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Arsenal back to their best in Champions League to bust set-piece myth

Arsenal cruised to victory over Monaco in the Champions League with three goals from open play.

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At least Mikel Arteta should not have to answer anymore questions about Arsenal failing to create chances from open play.

After a week where Arsenal’s dead-ball prowess has led to them being compared to Stoke City and their set-piece coach, Nicolas Jover, having a mural made in his honour, this was the Gunners at close to their flowing best.

They eventually ran out 3-0 winners over Monaco, but truth be told they could have been five goals to the good by half-time.

In the end, it did not matter and this win puts Arsenal on 13 points after six games and third in the Champions League.

A win from either of their last two games against Dinamo Zagreb and Girona next month will likely see them skip the play-offs and secure a bye to the last 16.

Arteta will hope both of those final two matches are more comfortable than Wednesday evening. It should have been a cruise, but at times in the second-half looked setup for a nervy finish.

Arsenal only had themselves to blame for that as they failed to kill the game in the opening 45 minutes when it was there for the taking.

Gabriel Jesus missed some big chances in Arsenal’s win over Monaco.

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Gabriel Jesus squandered two great chances, Martin Odegaard missed when he was clean through and Gabriel Martinelli put another golden opportunity wide.

When Arsenal did score in the 34th minute, it came after a flowing move. Myles Lewis-Skelly, starting for the first time in the Champions League, skipped past a man just inside the Monaco half and found Jesus with a great pass.

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The Brazilian, who 10 minutes earlier had hit two efforts straight at Monaco goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki when one on one with him, then found Bukayo Saka at the back post with a perfect cross. With the goal gaping from two yards out, the winger couldn’t miss.

The goal summed up Jesus’ time at Arsenal. After missing two sitters, he somehow redeemed himself with a brilliant assist. The Brazilian may not be a killer in front of goal, but he makes those around him better.

It was also Arsenal’s first goal from open play in 286 minutes, with their previous three all coming from set-pieces.

The Gunners expertise from corners has become so famous that a mural depicting set-piece coach Jover has been produced near Emirates Stadium and was on show on Wednesday.

Not that there was any need for set-pieces, here. Arsenal created plenty of chances from open play and they wasted two more glorious ones after Saka’s goal.

Odegaard nipped in to win the ball off Thilo Kehrer by the halfway line, but when racing through he somehow put the ball wide. Two minutes later Martinelli was the guilty party, curling an effort wide when the Norwegian had found him just inside the box.

With the game at 1-0, Monaco were always alive and they had chances of their own in the second-half. Kehrer flashed a header past the post from a free-kick. Breel Embolo fired wide when Takumi Minamino had picked him out after a rare loose pass by William Saliba.

At the other end, the chances kept coming for Arsenal and even the substitutes couldn't change their fortunes. Quick feet from Kai Havertz set Leandro Trossard away, but he blew a two-v-one when Odegaard was there waiting to pounce.

When Arsenal’s second goal did finally come, it was gift wrapped by Monaco and an early Christmas present. Kehrer and Mohammed Salisu made a hash of playing out from the back, and Saka stole in to score his second of the night.

The winger has taken the Champions League by storm since making his debut last season. In 14 games, he has eight goals and five assists.

It was six assists minutes later, with Saka turning provider to setup Havertz for Arsenal’s third goal in the dying moments.