The Gunners faced a tough test against Unai Emery’s side at Villa Park, but they prevailed with a victory after goals from Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey in the second half.
Trossard scored after just two minutes after coming on. The Belgian has been a revelation for the Gunners since his arrival and showed his class with another game changing moment.
Speaking after the game, Arteta said that Trossard has sent a big message and big example for the rest of the team with his ‘huge quality’ to make a difference in any type of situation.
He said: “Well, first of all, when you don’t get picked, there is certain ways to react and Leo, he’s upset, but he’s upset to show on the pitch how good he is.
“He’s not upset and then come in now because he wasn’t playing, then it was like this and that’s a huge quality.
“And then when you put him in the starting 11 he does exactly the same thing and that’s a big message and a big example for the rest of the team for myself.”
Prior to Trossard’s goal, David Raya rescued the Gunners with a stellar save from point-blank range.
Morgan Rogers’ deflected effort hit the woodwork, handing Ollie Watkins with a free header from six yards out.
Raya, who was on the ground, made a terrific recovery to leap across and claw the effort away with his left hand.
The Spaniard did something similar against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the season opener and Arteta said that he was ‘unbelievable’.
He said on Raya: “I thought it was a goal because I saw the reaction of the defensive line, which was none because the ball goes on the crossbar.
“We are all watching the ball and I went, no, please. And then I see the striker in that position and normally it’s a goal but David’s reaction. It’s unbelievable.”
Arsenal had some good fortune at Villa Park. Watkins was poor with his finishing, failing to convert two clear-cut chances for the Midlands outfit.
However, the Gunners capitalised on the same. Trossard and Partey scored in a 10-minute interval and the margin of victory could have been bigger.
Martin Odegaard squandered a brilliant opportunity to make it 3-0 from a Declan Rice pass.
Nonetheless, Arsenal should be delighted with the outcome, having lost both encounters against Villa during the previous top-flight campaign.
The club will return to action against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
0 Comments