MATCH REPORT – PLAYER RATINGS – ARTETA REACTION – VIDEO
Properly, that was enjoyable.
Arsenal produced their finest away European efficiency of Mikel Arteta’s 5 years in cost to thump Sporting Lisbon 5-1 on the Estadio Jose Alvalade.
The outcome – equalling our largest successful margin on the highway in both the Champions League or European Cup – places the Gunners in a robust place to qualify for the knockout phases through a top-eight end whereas additionally respiration new perception right into a season after a interval of stuttering autumnal kind.
Previous to the match, a lot of the discuss centered on Sporting’s unbelievable kind, notably in Lisbon. The reigning Portuguese champions gained all 17 of final season’s residence league video games, hadn’t misplaced to any facet on their patch since October 2023 and lately humbled Manchester Metropolis. Make no mistake, regardless of their current change of head coach, this was a fortress that Arsenal bulldozed.
Whereas Arteta persistently talks concerning the significance of tackling video games separately, Saturday’s shock lineup in opposition to Forest prompt the Spaniard had been eyeing this problem for some time. Declan Rice, Thomas Partey, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli have been all restored to the beginning lineup – arguably our strongest of the season – whereas the bench was packed filled with expertise. With solely Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White lacking the journey as a result of harm, the one teenage presence was keeper Tommy Setford and regulars Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri.
You sensed instantly that Arsenal meant enterprise. Contained in the opening minute, Odegaard and Martinelli discovered themselves in harmful positions. It set the tone for a night once we pressed with menace figuring out Sporting stubbornly adhered to a coverage of enjoying out from the again. Having struggled for targets away from residence in Europe, the query was whether or not we might tighten the screw by discovering the online.
On seven minutes we did precisely that. Partey and Odegaard mixed off the best flank to search out Rice in a pocket of house. The England worldwide wasted no time releasing Timber who teased a ball throughout the six-yard field that Martinelli transformed on the again publish with a late run behind his marker. It was exact, fast soccer and the Brazilian’s fourth objective of the season fully caught the hosts off guard.
Within the speedy aftermath, Arsenal retreated right into a compact, slender unit with all 11 males behind the ball and it regarded like we may be tempted to take a seat on the lead. Sporting huffed and puffed for a few minutes however struggled to provide something of advantage and realised quickly sufficient that any sloppy play can be punished by a swift counter-attack. Time and time once more within the first half, Arsenal sliced via the centre of the pitch attempting to work house for Saka on the best. In line with TNT Sports activities, 65% of first half assaults got here down that facet. And with good purpose.
The winger knew he had the beating of his marker, Goncalo Inacio, whether or not he had the ball at his toes or if he was sprinting behind. Certain sufficient, when Partey lofted a move contained in the Sporting left-back on 20 minutes, Saka, who’d been pointing the place he wished the ball, burst into the field and toe-poked it previous the onrushing keeper Franco Israel for Havertz to faucet into an empty internet. It was stunning in its simplicity.
The remainder of the half was performed with an actual swagger. Partey completely dominated the midfield – a efficiency later described by the supervisor as “among the finest I’ve seen from him” – whereas Odegaard pulled the strings in pockets of house. The Norwegian is sort of a softly tailor-made go well with worn with a Cuban collar shirt, there’s all the time a degree of panache elevating that smart-casual approach of his. Whereas it’s reductive to recommend the captain single-handedly makes Arsenal look good, it does really feel that approach on nights like this.
“He’s an unbelievable participant, the day he returned there was an enormous smile on my face,” stated Saka afterwards. “I’m completely happy he’s again and I hope he stays match for the remainder of the season.”
Saka, Havertz and Rice all had half possibilities to increase the lead, Raya made a sensible cease from 17-year-old Quenda, who confirmed fast toes earlier than firing from lengthy vary, and Gabriel earned his flowers from the travelling Gooners for seeing Viktor Gyokeres out of play on a few events. Simply to rub salt within the Swede’s wounds, Huge Gabi barrelled residence a header from a scrumptious Rice nook on the stroke of half-time and promptly stole his opponent’s trademark masks celebration. High shithousery from the centre-back.
