Jurrien Timber revealed on Monday that Arsenal “wanted to change the story” of their season against PSV Eindhoven. They certainly succeeded on Tuesday.
The Gunners arrived in the Netherlands with all the talk about whether they could 'clean themselves' their way through the Champions League rounds. There was an idea that although their attack was decimated by injury, their defense could wear them over the line.
Even before the competition, Mikel Arteta to which Arsenal had given the best expected goals in Europe's top competition this season and asked questions about the Gunners -side of 2006 that reached the Champions League final -someone who did not give a single goal of the last 16 to the final.
Now, as wood foresaw, the story has indeed shifted. Seven goals of eight shots on Doel have sent the sound about the lack of goals of Arsenal to rest. For the first time, this team achieved a big win with Mikel Merino who starts in advance, with the 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri there as one of the most important players on the largest stage.
But even more important, it showed a short glimpse of the Arsenal Force that was seen at the back of last season -the team that won 16 of a possible 18 games in the Premier League -Run -in via some huge scoring lines and ended on 89 points.
That team was encouraged by goals from the entire field. After the PSV game, Arteta referred to how his many full -backs – the Gunners Zes used in Eindhoven on Tuesday evening, what a kind of record should be – became involved in the devastating act.
“Myles [Lewis-Skelly] Makes an assist, Jurrien scores a header, [Riccardo] Calafiori Rent and scores with his right foot. That is the team that I want to see, one that takes initiative and let things happen, “said Arteta.
But that team from last season also benefited from target contributions from midfield. Declan Rice got three goals and five assists about 11 games between March and May last year. The midfielder of England showed that he is ready to re -produce such songs after a beautiful cross to set up the opener of Timber.
And Odegaard also seems to have found some confidence. The Arsenal captain has only one goal and one assist in the Premier League since the beginning of December, but on Tuesday his double ensured that he had picked up so many non-Penalty goals in Eindhoven than he succeeded in his previous 33 arsenal matches.
The other added Arsenal bonus was the implementation of Nwaneri – indisputably his brightest outing so far in his breakthrough season. The bright finish for the second goal was supported by a nice run and finish for the fourth. His four shots generally showed his trust.
“Even if Saka was still here, Ethan would still be in and around the team and get minutes,” Rice added after the big victory of Arsenal. And it raises the question about what Team Arsenal will release in Madrid for the quarterfinals for which they have certainly qualified.
Saka is predicted to be back by that expected last -like draw, including Gabriel Martinelli. If Arteta can find a way to get all its attacking stars on time for that game, the Gunners may have something to play for.
Arsenal started the week with PSV away as the game to save their season. And although the context of a bad PSV display and their many injuries are still hanging over them, they now have much more confidence and quality to work with to make a success through European silverware this season.
RICE: We played the whole season like this
Arsenal -Midfielder Declan Rice speaks with Amazon Prime Sport:
“We were fluent, we had enthusiasm. We were the drive and hunger, they are the knockout rounds of the Champions League.
“But we play like this all season. We have talked about a story, but we players feel that we have done well. Sometimes we score five or six, sometimes we score two or three, sometimes we can lose with one.
“That is where we have to keep pushing as a team with the mentality. Tonight we did that.
“When they returned to bring it 3-1, we could have sat back. But you went on and you saw that with the goals we scored in the second half. A huge performance. Now nothing has been done. We will see what is happening.”
On Nwaneri: “Seventeen years old, play on the biggest stage of football. It's crazy! We see him every day. All the guys have taken him under our wings, the same with Myes. You should see them train, they have no fear. And the way they come to perform.”
Judgment: Arsenal enjoys the carnival
Sky Sports News' Gail Davis in Philips Stadium:
After having spent almost every awake moment in the last few days talking about Arsenal's inability to score, they go out and put seven past PSV.
There is of course a context about the result and that was the terrible defense of the home team, sometimes really terrible, but Arsenal and Arteta don't care.
Three goals in 13 minutes, 99 seconds between Arsenal's fourth and fifth in which the momentum they had created and then survived De Wiebel just before half -time, arteta would have satisfied.
After a difficult few months, Odegaard would have enjoyed his double, Rice looked back on his threatening best and Nwaneri is an absolute pleasure to look in the entire flight – nothing seems to be confusing this teenager and he is not afraid to make the shot.
It was smart of Arteta to remove Lewis -Skelly from the shooting line – he did so much good this season that it would be sad to see it overshadowing with more disciplinary problems.
I was worried if the game could not realize the drama, the spectacular and the glare of the warming act of the Eindhoven carnival – not such a problem.
'A gap in class'
Tim Sherwood looking at Sky Sports News:
“They didn't have to worry about goals tonight, there was a gap in the classroom. They had to do it well, they meant the crowd. It's carnival time in Eindhoven and they came a party, but Arsenal quickly closed them.
“It was incredible how she shifted the ball and opened it. The movement was very good. Merino played like a nine, I looked at him closely. If he didn't touch the ball, he occupies center halves and made room for rice and Odegaard to make late runs.
“Nwaneri, the little superstar, drove in different positions. They just had too much for them and they were really a class above. Without a recognized center-forward they had too much firepower.”
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