Arsenal picked up their first win of the new Champions League format with a couple of goals against one of their toughest opponents, PSG. Mikel Arteta will be happy with what was a comfortable performance against a very good side.
Kai Havertz gave the Gunners the lead on the night with a great header past Gianluigi Donnarumma as he leapt to glance the ball into the bottom left-hand corner. Bukayo Saka then grabbed the second with a direct free-kick that eluded everyone including the Italian keeper to nestle in the back of the net.
With it being a night in Europe under the lights, Arsenal were of course on the cameras with Amazon Prime behind the pictures. Yet as always, the images cannot catch it all, thankfully football.london were in the stadium to provide a glimpse at some of what was missed from the Emirates Stadium.
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Pre-match feels
With most European nights, the away support always bring something different than the domestic fixtures. We seem to just love grabbing a pie and a pint more than our equals abroad as the PSG supporters had their section entirely filled out more than 45 minutes before kick-off.
Allez” was indeed the word spiralling around the ground as the southeast corner produced quite the display. Jumping, shouting and screaming which followed the theme from outside the ground as walking toward the ground, there were already plenty of French supporters chanting through Holloway Road.
Calafiori chaos
One thing amongst the great goal at Manchester City and intriguing defending style Riccardo Calafiori has promised Arsenal fans with his performances has been unpredictability. That was certainly evident against PSG and his positioning was so strange to see.
One moment he would be at left-back, another time in central midfield and then partway through the first half he was spotted at right attacking midfield. Mikel Arteta was spotted gesticulating to his bench a “calm” signal and Thomas Partey was seen pointing to the left-hand side when Calafiori was in his vicinity, perhaps wondering himself where his teammate was going.
Arteta shouts at Saka
Despite having a two-goal lead at the time, Mikel Arteta has high expectations of his players at all times. When possession is turned over: “You run!” If you don’t, you are going to hear about from him – and Bukayo Saka did.
Just before the break after a good Arsenal move was broken down, PSG countered down the left side and Achraf Hakimi was able to sprint through the left Paris channel. A space that perhaps should have been occupied by Saka but he had not done enough to his manager’s liking; even from back in the stands 50 metres away, the Spaniard could be heard giving his captain some stern feedback.
Football.london