The big games just keep coming, and now we must pause our pursuit of the Premier League, and face Olympiacos at The Emirates, in the Champions League.
Olympiacos are the most successful team in Greek football history, and have beaten us at the Emirates, the last three times we’ve played them… just a reminder, that there’s no easy games in the Champions League.
In Greek Mythology Zeus is the god of thunder, and lightning… and I was hoping that Arsenal strike on Olympiacos, and let our quality rain down upon them, with wave…after wave, of attack.
May the thunderous roar of the Arsenal fans, unsettle our guests, and make it apparent… that there’s no weathering THIS football storm.
Whilst we’re on the subject of myths, I think it’s fair to say that Mikel Arteta has expelled many myths, surrounding Arsenal.
We can’t challenge for the title, we’re not good enough, there’s no team spirit, we can’t win the big games, we lack battling qualities, we crumble under pressure… Blah, blah, blah.. Extra Jibber-Jabber.
All of these myths have been expelled, during Arteta’s tenure.
Yes, traditionally… a myth is explaining natural, or social, phenomenon.. involving supernatural beings, or events… BUT… another meaning of a myth, is a widely held but false belief, or idea.
Arteta has expelled the latter, and this is why the team is so positive, and mentally resilient. The Arsenal team showed that, as recently as Sunday, against Newcastle.
So, now that the myths have been dealt with… we can now focus on the margins.
This season, we’ve been getting most of the small margins right. Defending as a team, starting the defensive press from the front… making the other team rush their passing, which increases our chances of recovering the ball.
Offensively, I’ve noticed a shift communicatively. Even the new players are able to anticipate a pass, or the movement, of their fellow teammates. Yes, sometimes it doesn’t work… but it’s evident that the team are very well coached, and well drilled on our football identity.
We’re on the precipice of something special, and that’s why everyone wants to join Arsenal, and the existing players, don’t want to leave. This made Andrea Berta’s job easier… he was able to complete all the transfer deals, and did so, from a position of strength. He’s doing a fantastic job!
Don’t take my word for it, just look at our Summer transfer window, and the calibre of players we signed.
Also, all the existing players have extended their contracts. The most recent, being William Saliba. We hold on to our best players now, and that just underlines our position as a “Big club”.
The players, the staff, and the owners… all believe in Mikel Arteta, and I’m confident that he’ll repay that faith, with a plethora of trophies.
The competition for places in the squad, has also made all the players raise their game. They all want to make sure that they keep their place in the starting eleven, and this is so healthy to have in a football team… and will help us get the rest of those small margins, near perfect.
For example, it’ll make us more ruthless in front of goal. If we’d taken our first half chances against Newcastle, we would’ve been at least 3-0 up, before half-time.
This squandering of chances will be eradicated from our game, and not getting the small margins right, will soon become… marginal.
By the way, I’m still furious about the referee overturning the penalty decision, in the Newcastle game. It’s very hard NOT to have a conspiratorial mindset, when these terrible decisions, happen to Arsenal, repeatedly. Disgraceful decision, after disgraceful decision… and we’re just expected to get on with it.
Arsenal play against the opposing team, PLUS…the officials. Investigations into some of these referees, are long overdue!
We are officiated differently, to any other team, and if you’re watching football closely, you’ll agree that my statement is undeniable.
Aaanywhoooo… Moving not so swiftly on…
We came into this game on the back of the Magpies massacre, so we’re brimming with confidence, and were eager to play this game.
Olympiacos also came into this game on the back of a win, after they beat Levadiakos 3-2.
It was all set up for an intriguing encounter, on the flawless Emirates carpet, under the lights.
Arsenal went back to a 4-3-3 formation, and Mikel Arteta made six changes, to the team that started at Newcastle. David Raya kept his place in goal, Myles Lewis-Skelly came in for Riccardo Calafiori, at left-back, Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba, central, and Ben White came in for Jurrien Timber, at right-back.
In midfield, Mikel Merino was on the left, Martin Zubimendi central, and Martin Odegaard, completely free of that shoulder injury, started on the right. Our front three was Gabriel Martinelli on the left, Viktor Gyokeres through the middle, and Leandro Trossard, usually deployed on the left… had a rare start, on the right hand side.
We started the game at an extremely fast pace, and the passing accuracy, and clever moment, all over the pitch…was a joy to behold.
As early as the 2nd minute, Raya played a lovely pass to Odegaard, who swept the ball out to the sprinting, Lewis-Skelly… and he put a delectable ball in to Martinelli, in the box, but Martinelli headed the ball onto his own shoulder… and the chance was gone. We should’ve been 1-0 up, or at the very least, he should’ve worked the goalkeeper.
Martin Odegaard was looking sharp, and in the mood to play football. He orchestrated our patterns of play, and our footballing symphony, showed no signs of quieting down.
In the 12th minute, Martin “The Maestro” Odegaard, played a brilliant through ball to Viktor Gyokeres… and even though the defenders either side of him, looked favourites to get to the ball first… he bullied them both, got the ball, and powered into the box. Slightly off balance now, he managed to get a shot off, which squirmed under the keeper, and hit the post, but wasn’t going in.
Gabriel Martinelli ran on to the loose ball, and tapped the ball in, from close range. 1-0 to the Arsenal!
Martinelli now has 2 goals, in 2 Champions League games.
We continued to keep the ball, and like a toddler with a bag of sweets, we didn’t want to share.
