Gunners get over the line to top group in spite of late scares v Zurich

 

Arsenal 1 FC Zurich 0  
Europa League Group A - Matchday Six  
Thursday 3rd November 2022 8pm   

I didn’t have much of an idea that Zurich’s travelling fans had any kind of a reputation before yesterday evening, although walking past the away end shortly before 6pm, although there may not have been many supporters, the police were out in serious numbers. A bit of me wondered what might transpire, and I did hear a loud contingent of them (presumably on the Holloway Road) as I made my way across Highbury Fields to meet friends pre-match in Upper Street. 

What I witnessed inside the stadium later was highly impressive. Not only were they extremely vocal in their backing of the team, their pyrotechnic display, even if against UEFA rules, brought back memories of watching highlights of European ties staged in Italy in the 1980s and 90s, when a vast cloud of smoke engulfed the stadium, making it tricky for TV cameras to sometimes actually show what was happening on the pitch. It was just so evocative of a time continental football really captured my imagination, when you saw so much less of games in other countries, and it all felt a bit exotic. Of course, if you were an Arsenal fan actually attending an away match, physical survival was a far less romantic reality, as often, the knives were literally out for English blood, but that's a tale those old enough to have attended the likes of Juventus away in 1980 can relay.

Talking of which, there was enough at stake last night for this match to mean something. Finishing second in the group meant a play-off round against one of the Champions League sides dropping down after finishing third in the group stage of that competition. Amongst the names that will be in the hat for that draw on Monday are the aforementioned Juventus, Barcelona, Sevilla and Ajax. Arsenal had to match PSV’s result at Bodo Glimt to ensure they avoided the fate of facing one of these and playing two extra matches to make the last 16. PSV did what they could by defeating the Norwegians 2-1, so Mikel Arteta’s side needed a win.

Given the nature of the victory in the opening match of this group when his team won easily in Zurich, it felt like this shouldn’t be too much of an ask, and Arteta certainly did not field his strongest team. First choicers that did start were Ramsdale, White, Gabriel and Jesus – the latter captaining the side as a nod towards his influence in the dressing room, which can be seen as it is he, alongside Xhaka, who does a lot of the talking in the pre-match huddle. Reiss Nelson was given a start after his good display as a sub against Forest, with Eddie Nketiah on the other flank. Sadly, neither really made the most of their opportunity. 

There weren’t too many impressive performances. The midfield triangle saw a fit again Elneny anchor to allow Lokonga a more forward role, whilst Vieira came in for Odegaard. Holding and Tierney were the other defenders, and latter at least provided the game’s defining moment, with a tidy finish in the 17^th minute. You hoped a second goal would mean that Jesus could be removed earlier than he was to save him for the Sunday lunchtime visit to Chelsea, but it wasn’t to be, and the number 9 himself did have a decent chance to score early in the second half, but was foiled. 

Arteta made changes to try and ensure the game was put to bed, but despite the introduction of Partey, Saka, Odegaard and Tomiyasu, the score remained at 1-0. Zurich needed the win, and after the three quarters of the match which they played with the focus on denying their hosts – fairly effectively for the most part – they gradually became more adventurous. Ramsdale saved one effort well, although it was a relief when the converted rebound was flagged offside. Near the death a free header was fortunately put over the bar, when it could so easily have been 1-1. 

Of course, all that matters ultimately is the result, and the table shows that Arsenal won five of their six matches. Credit to them for getting a result in Bodo and finding a way to defeat an obstinate PSV at home. Last night they lacked the ability to create many clear-cut chances, and it’s obvious that if they do progress through the knockout rounds, stronger starting elevens will be necessary. If you win when you aren’t playing that well, it’s the sign of a good defence and a strong mentality. These have been is short supply for too long at the club, so such games as last night, if a little frustrating, also need to be lauded. Mikel Arteta will be hugely relieved not to have such an intense schedule as he might have faced in February. 

I suspect he will not be over-obsessed about progress in the League Cup and that we might see even more of the stand-ins next Wednesday evening against Brighton. I predict there will be a backup keeper, and the likes of Cedric, Holding, Tierney, Elneny, Lokonga, Vieira, Nelson, Marquinhos and Nketiah will likely be given gametime, although there might be a case for Zinchenko to get some minutes under his belt, fitness depending – he was on the bench last night. 

I imagine we will await the result of the play-off round to discover Arsenal’s opposition in the last 16 of the Europa League, although as the first leg of that will only be two weeks after the qualifying round’s second leg, travelling fans would have to sort things out a bit last minute, but that’s never worried UEFA before (which begs the question why can’t final venues be decided once the semi-finalists are known, but let’s not go there).

Main thing is that Arsenal are through as group winners, a lot of squad players have seen competitive football this season, so have not been too off the pace when they’ve come in for Premier League matches, even if they haven’t made a convincing claim to be picked as default options. Mikel Arteta has seen where strengthening is required, and it does feel like back-ups for Partey and Jesus really need to be the priorities in January. Now the focus switches to Stamford Bridge and a huge game on Sunday.

Finally, I tweeted yesterday the sad news that long-time Gooner contributor Bernard Dowling had sadly passed away at the age of 61. Editor Layth Yousif requested I write a short piece about him for the Gooner website, and that can be read here - Rest in peace Bernard. Still struggling to imagine you won’t be around.

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