ARSENAL have all but secured their spot in the last-16 of the Champions League after a comfortable 3-0 win over Dinamo Zagreb.
Declan Rice fired the North Londoners ahead with a thunderous volley in the second minute.
On 66 minutes, Kai Havertz headed in to double Arsenal’s advantage following great work from Gabriel Martinelli in the build-up.
Martin Odegaard put a gloss on the result just before the full-time whistle after he tapped in from close range to secure a 3-0 win for the Gunners.
- Match result: Arsenal 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb
- Arsenal team: Raya, Timber, Kiwior, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Rice, Odegaard, Sterling, Martinelli, Havertz
- Dinamo Zagreb team: Nevistic, Ristovski, Torrente, Mmaee, Bernauer, Pierre-Gabriel, Ademi, Stojkovic, Rog, Baturina, Kulenovic
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Raheem just not delivering the goods
To anyone bar Arsenal fans and staff, the loan signing of Raheem Sterling seemed a strange one for The Gunners.
A player seemingly past his prime, who does not seem capable of producing what he once did on the football pitch.
Arteta no doubt saw it as a no brainer to bolster his attack but from what we have seen so far from him, it begs the question whether he is adding anything at all.
Credit: Getty The curious case of Kai Havertz
With Arsenal not having a recognised striker, most of the attention falls on their German attacker.
Havertz grabbed a goal tonight and will feel his performance was enough to keep the haters off his back.
Despite scoring, Havertz missed a number of good chances.
This is simply someone who does not have the mindset of goalscoring striker, nothing will change that.
It will be an interesting transfer window and if Arteta does not strengthen in this area, he will have some awkward questions to answer.
Brazilian puts in shift for team
When he is on his game, Gabriel Martinelli can be a thorn in the side of most teams.
The issue is, this only happens infrequently.
However, this evening he showed his potential and was a key part to two of The Gunners’ three goals.
Arteta will need to see this more regularly if they can achieve their goals for the season.
Big couple of weeks ahead
Mikel Arteta’s side have some crucial matches coming up.
These will decide how they progress in the Champions League and whether they can still book a place at Wembley for the Carabao Cup final.
Add to that a little matter of the Spaniard going up against his mentor in a match they cannot afford to drop points in if they have any hope of keeping the pressure on leaders Liverpool.
Zagreb pay price for Odegaard approach
Martin Odegaard is so vital to Arsenal’s attacking play, if you give him time and space on the ball, he is guaranteed to hurt you.
Teams who have had success against The Gunners this season have tasked a player with tracking and closing him down all game.
Zagreb didn’t seem to have anyone capable of that and as a result he was able to pull the strings for Arteta’s side this evening.
Skipper has his say on victory
Martin Odegaard joined the TNT Sports pundits to discuss the game and their aims for the season:
Yeh we needed that, we have put ourselves in a really good situation now. Results always influence the mood but I think it is good. We come in the next day are even more hungry. To be honest, with injuries we have been a little short, if we can keep everyone fit that is the main thing. Everyone is different, different way to lead. For me I try to lead by example and to get the best out of everyone.
Martin Odegaard
Ex-Arsenal defender waxing lyrical
Martin Keown could find a positive for his former club in any given situation or disaster.
Speaking after the game, he pointed towards their early exit from the FA Cup being a good thing so they can focus on the Champions League.
No doubt, when they exit the competition, Keown will point towards how being out of Europe is good for their carbon footprint and they are single-handedly saving the planet.
Spaniard happy with team display
Speaking with TNT Sports after the game, The Gunners’ manager gave his view on tonight’s performance:
We are happy to win a game at home and keep a clean sheet. It is massive step and we are very close now. I thought we generated quite a lot and missed a few big chances. You could see the way Martinelli celebrated how important that goal was to him. It is a crucial month, we have nine games in this period. We are in good spirits and we go again.
Mikel Arteta
Take back the empties Declan
During the first-half, whenever Declan Rice was taking corners for his team, he was pelted with missiles from the Zagreb end.
