IT TAKES something to put Diego Simeone back in his box.
But in an extraordinary second half, with four goals in 13 minutes – and three of those inside six – the most hyperactive manager in world football was left stunned, his Atletico team blown to pieces and then crushed.
Just 24 hours after Atleti’s players were unable to shower after training at the Emirates because there was no hot water, they got their fingers well and truly burned in this extraordinary Arsenal performance after half-time.
What a night it was for Gabriel Martinelli, a player who has suffered all sorts of stick from Arsenal fans yet he added the second after Gabriel Magalhaes’ opener.
And what a night it was for Viktor Gyokeres who has become the butt of jokes among some Arsenal fans but ended his rotten run with two goals. They might not have been pretty but he won’t care one bit.
After going seven games without a goal, he grabbed his first in 600 minutes for 3-0 and then scored again just three minutes later. London buses and all that.
As one, the Emirates turned on Simeone with “Diego, what’s the score, Diego, Diego, what the score?”
Although it looked like this was going to be a ‘1-0 to the Arsenal’ type of night, the manner of this victory sends a real warning.
Both to Liverpool and Manchester City but also to the rest of Europe. Mikel Arteta’s team have never looked stronger and yes, there was another clean sheet. Of course there was.
It is now nine clean sheets in 12 and at the back, they have never looked so secure.
Most read in Champions League
And Declan Rice, just like last season, continues to be a menace at set-pieces. He created the first from a free-kick and the fourth from a corner.
But what will delight Arteta is the way Martinelli played so well in only his second start since September 24.
And also it shows that Gyokeres really was not bothered about his drought. He might not be pleasing on the eye but he will score over 20 goals this season, there is no doubt about that.
For Arteta, it is now three successive wins in the Champions League and already, they seem certain to finish in the top eight and avoid a play-off round.
The least surprising sight of the evening, at first, was Simeone bouncing in and around his technical area, appearing to have consumed a few to many litres of SunnyD before the match.
Watching the hyperactive Argentine, screaming and shouting at his players, arguing with the fourth official and taking his jacket on and off can actually be compulsive viewing.
Although luckily for Simeone, the Arsenal fans are slightly further away from the dugout than at Liverpool, where he failed to get on particularly well with the locals at Anfield last month.
But in the end, particularly for the final 20 minutes with his team beaten, Simeone was motionless in his technical area, with hands in pockets, still struggling to comprehend what he had seen.
Arsenal did okay in the first half but only Bukayo Saka tested keeper Jan Oblak.
While there is always talk about whether Simeone should manage in the Premier League, it would also be nice to see the Slovenian no 1 play in English football. Although in his 12th season at Atletico, Oblak is only 32, so there is still time.
Oblak is so dependable which is what you can say about David Raya most of the time but the Arsenal keeper escaped a major rush of blood to the head.
Unwisely, he raced out of his area to clear the ball but found himself completely stranded when Atletii took a quick throw-in.
Luckily for him, Julian Alvarez’s left foot shot was both weak and not on target. A relieved Raya apologised to his team-mates and Arteta told his team to calm down.
Martinelli thought he had given Arsenal the lead but he moved too early to meet Saka’s cross which was poor. The Brazilian then felt he was fouled in first half injury time when sending a header over the bar.
Raya enjoyed more good fortune in the second half when Alvarez fired against the woodwork
And while Oblak delivered a decent save to deny Gyokeres, he was unable to keep out that terrific header from Gabriel following Rice’s brilliant free-kick. Incredibly, Arsenal went for the jugular. Atleti crumbled.
Martinell made it 2-0 with a first-time shot from the left, the type Thierry Henry would have been proud of, although Myles Lewis-Skelly created the chance with a brilliant run.
Martinelli created the same for Gyokeres to poke the ball in via Hancko and the Swedish international used his hip to score the fourth after Gabriel connected to Rice’s corner.
FOOLED FOR LOVE
Dating app conman robbed me of £90k… it could happen to anyone
HOUSE THAT
Five home improvements you can get for FREE to help cut £2,000 off energy bills
Gyokeres was given a standing ovation when he was subbed but that was not as loud as the entire team at the end. And they deserved it.
Until this game, Arsenal have been effective but functional. This, though, was outstanding.
Read the full article here
