Arsenal legend Martin Keown has lavished praise on another player after the Gunners' dramatic late win away to Athletic Bilbao.
Mikel Arteta's side opened their Champions League account for the season with a 2-0 victory in Spain on Tuesday evening, courtesy of goals from super subs Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard — emphasising the importance of strength in depth.
Athletic Bilbao vs Arsenal — men of the match Match Rating
Leandro Trossard 8.1
Gabriel Martinelli 7.9
Jurrien Timber 7.4
Riccardo Calafiori 7.4
Cristhian Mosquera 7.3
via WhoScored
The attacking duo have been linked with Arsenal departures regularly even after the summer window closed on September 1, but their presence in the squad was vital as Arsenal kickstarted their European campaign by beating an in-form Bilbao side.
Martinelli's burst of pace and excellent close control allowed him to get a yard on Bilbao's defence, after bringing down a clever flick-on from Viktor Gyokeres, before driving through and slotting the ball home from close range.
Madueke-Martinelli-Arsenal
The Brazilian then set up fellow substitute Trossard for Arsenal's deflected second after a great run down the left, wrapping up what turned out to be a hard-fought victory at the San Mames.
It was a match-winning performance by the 24-year-old amid the constant criticism and uncertain future hanging over his head, with Arteta reserving special praise after the 90.
“He fully deserved it. I adore Gabriel: his attitude, his commitment, his positivity, what he’s willing to do for the team,” Arteta said.
“I was sure that Gabby was going to react like that. He has such a mentality. He’s constantly willing to learn, very demanding with himself and hopefully that gives him the confidence again because he is an outstanding player. I looked on the bench, I looked at him, and in his eyes I could see that he was ready. Leo as well. I think that’s going to help us a lot for the future."
While Martinelli's performance has understandably grabbed most of the headlines, Keown expressed how impressed he is with summer signing Cristhian Mosquera too.
Martin Keown praises Cristhian Mosquera after Arsenal win against Bilbao
The young Spaniard has deputised for the injured William Saliba to great effect, and is currently making the initial £13 million paid for his signature look like an absolute bargain.
Mosquera-Trossard-Arsenal
Mosquera played at right-back against Leeds, but in the absence of Saliba, the 21-year-old has looked assured and composed at such a young age. His value has reportedly tripled already, with Keown praising Mosquera after Arsenal's win in Bilbao.
"He’s in the same DNA as Saliba and Gabriel," said the ex-Arsenal defender TNT Sports.
"This fella is mobile, quick, strong. There’s a lot more to come, and he’s put in some really good performances."
Amid the noise surrounding Noni Madueke's electric start at Arsenal, the impressive showings of Martin Zubimendi and Gyokeres' goal return, Mosquera has perhaps gone under the radar.
Cristhian Mosquera to star for Arsenal
According to some reports, Arsenal believe Mosquera could be one of the best in the world in a few years, and if he carries on like this, the centre-back could hit that landmark sooner than anticipated.
Mosquera - Bilbao vs Arsenal stats
The 21-year-old is good with the ball at his feet, able to play out of defence without panicking and is comfortable in multiple positions — whether that be in the middle or as a full-back.
Last season, Mosquera had the highest true tackle success rate out of any La Liga centre-back last season with over 76.7 per cent — which shows just how strong he is in one-on-one duels (Opta).
Still very young, the ex-Valencia sensation will only get better, and from what we've seen so far, the sky really is the limit.