A 3-goal benefit on the break felt like job carried out. Form of. You simply hoped we wouldn’t do something foolish like conceding a sloppy objective early within the second interval. So, in fact, that’s what we did. Raya had already been examined by a bouncing shot by Morita when Ignacio flashed residence a first-time volley from the ensuing nook. Taking nothing away from the end or the way in which Sporting muscled Odegaard and Saka out of issues, we shouldn’t be permitting a participant to transform like that on the close to publish. Calafiori seemed to be the marker however he was left in a heap on the turf. One to analyse when the boys are again at London Colney.
The objective breathed life into the Alvalade, and for some time Sporting threatened an unlikely comeback. Gyokeres, with the bit between his enamel, gained a free-kick from Gabriel earlier than firing the set piece into Row Z. On commentary, Steve McMananaman was so determined for the ball to go in, that he screamed ‘Bang’ when the striker hit the ball. Do fuck off, Steve.
Ineffective within the first half, Marcus Edwards additionally got here into issues, firing over and forcing us to defend a deflected cross. In response, Arsenal tried to take the sting out of issues. Raya picked up a reserving for time-wasting and the Polish referee punished Jurrien Timber for dawdling over a throw-in, one thing he did repeatedly all night time a lot to the annoyance of the house help.
It will be hyperbolic to recommend Arsenal have been clinging on for expensive life on the hour-mark, however after Gyokeres fired one other try over the bar, we have been very grateful that Sporting shot themselves within the foot. Younger defender Ousmane Diomande, already on a reserving for an earlier foul on Havertz, went via the again of Odegaard within the field, to concede a penalty which player-of-the-match Saka transformed with trademark aplomb. Added to his earlier help that’s now 15 objective involvements in 17 appearances this season.
The penalty actually popped the Sporting balloon and from there on out, the Gunners saved their opponents at arm’s size whereas enjoying on the break.
Arteta launched Trossard and Merino with 20 minutes remaining after which despatched on Nwaneri and Zinchenko as we rested a number of the massive weapons for Saturday’s journey to West Ham. The substitutes all regarded hungry and when Merino fired a fierce effort goalwards, Trossard helped himself to the rebound to move residence and spherical off a really satisfying night.
There’s no denying Arsenal have regarded stodgy at occasions this season so this was a well timed reminder of what we’re able to when our greatest gamers can be found.
Whereas Sporting ended the sport with extra possession and extra makes an attempt on objective (19 vs 13), xG was closely weighted within the Gunners’ favour (0.97 vs 4.23).
Sporting CP (0.97) 1-5 (4.23) Arsenal
— The xG Philosophy (@xGPhilosophy) November 26, 2024
There was completely no doubting who have been the higher workforce main Arteta to purr in his post-game press convention:
“We have been so good, it’s important to be so good in each division and we suffered as effectively in lots of moments within the sport however we have been so efficient and so environment friendly once we begin to assault the place and right now that was an enormous distinction.”
Talking to TNT Sports activities, he added:
“I’m very completely happy. It’s an enormous outcome in opposition to an enormous opponent. I feel they haven’t misplaced a sport right here in 18 months and we wished to make an announcement. I felt actually good power, actually good perception earlier than the match. It’s a must to put it into observe. I feel the primary half was distinctive. It gave us the platform to win the sport and a extremely optimistic and vital win for us.”
When you can’t draw too many conclusions from the Champions League desk at this level, Arsenal’s tally of 10 factors from 5 video games may be very stable. And with residence video games in opposition to Monaco and Dinamo Zagreb to come back and a visit to Girona rounding issues off in January, we’re well-placed to safe the top-eight end that might see us keep away from two additional video games in February.
It’s in all probability not price trying too far forward at this level. Importantly, we’ve began to construct momentum that we’ll be hoping to maintain on the London Stadium on Saturday.
When you’re out in Portugal, like Blogs, take pleasure in the remainder of your journey. Lewis Ambrose will probably be protecting tomorrow earlier than regular service is resumed on Friday.
