After the excitement and celebrations following the crucial victory over Everton last weekend, allied to the probable arrival of the next big English football star, it was back to the bread and butter of the Champions League. Less stress and a different type of football, the type you get with European opposition, only it wasn’t, because European clubs at the top level learn fast and the stifling ‘deep block’ so beloved of many EPL clubs has migrated across the channel and has been adopted to stop the Premier League takeover.
Bayer Leverkusen did as good a stifling job on Arsenal a week ago, as good as any Premier League club (even Liverpool and Man City) have done this season. So with that in mind Arteta made some tactical tweaks, in particular pressing higher and not allowing Bayer to build from the back.
In came Gyokeres, Hincapie and the fit again duo of Trossard and Ben White, which meant four changes from the Everton game as Arteta rotated what he could to save energy but retain the top performance level.
Arsenal meant business and following the early exchanges we went up a notch. On 9 minutes Saka drove in a ballistic corner which Big Gabby got to despite the grappling but could only head wide, it was a good chance. On 15 minutes and following an earlier shot he scuffed wide, Leo had a second chance which he really caught well but the Bayer goalkeeper pushed it around the post making one of what must have been a dozen saves throughout the match. Arsenal were really imposing themselves on the Germans and although Bayer remained a threat the composure they showed in the 1st leg wasn’t as evident this time!
Yet another corner from Saka arched into the box on 21 minutes but Big Gabby’s royal forehead could only nod the ball over the bar. Two minutes later a Rice free kick from just outside the penalty area close to the corner flag was driven with force at the goal but the Bayer goalkeeper again palmed it away, he was becoming a bit of a problem. Three minutes later White got himself time and space on the right flank and put across and inviting centre which Saka rose to head, but maybe it was too close to you know who and another chance was pushed over the bar.
Bayer broke dangerously after that and it looked serious until Hincapie swooped in to clear the danger. Almost immediately from a Bayer throw in, Arsenal turned over possession and Saka got in another shot on goal. Moments later Rice and Saka combined to set up Trossard who looked certain to score but once more, this time with his feet, the keeper saved Bayer’s bacon.
On 32 yet another Saka corner was drilled into box which led to a goalmouth scramble with red shirts trying to get that vital touch, but once again the man in the gloves saved the day. You couldn’t criticise the endeavour of the Arsenal players because their efforts on goal were decent, it was just that the Bayer goalkeeper was having one of those games.
Finally on 36 minutes and following great work by Rice (as usual) and Trossard, the ball ran to Eze who as he had been at Mansfield had his back to the goal and just as in the FA Cup tie he spun and fired an explosive a shot into the back of the net which the goalkeeper never had a chance with. Up to that point Arsenal had had 12 attempts on goal with 7 on target.
The Bayer goalkeeper was the man of the half because of the home teams’ efforts should have seen the Gunners cruising 3-0 but at half time it was just 1-0.
The pressure continued after the break, with Trossard cutting in and smashing a drive narrowly wide and moments later another Arsenal turnover had the Bayer goalkeeper saving from Gyokeres on 51 minutes. The next 10 minutes saw Bayer dominate possession as they went for an equaliser. The Gunners defence was given a thorough examination but held firm under intense German pressure. We needed a second goal because at this level in Europe you can completely dominate a game and still get punished.
Viktor broke the siege but once more his effort was saved then from a corner the Arsenal press made the Bayer defenders make a mess of a clearance which ran out towards Declan Rice patrolling as our midfield sweeper. Declan surged forward and as the ball ran kindly he blasted a low drive just inside the post and beyond the man with the gloves. That was the breathing space we needed. As Arteta was preparing to make changes on 67 minutes Eze went on a great run, he is really developing into an effective midfielder in the Arteta style now, the shot from Ebbs was blocked and he got a kick.
On came Mosquera, Norgaard and Martinelli for White, Zubimendi and Trossard, then as an afterthought Arteta took off Eze and replaced him with Havertz just to make sure.
Great work by the tireless Gyokeres set up a cross to Saka on the far post who nodded the ball back into the middle where Havertz turned it home, unfortunately he did it with his arm so no goal.
On 75 and from a Bayer corner the ball found its way to Gyokeres who streaked away into the Leverkusen half, Mosquera had charged up in support and Viktor slipped him in for a shot, but Christian got cold feet and tried to square it to Martinelli who had joined the attack but the man in gloves got to it first. Three minutes afterwards Saka had another shot saved, he just can’t buy a goal at the moment but it was approaching game management time and the Gunners began running down the clock and saving some gas for Sunday.
On 87 Bayer put together their best move of the game, cutting through the red wall as the ball ran to Kofane. Their young centre forwards effort had goal written all over it as it flashed towards the far corner, but Raya moving like a cat got across to push it wide. That pretty much broke Bayer and the Gunners played out the remaining minutes and added time. Myles Lewis Skelly made a late but very welcome appearance in place of Gyokeres and he tucked into midfield – hooray!
We now have a trip to Lisbon to face Sporting in the next round, but before that we have an appointment with Senor Guardiola at Wembley on Sunday.
We march on…
**By Kev**