Pain in the Arsenal
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Arsenal Vs AC Milan: 5 things we learned – Recovery shoots rise

By Andrew Dowdeswell

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 15: Danny Welbeck of Arsenal scores from the penalty spot during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Arsenal and AC Milan at Emirates Stadium on March 15, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 15: Danny Welbeck of Arsenal scores from the penalty spot during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Arsenal and AC Milan at Emirates Stadium on March 15, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 15: Hakan Calhanoglu of AC Milan clebrates the opening goal with Ricardo Rodriguez as Jack Wilshere of Arsenal looks on during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Arsenal and AC Milan at Emirates Stadium on March 15, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 15: Hakan Calhanoglu of AC Milan clebrates the opening goal with Ricardo Rodriguez as Jack Wilshere of Arsenal looks on during the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 Second Leg match between Arsenal and AC Milan at Emirates Stadium on March 15, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /

3. The usual response was different

Milan didn’t scare me. Their painful and evident lack of pace, something that has often undone Arsenal in the past, allied with the shortage of creativity and guile in the midfield, led me, and many others to that conclusion. Nothing that I saw in the second leg changed my mind.

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However, it wasn’t Milan that made me nervous about this match. It was Arsenal. Such is the detriment of the Gunners’ mental fragilities, defensive shortcomings, and game-mismanagement, I was worried that, somehow, they would find a way to squander the two-goal lead from the first leg. I was especially concerned about what would happen if they conceded the first goal. Would, as they have proven is frighteningly likely in recent weeks, capitulation come? That is what I feared, and perhaps even expected.

But that is not what happened. The ten minutes after Hakan Calhanoglu’s swerving, swinging, dipping, diving long-range effort rippled the far corner of David Ospina’s net were dominated by Arsenal. They pressed high up the pitch, they won almost every loose ball, and scored the all-important equaliser to turn the tables quickly.

That was vital for this team. It was also very different to what had been happening in the past. Manchester City, twice. FK Ostersunds. Brighton and Hove Albion. In the proceeding moments after goals, Arsenal looked extremely vulnerable, and even conceded immediately after in some cases. But here, they took the aggressive approach. The gas pedal was thrust to the floor. It was relieving to see.