Mikel Arteta presser
Image credit: Getty Images
Mikel Arteta has underlined the importance of his substitutes after Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard came off the bench to fire Arsenal to a 2-0 victory over Athletic Club in their Champions League opener on Tuesday night.
The Gunners laboured for much of the contest in Bilbao, with summer signings Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze struggling to make an impact. Gyokeres wasted several chances while Eze was largely ineffective on the left, leaving Arsenal frustrated in their search for a breakthrough.
That changed with the introduction of Martinelli and Trossard. The Brazilian struck first, coolly finishing after being played through by Trossard, before turning provider as his cross found the Belgian, whose deflected shot sealed the win.
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Speaking after the game, Arteta praised the duo’s impact and stressed the value of what he calls Arsenal’s “finishers.”
“Unbelievable, both him and Leo,” Arteta told TNT Sports. “They have very different qualities to Ebs and Viktor. I looked at them and immediately they were ready, they were connecting with each other.
“I told them: ‘Guys, most of the time you’re going to be more important. The quality of your minutes is going to be critical.’ And I’m very pleased because tonight that’s exactly what happened.”
Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench to score in the Champions League (Image credit: Getty Images)
Expanding further in his press conference, the Spaniard emphasised that substitutes could often be even more decisive than starters.
“They are at least equally important, or more important,” he said. “We can change the game there, especially with the intensity we play. When the team starts to drop off, the finishers can make the difference.
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“It’s always very difficult emotionally to leave players out because I know how much they want to play in this competition. But tonight I looked at Martinelli and Trossard on the bench, and in their eyes I could see they were ready.”
Arteta also reserved praise for late substitutes Piero Hincapié and Christian Nørgaard, who made short cameos but impressed with their focus and energy.
The Arsenal boss has adopted the term “finishers” to describe his substitutes, insisting it better reflects their importance to the squad.
“I love it because I don’t like other words to describe the players,” he explained. “The quality of those minutes will dictate the quality of our season.”
Arsenal’s win in Bilbao ensured a strong start to their European campaign and continued their momentum after a 3-0 Premier League victory over Nottingham Forest at the weekend.
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