Champions League football, has returned… and The Arsenal are here to greet it, and hopefully, be terrible hosts, to Atletico Madrid.
Arsenal haven’t played Atletico Madrid in European competition, since the 2017/18 season, when we played them in the semi-final, of the Europa League.
We drew 1-1 at the Emirates, and lost the second leg 1-0. (Our revenge tour continues)
It’ll most certainly be a VERY different game, this time around. Our home record in the Champions League is excellent, we have a MUCH BETTER team, and I have no doubt in my mind, that Atletico Madrid will be reminded of that.
Atletico Madrid were complaining on social media, because APPARENTLY… there was no hot water at the Emirates Stadium. (Cry-babies)
ALLEDGEDLY, after Atletico’s training session, they hit the showers, only to find that the water was ice cold. Players had to scramble to their hotel, to have a shower. (HAHAHAHAHA!!)
I LOVE that this type of gamesmanship, is still in the game. This is no different from teams letting the grass grow long, so the footballing sides can’t pass the ball quickly….or, the footballing sides making the grass overly wet, so they can zip the ball around quicker.
Heating used to be turned off in the away changing rooms, the home sides used to hold back ticket allocation for the away fans. There was tea with no milk, custard creams with no custard in them… and pizza with no toppings. (Ok, maybe I made up the last couple, but you get the point)
I don’t know why Atletico are being all dramatic about it. I imagine that when they realised there was no hot water, they put the back of their hand on their forehead, and fainted… theatrically. (HAHAHA!!)
Gamesmanship has existed, since football was founded, back in 1863… But predictably, the mainstream media will pretend it’s a thousand times worse, because it’s the Arsenal.
We’re used to it by now, and it only makes us stronger! COYG!!
Arsenal come into this game on the back of our 1-0 win against Fulham, and Atletico Madrid come into this game, also on the back of a 1-0 win… against Osasuna.
Both teams are solid defensively, so tactically, I’m expecting an intriguing encounter.
I’m also expecting Atletico to do persistent fouling, merely to break up our play, and also do A LOT of timewasting.
The referee needs to stamp his authority on the game, EARLY!
Arteta adjusted the back four slightly, by bringing in Lewis-Skelly at left-back, Gabriel and Saliba, central, and Jurrien Timber at right-back.
In the midfield, it was… Rice, Zubimendi, and Eze.
Up top, Martinelli on the left, Gyokeres through the middle, and Saka on the right.
The game started at a frantic pace, there was barely time to blink, or catch your breath. The Arsenal faithful, created a brilliant atmosphere…and encouraged the players to mirror their brilliance, on the pitch.
In the 5th minute, Eze had decent shot from the edge of the box, that was partially blocked by the defender… and the ball looped up high into the air, over the keeper, and hit the bar. We were oh so close, to breaking the deadlock.
10 minutes later, we were in on their goal again, after some neat passing in a tight area. Unfortunately though, Lewis-Skelly scuffed his shot wide.
It’s like we just ignored Atletico Madrid’s reputation of being “Fighters”…and their reputation of being solid defensively, and just said “Meh” whatever… we’re just going to play marvellous football. Stop us if you can, Atletico MEH-drid.
David Raya had an extremely rare, moment of madness, in the 25th minute… when he rushed off his line to try and shepherd the ball out of play, but there wasn’t enough pace on the ball. Atletico earned a throw-in, which was taken quickly, as Raya sprinted back to his goal.
Before he could make it, Simeone took a long shot, but couldn’t quite guide the ball in to the empty net. (Thank God!)
Yes, we’re THE ARSENAL, but our guns aren’t for shooting ourselves in the foot.
Despite that crazy Raya moment, we were STILL in complete control of the game… and in the 35th minute, Saka got to the byline, and put a great ball in to Martinelli, who tapped the ball in from close range. Unfortunately though, he was offside. No goal.
It was beginning to feel like one of those days. (Siiiiiiigh)
We continued pushing forward, passing, and probing… undeterred by our missed opportunities.