However, Olympiacos began to grow into the game…and in the 20th minute, their right-back Costinha, played a lovely ball out to Chiquino, who was in way too much space. He put a pinpoint cross into the Arsenal box, that Podence greeted, with a sweet right foot volley. The ball was heading into the top corner, but David Raya made a phenomenal, acrobatic save… and tipped the ball over the bar. Incredible reflexes from David Raya… who for me, has been one of the best goalkeepers in the world, for the past 2 seasons.
He communicates excellently with his defence, he rushes off his line quickly, when needed. He’s a brilliant shot stopper, he’s commanding on crosses, and his passing is superb.
I don’t think David Raya gets the accolades he truly deserves. I’m making it my business, to change that.
Arsenal enjoyed more possession, and in the 31st minute, Odegaard found Gyokeres on the left hand side, with yet another awe-inspiring pass. Gyokeres raced into the box, and with the angle against him… he took a shot, but the defender made a crucial block, and we failed to convert ANOTHER good chance.
As much as I want Gyokeres to score more goals, he should’ve DEFINITELY squared the ball to Martinelli in this instance… who was unmarked in the middle.
We had a few more half chances, that the keeper claimed, or they were blocked by a defender… but no second goal, so we went in 1-0 up at the half-time break.
In the second half, Olympiacos made some tweaks defensively, that made it more difficult for us to continue our first half domination.
Clear cut chances became few, and far between… and the longer the scoreline remained 1-0, the more Olympiacos grew in confidence.
In the 58th minute, Arteta decided that we needed more help to get the second goal… and Declan Rice came on for Mikel Merino, and Jurrien Timber came on for Ben White.
I agreed with both substitutions, as Merino started to tire, and Ben White has just returned from injury, and wasn’t expected to play the full 90 minutes.
With every Arsenal appearance, Jurrien Timber shows us just how good he is. Right now, he’s the best right-back in the world. He’s flawless defensively, and he’s flawless offensively.
He reads the game magnificently, he’s intelligent, has great positional sense, in addition to his pace, and power. He’s remarkably consistent, and is efficient in both boxes.
Timber already has 2 goals this season, and will definitely score more, and contribute to more clean sheets too.
We still huffed, and puffed, in search of a second goal…But couldn’t blow the Olympiacos house down. We seemed to be lacking the lung capacity, while Olympiacos breathed new life, into their game.
Frustration began to lean on me, and made my confidence unsteady on it’s feet.
Olympiacos were playing well now, and as the game opened up, they began to see more of the ball.
In the 66th minute, some sloppy play in midfield, allowed Olympiacos to mount an attack.
A decent ball was put into the Arsenal box, by Podence, and a header from Kaabi was saved by David Raya, but the ricochet broke kindly to Kaabi again, and he put the ball in the net.
Thankfully, the offside flag went up… and even after a VAR check, it was still deemed offside.
That was another warning to Arsenal, that Olympiacos still believed they can get something from the game.
The 73rd minute tapped Arteta on the shoulder, and suggested reaching into the armoury, and bringing out the big guns. Arteta agreed, and brought on Bukayo Saka for Leandro Trossard, and Eberechi Eze, for Gabriel Martinelli.
Martinelli had a decent game, and of course got the goal… and Trossard had a good game, got into some dangerous positions, but by his own high standards… he missed too many chances.
I’ll repeat what I said earlier… The squandering of chances, will soon become, marginal. Don’t worry my Arsenal family. Don’t worry.
With the “Big guns” now removed from their holsters, a kill-shot felt inevitable… But the target was well protected.
In the 75th minute, Gabriel Magalhaes had to be withdrawn, after taking a knock, and the more than capable, Cristhian Mosquera, replaced him.
Hopefully Big Gabby’s injury, is nothing too serious.
We kept pushing for the second goal, while keeping our defensive discipline… wary of the possibility, of an Olympiacos counter-attack.
Into the 82nd minute now, and I was painfully uncomfortable… like was sitting on broken glass.
My discomfort was eased a little, as Eze played the ball out to Saka on the right, and he beat his man, then hugged the touchline, like it was a long lost relative. He reached the byline, and cut it back to Odegaard, who shot first time… but had his shot saved by the keeper.
My discomfort, returned.
It wasn’t until the 92nd minute, that my seat of broken glass, morphed into a recliner, made of the softest pillows… when Saka picked the ball up on the left, laid the ball off to Odegaard, and continued his run… demanding the one-two. Odegaard found Saka again with the return pass, and Saka, now through on goal, rifled the ball past the keeper! GOOOOOAAAAL!!!
Now, I’m comfortable. Now, I can rest easy. 2-0 to the Arsenal. Brilliant combination play, between Saka, and Odegaard.
It finished 2-0, and we made it 2 wins out of 2, put 6 points on the board, and have yet to concede a single goal. An excellent start to our Champions League campaign.
We entertain West Ham next, at the Emirates, and for the last two seasons, they’ve won this fixture. We owe them a battering, and hopefully, we’ll pay in full.
I’m sure their new manager Nuno Espirito Santo, will make it difficult for us.
That’s right, we face yet ANOTHER team, with a “New manager bounce”.
These are the games that Gyokeres was bought for, and I’m sure he’ll put in a good performance.
He was excellent tonight, and deserved to be rewarded with a goal. I’ve told myself he’s saving it for West Ham… and I believe me.
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