His biggest test was moving all the pint glasses away from the corner so he could take the set-piece.
Some grounds offer money-back for taking empties back to them.
That could have worked out to be a real money-spinner for the Arsenal midfielder this evening.
Credit: Getty Credit: Getty
Arteta’s side with point to prove
The task for The Gunners is simple now, get at least a point away to Girona next week to secure their progress to the last 16.
Avoiding a two-legged play-off was the aim for all the English teams as soon as the new format was announced.
With the demands of the Premier League, the last thing any of these teams needed was an extra two matches.
FT: Arsenal 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb
There is no doubting that The Gunners will face much tougher challenges in the Champions League this season.
Zagreb’s tactic of getting eleven men behind the ball didn’t seem to make a difference when trying to keep the hosts at bay.
Rice’s early goal made a big difference to this game, the longer it had stayed goalless you could see the visitors growing in confidence.
From that point, their focus was on defence rather than attack.
Credit: Getty FT: Arsenal 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb
It was plain sailing for The Gunners in the capital.
Scoring early on in the game, it seemed to knock the stuffing out of the visitors.
From that moment, they were more interested in protecting their own goal than putting Arsenal’s under any pressure.
FT: Arsenal 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb
The referee brings the game to a close.
Arsenal are comfortable winners at The Emirates.
A deserved victory for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Arsenal 3-0 Dinamo Zagreb
90+2. Trossard puts a teasing ball into the box.
Nobody has tracked the run of Odegaard and he has a simple tap in.
Icing on the cake for Arsenal and their fans in North London.
Goal – Martin Odegaard (Arsenal)
Arsenal 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb
90. Zagreb force a corner late on in the game.
Arsenal will be keen to defend their clean sheet here.
We are going to have three added minutes.
Arsenal 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb
88. Rice comes over to take The Gunners’ tenth corner of the match.
Still they search for one of theiir trademark goals.
You can not have it all, they have scored two goals in open play tonight.
Arsenal 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb
86. Some interesting scores elsewhere in the Champions League tonight.
Currently, Man City are trailing to PSG in Paris.
That leaves them 25th in the table and in danger of going out of Europe.
Arsenal 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb
84. The Gunners’ fans are singing ‘Allez, Allez, Allez’ now.
Obviously they have had to change the lyriics to make sure there is no mention of dominating Europe.
It is a reworded version referencing past Premier League glories, the trophy they have not won for 21 years now.
Arsenal 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb
82. The game seems to be going through the motions now.
Arsenal are trying to manage the game and keep possession.
The last thing The Gunners want is to concede against the run of play and make for a nervy end to this match.
Credit: PA Arsenal 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb
80. Martinelli comes forward again.
He lifts a cross into the back post but it is headed wide for a corner.
Their set-piece coach stays in his seat this time, maybe he realises his five minutes of fame is over.
Arsenal 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb
78. It crazy to think that, if results go their way elsewhere, Zagreb could still make the play-off places in the league.
They do not deserve to be in the latter stages of this competition.
Zagreb have offered so little in an attacking sense, you start to feel empathy for the fans who made the long trip to London.
Arsenal 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb
76. Arsenal seem to have more of a spring in their step now.
Nwaneri cuts inside from the right wing and swings in a left-footed cross right onto the head of Rice.
Somehow, the former West Ham man heads well wide of the goal.
Great clearance.
Arsenal 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb
74. Some more changes from Mikel Arteta.
Zinchenko and Havertz are the players to make way.
They are replaced by Trossard and Tierney.
Arsenal 2-0 Dinamo Zagreb
72. This will be seen as a comfortable victory for The Gunners.
In some respects that is not a good thing as you wonder if Arteta will even focus on some things that need to improve.
Arsenal have had 13 shots in the game so far but only 3 of them have been on target.
If they want to compete for major honours this season, that has to change.
Credit: PA
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
