Arsenal’s declaration of victory as Gunmen shoot past Slavia Praha. Arsenal made a stunning character/quality statement by crushing Slavia Praha. The latter had previously won all matches in the Europa League, beating them 4-0 along the way. It was the ideal response to recent domestic disappointment, a performance based on passion and cold-blooded discipline.
An impressive response
The opening whistle was indicative of a hungry Arsenal that was noticeably missing in the defeat to Liverpool. They pressed high, controlled the ball and were driven, immediately putting the Czech champions on the defensive. This was a message that was clearly conveyed. This was a new Arsenal, an Arsenal that could rise to the challenge in Europe.
The first half Blitz
Bukayo Saka got the crucial initial goal with a cool finish in the penalty box. This goal drowned the fan base at home and within a few minutes Mikel Merino scored twice to put a final nail in the coffin. The two quick goals gave the Gunners a strong and deserved lead in the tie before half-time.
Closing the show
Even the remaining Slavia ambitions were extinguished at the start of the second half. Mikel Merino became a constant threat and scored the goal just inside the starting minutes of the second half. Then came another goal in the final 70th minute to settle things down. This was an almost perfect match for Arsenal.
More than just a victory
This stunning performance was a masterpiece of tactics from Mikel Arteta and a great psychological boost for the entire team. It showed that this young team could recover from the bad situation in a mature, qualitative way. The goal was to get a statement position. But the way this became feasible sends a strong message: the Gunners project is still very successful and very much alive.
As stated on GoonerNews.com
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