Arsenal cruise CL group with thumping of Lens by Konstantin Mitov
Well lovely Arsenal people, we’ve cruised through the Champions League group stages by thumping a poor RC Lens side 6:0. Honestly we looked head and shoulders better than the other teams in this group and it’s hard not to be encouraged about our prospects in this tournament, and also be wary that better teams and challenges will arise in the knockout.
We started with an intensity to our play which for some reason I don’t see in our PL games and I wonder why? Maybe teams do underestimate us in Europe, because we haven’t played in the CL for 5 years? In the PL teams teams deploy low blocks, often double up on Saka and Martinelli and definitely leave us less space, but still are teams in Europe that worse? Maybe our players are really hungry to play in the CL and prove themselves? Anyhow I expect a much more difficult game against Wolves honestly.
We had 6 different scorers starting with Kai Havertz. Amongst Arsenal fans there are 2 camps with him, people who’ve written him off and those who are desperate for him to succeed. I really enjoyed seeing him on the score sheet. If he becomes one more player who can add goals in double figures that’s way better than having a 65 million flop. Imagine another goal for him against Wolves and it’s 3 in 3, and things start to look better.
Overall in the CL we’ve shown our best play this season. Honestly I didn’t really have great expectations for the champions league, I just enjoy being back, but in reality it’s really only Real Madrid, Bayern and Man City that are really scary. That said, we have exited the EL to some teams we really should’ve beaten, so we shouldn’t underestimate any team in Europe.
That said, the job so far is done. The fact that we don’t care about the last game is great, because the schedule is getting very packed. Wolves and Luton next, before tricky games with Villa and Brighton, if we can ramp up a good winning streak, that bodes well for a Liverpool away trip which will say a lot about our title credentials.
Top of the league, through to the knockouts as group winners, I am happy and so should you be!
Konstantin
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Always excited to read from you.
Lovely piece bro
One thing what I like about this Arteta team is that we have no longer small team mentality which was evident in Wenger days, no more bullying by physical opponents, no more conceding 4 or 5 or more and getting drubbed in big matches. Even in invincible days we have small mentality in Champions league and no surprise we have never won it, despite being best team in England and one of the best in the world in those days. I remember in many big matches we either concede penalty or get red card or do silly mistakes leading to goal. Most of these mentality has been corrected in Arteta reign, and we boast team with one of highest squad value, so I genuinely believe we can go far in the competition. Yes, I agree we need some luck for that as champions can’t be champions just because of quality or hard work unless there is that luck factor in them.
VZ, you hit the bullseye . In those days we were there to make numbers and collect the participation fee, there was never a wiff of hope that we would win it. 6-0 score does it surprise me? No. Because we were used to to 6-0,6-3, 5-0,score lines except this time the tables are turned and we are spanking someone else. Thanks to our “El Mago” he has erased our memories of dismay of the past and filled us with surprises and laughter.
Arsenal were lethal last night, although Lens helped us by playing openly
I hope Arsenal will keep making the long diagonal crosses to Havertz’s or Rice’s head
Having said that, if we lose any EPL game before going to Anfield, we might as well forget EPL and focus on UCL instead
You give up quickly
Losing one match before Anfield doesn’t mean we should give up
An EPL title contender should be able to win against mid-table teams home and away, because our biggest EPL rival is very consistent at scoring goals
Premier league had big six 2 yrs back then came Newcastle making it big seven, then Brighton came with some of best players and best game play making big eight, this year Aston villa is right up there with other big team making big nine. We have already lost points against Chelsea, spurs and Newcastle showing our tendency to lose points against these big teams and we still need to face Brighton, aston villa and Liverpool and stat shows we have chance to lose points in these fixtures. So, things are tight on the top and other teams will also continue to lose points and it will be the race of which team lose less points.
I became skeptical after Arsenal failed to win against Spuds, Chelsea and Newcastle. Man City have also scored more goals, so we need to win against smaller teams to keep up with them
Gai, Just 3 goals separate Arsenal and MCity. And yet they have Halaand. Draw against Spurds, Chelsea and a controversial lose to NewCastle can’t define Arsenal season. Arsenal have found a way to win games through different means. In my opinion it gives hope. My only worry is if we have what it takes to compete successfully in UCL and a very demanding Epl. Arteta may have to prioritize one. I am unsure of the quality of our bench just a few players.
I hope you’re right, Sylva
Partey and Timber should fully recover next year. If some players have to leave in January, I hope Arsenal will sign their replacements
The key is definitely to win against smaller teams (much, much easier said than done in PL) and build a proper goal differential. The rest will take care of itself for the most part.
How ridiculous a comment about losing 1 game !
Arsenal is probably the biggest club not to win the champions league, though been almost a permanent fixture in the competition in modern era, history is not exactly kind to us.
Having qualified for the competition some seventeen times in a row, it is disappointing to think we never lift this big jug in our history, since it is both a record of achievement and failure.
This is another reason Arsenal has to go into the transfer market with same zest as in the summer
You cant always go out all guns blazing but we need to up the tempo in a lot of our prem games. I dont know why we look pedestrian at some times but not so much in the CL.
I do think that it’s because most EPL team have started taking us seriously. Hence why they play defensively against us. They figured out that once you dare play open expansive football against us then you are more likely to lose by big margins. We are not the old softie that everyone could bully. They now are more cautious against us.
And on top of that I think the end to last season changed something in Arteta, he seems to also want to play more cautious and mature. He just seems to want to be more solid then grind our way through the matches. It’s a marathon and not a sprint.
Konstantin happy? Well that’s a first!
Sorry to be Mr. Grinch, but we need to maintain some perspective. The team we beat last night is the same team we lost to.
Let’s enjoy the ride but let’s stay grounded.
The two toughest teams in the UCL are Man City and Real Madrid. Bayern’s defence is definitely not up to scratch if it wasn’t for Neuer’s incredible saves they could have lost last night – at home!! They arguably have the best attack in Europe now they have Kane, but I would prefer to face them instead of the other two which could be in the quarters.
I think we have done well to cruise through what looked on paper to be a relatively easy group. Consolidating first place is also a big plus. Arteta can now put forward his weakest team in the return leg in Holland. A big test will come late January in the knock out stage. There is a good chance we could draw one of the Italian teams hovering in second place in their respective groups. Inter, Napoli and Lazio are typical Seria A mish mash teams consisting of a few good players, some who would be unable to get a start in the EPL and perhaps one or two who are past it, however they are all have shrewd managers who can organise and make the most of their scant recourses. Getting past the final 16 will be an excellent test for Arteta and his players.