Champions are also forged in the grayest nights. In tough matches like the one played by Mikel Arteta’s pupils at the Kassam Stadium. After 60 minutes of few chances and even less football, Fábio Vieira became Arsenal’s differential factor. Double assists for the Portuguese midfielder, who ended up accompanying Eddie Nketiah with a double goal. Although it was not all good news for the Gunnersthat will face Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the next round of the FA Cup. Bukayo Saka had to request the change after being treated by the medical services and the Spanish coach, with his mind set on the north london derby, he rushed to remove him from the field of play. However, as the Spaniard assured after the meeting, the English “is fine”.
Without Ødegaard there is no paradise
thick. Difficult to play and even more difficult to see. Almost antonym of what Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal has been to date. The first part of the clash between Oxford United and Arsenal in the heart of England was anything but entertaining. And it is that the clothing chosen by the painting Gunner to face the u’s, an all-white T-shirt that is part of a campaign (No more Red) against youth violence in the London capital, was the most special of the 45 minutes. A shirt that Arsenal will only award to people and organizations that fight against this cause.
The long, slow and excessively elaborate possessions of Mikel Arteta’s pupils, with few irruptions from the team’s most vertical players such as Bukayo Saka or Gabriel Martinelli, did not allow them to create any chance of real danger. Oxford United began defending with up to eight players in the vicinity of the area to, as the minutes went by, get emboldened and take a step forward. The great atmosphere of the Kassam Stadium deserved no less. Without excesses or audacity, Karl Robinson’s men seemed to lose stage fright for the game, to the point of feeling comfortable defending the innocuous visiting circulations. Two shots on goal for each team, none on goal. Just as a car does not start without an engine, Arsenal showed that they are a different team, much less lucid, when Martin Ødegaard is not on the pitch.
Vieira and Nketiah, twice
The start of the second part was calculated to the first. Without occasions, without excessive intensity. And it is that the first shot at goal, the work of Bukayo Saka, did not arrive until well into the second 45 minutes. Then, luckily for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, Fábio Vieira appeared.. The Portuguese, who technically has few things to envy the captain of the London team, marked the differences so that the pass of the Gunners to the next round of the FA Cup was not in any danger.
In a matter of 10 minutes, the visitors sealed their classification with Fábio Vieira and Eddie Nketiah as protagonists. Two assists from the Portuguese, the first from set pieces and the second from tiralinés, unblocked the game for Mikel Arteta’s men. Mohamed Elneny’s good header from inside the area preceded a play that would have been signed by Martin Ødegaard and Gabriel Jesus themselves. The ’21′ leaked a pass for the English striker who, after dodging the Oxford United goalkeeper, defined at will. To round off the win, Eddie Nketiah himself left another sample of his quality. A pass from Gabriel Martinelli, the Arsenal striker subtly chipped the ball over Edward McGinty’s arm to establish the final 0-3 scoreline.
In the final stretch of the meeting, when the expedition Gunner I was completely thinking about him north london derby the next Sunday, the bad news of the night arrived. The return of Emile Smith Rowe to the pitch, who had not played an official match with Arsenal since the first week of September, was overshadowed by the departure of the player he had to replace. Bukayo Saka had to be attended by doctors with 15 minutes to go and the Spanish coach was forced to replace his young star. Although ‘7′ from Arsenal limped off to the bench, in statements after the match in ITV SportsMikel Arteta assured that Bukayo Saka “is fine” and “will be available” for the Premier League match against Tottenham.