Our dominance not rewarded though, but we were playing so well, it felt like a matter of time before we score.
We went in 0-0 at the break, even though we deserved much more.
The early stages of the second half felt a little more even. Both teams were battling to assert themselves… when out of nowhere, in the 49th minute… Julian Alvarez hit a thunderous, curling, dipping shot, from outside the box… but the crossbar came to the rescue, just in time…like a superhero in the movies. PHEW!! Waaaaay too close.
The crowd was quieter now, as their voices were being strangled by concern.
We needed a goal, DESPERATELY…and in the 56th minute we earned a free-kick, on the left side of the pitch…and Declan Rice put a scrumptious ball into the box, and Gabriel Magalhaes glanced the ball home! He made it look easy, but it wasn’t. That’s how good the timing of his run was, and that’s how good, the delivery from Rice was. 1-0 to the Arsenal!!
The crowd found their voices again, and they didn’t have to wait long to roar in celebration.
In the 64th minute, Myles Lewis-Skelly picked up the all deep inside his own half… turned the player closest to him, ghosted past another, sprinted towards the Atletico goal…while maintaining close control of the ball. He got to the edge of the box, and played a perfectly weighted pass to Martinelli, who stroked the ball home with his instep.
Martinelli has now scored 3 goals, in 3 Champions League games, this season. He’s been on fire this season.
What a magnificent run by Lewis-Skelly though… it was the epitome of “Making a goal”. Just brilliant! 2-0 to the Arsenal!!
3 minutes later, Zubimendi played a great ball over the top to Martinelli… who put the ball in the box. Eze got to the ball first, but miscued his shot… thankfully, the ball broke to Gyokeres, and he squeezed the ball in, taking a slight deflection of the defender. He won’t care about that…WE, don’t care about that. They all count. A well-deserved goal for Gyokeres. 3-0 to the Arsenal!!
THAT’S why the showers were cold at the Emirates, because Arsenal knew they were going to put Atletico in hot water. (HAHAHA!)
The Arsenal fans began singing “Are you Tottenham in disguise?” and I honestly can’t think of a worse insult. (HAHAHAHAAAAA!)
The 70th minute came bearing gifts… a corner, of all things.
Rice took the corner, and it was another exquisite delivery, that landed on Gabriel’s head. He headed back across goal, and the ball was met by Gyokeres, who bundled the ball home. It came off his thigh. Again…They ALL count! 2 proper striker’s goals from Gyokeres.
4-0 to the Arsenal!! Game well and truly over. The clock mercilessly demanded, 20 more minutes of Atletico suffering.
In the 73rd minute, Mikel Arteta wisely made changes.
Cristhian Mosquera came on for Gabriel, Ethan Nwaneri came on for Eze, and Christian Norgaard came on for Zubimendi.
The changes in personnel didn’t disrupt our rhythm, or our control of the game. Our dominance was unrelenting… and with comfort levels at “Easy like Sunday morning”… further changes were made by Arteta, in the 83rd minute.
Mikel Merino came on for Gyokeres, and Ben White came on for Timber.
We stayed professional, didn’t start showboating, didn’t take unnecessary risks, or try to force a fifth goal. We kept defending as a team, were determined to keep a clean sheet, and we did.
It finished 4-0. What a fantastic result! An awesome performance from the squad, because the subs that came in, did their jobs too.
We put 4 past a team who don’t concede goals, out fought a team who are infamous for being fighters, and we did it, emphatically.
This was a landmark win too, as this was our 100th win, in the Champions League.
That’s 3 wins from 3.
9 points on the board.
8 goals scored.
0 goals conceded.
It’s incredible what we’ve done so far this season, across ALL competitions… and it’s just NOT talked about enough. I’ll talk about it though. I’ll scream it from the mountaintops!!
I refuse to believe, that it will be for nothing. We’re going to do something special this season, and I KNOW I’ll be proved RIGHT.
Next up, the Premier League pursuit… and It’s our final game in the trio of London Derbies. We host an in form Crystal Palace side, and we’re ready to clip the wings of The Eagles.
GOYG!!
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