Arsenal 3-0 Monaco: Mikel Arteta’s side move up to THIRD in the Champions League table after goals from Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz
Who needs set pieces when your opposition defends like this?
Arsenal took a major step towards qualification for the Champions League knockout rounds here with a vital win over Monaco.
But they were gifted this victory by the Ligue 1 side who mustered some of the most comical defending you’ll see this season.
Two weeks before the big day, you’d have forgiven the Arsenal players for thinking Christmas had come early.
Much has been made of Arsenal’s reliance on set-pieces in recent weeks.
They didn’t need to dip into their dead ball armoury here thanks in no small part to Monaco’s amateur rearguard.
Bukayo Saka scored twice during Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Monaco on Wednesday evening
The England international (right) found the back of the net either side of half-time
Mikel Arteta’s side moved up to third in the new-format Champions League table after the win
Bukayo Saka was the biggest beneficiary of the French side’s inadequacies, scoring twice to take his tally for the season to nine.
Add the six assists he has also accrued; Saka’s trajectory shows no sign of dipping.
Though, with that all said, this wasn’t as convincing from the Gunners as the scoreline would have you believe.
Monaco had their moments and had Arsenal on the ropes for spells.
That said, Mikel Arteta would argue his team created enough chances during a scintillating 20 minute spell in the first half to have had this sewn up before half-time. He’s probably right.
Indeed, there’s a lot to be said for getting the job done and Arsenal did what they needed to do here without setting the winter air on fire.
The first half was certainly slow burner. Arsenal meandered out of the blocks, two half chances for Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli all they really had to show for their opening 20 minutes.
If anything, Monaco looked most comfortable during those rather mundane opening exchanges, the French side popping the ball about crisply and with confidence.
Aleksandr Golovin fired narrowly wide with a fierce effort from the edge of the box as they tried to capitalise on their encouraging start.
Monaco were clearly pinpointing teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly – who was making his first Champions League start – as the weak link.
Arsenal’s defensive options have been ravaged by injury in recent weeks; only William Saliba recognisable from Mikel Arteta’s full strength back-four here last night opening the door to the highly rated 18-year-to take the latest step along his career journey.
Credit to the youngster, he looked utterly unfazed by it all.
Saka poked home from close range to give Arsenal the lead during the first-half action
Gabriel Jesus (right) turned provider as he laid a neat ball across for the England winger
Not only that, he played a pivotal role in Arsenal taking a 34th minute lead. Collecting a pass from Martin Odegaard, the academy graduate skilfully escaping the attentions of Maghnes Akilouche before arrowing an incisive pass that cut through Monaco’s defence like a machete.
All that was left was for Jesus to play a square pass into the path of Bukayo Saka.
Myles-Skelly’s team-mates certainly appreciated their fledging colleague’s contribution but it was Saka who took the bulk of the acclaim. What a season he is having. What a player he is.
By the time referee Davide Massa blew for half time, it is no exaggeration to say Arsenal could have been 4-0 up.
Even prior to Saka’s opener Jesus missed two glorious opportunities to open the scoring, Odegaard and Martinelli were just as wasteful towards the end of the half.
Arsenal’s stuttering start a distant memory by theme Massa signalled for half-time as Monaco’s early swagger transitioned into a limp.
The concern for Arteta, of course, was whether they’d be left to rue those missed chances.
Those fears flashed right before Arteta’s eyes just two minutes into the second period when Thilo Kehrer flashed a header from Lamine Camara’s free kick narrowly wide.
Kai Havertz wrapped up the win for the Gunners with a deflected effort late in the game
Indeed there was an anxiety to Arsenal’s second half opening. The natives felt it, too.
Monaco’s swagger had returned; but for Arsenal it was all hands to the pump.
Arteta sensed the deficiencies and made a triple substitution – bringing on Leandro Trossard, Jurrien Timber and Jorginho.
The trio of changes brought the curtain down on Lewis-Skelly’s big night. It’s clear why big things are expected of the youngster.
Yet, Monaco kept pressuring and Bree Embolo wasted a golden opportunity in the 65th minute as he fired into the side netting following an uncharacteristic William Saliba mistake.
This was Monaco’s golden moment. At least it should have been. Saliba puffed out a huge sigh of relief. He wasn’t the only one.
The unease that’d engulfed the Emirates Stadium should have eased two minutes later when Odegaard fired straight at Radoslaw Majecki after Trossard’s pass.
Saka produced three goal contributions during his scintillating display on Wednesday
That really should have been game, set and match. Eventually, in the 78th minute, it was.
Saka, inevitably, was the hero as the England star capitalised on an inexplicable mix-up between Mohammed Salisu and Majecki to fire into an empty net.
Monaco’s horror defending didn’t relent as Arsenal notched a third after Salisu completely missed a header before Keher, under pressure from Kai Havertz, prodded into his own net.
It is the time of year to be generous. You’d imagine Monaco boss Adi Hutter would beg to differ.
