us down.
Afterwards, Mikel Arteta stated:
I feel it raises the boldness and perception that we will compete with any staff at that stage in European competitions, with the type of video games which might be very completely different to the Premier League. I feel we confirmed a variety 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 stated:
I take the blame. I’m liable for this. Arsenal have been a lot better when it comes to depth and stress. They received each duel.
If I had to decide on one phrase to explain our efficiency, it could be ‘skilled’. That is precisely what you want to have the ability to do in video games like this at this stage. I’ve stated it earlier than, it is a staff that has matured earlier than our eyes, however the query as as to whether we will exhibit that in opposition to massive opposition remains to be be totally answered. Final evening gave us a very good clue, there’s extra to return clearly, but it surely’s a efficiency and a consequence we ought to 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 depart it there.
