Arsenal vs Olympiacos: 4 talking points after quarter-final progression

Arsenal booked their place in the Europa League quarter-finals after a limp 1-0 defeat at home to Olympiacos ensured they went through 3-2 on aggregate. Here are the talking points.

Nothing is ever easy for those of the red half of north London. Although, that said, it’d rather be hard work and progression than appalling work and elimination, as a certain football team just up the road witnessed.

Mikel Arteta made five changes to his team but interestingly opted to keep the same back four from the north London derby, suggesting he wanted continuity from the weekend victory and didn’t mean to take the Greek side lightly.

It was a confident enough start from the hosts who were granted a bizarre amount of possession for a side who needed to score three goals.

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Arsenal vs Olympiacos: 4 talking points after quarter-final progression

Opportunities went begging for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe in a drab 45 minutes of football, even if it could have been far worse had Youssef El-Arabi not squandered a glorious chance when through one-on-one.

Hoping for a reaction after the break, the Gunners were somehow worse and conspired to hand Olympiacos the route back into the game they sorely needed when David Luiz handed El-Arabi the space of London to pick his spot, albeit via a deflection.

More chances came and went for both sides, yet it was Arsenal who had the better of them. Even more openings went begging as Olympiacos pushed for a late goal, but their task was made easier when Ousseynou Ba stupidly got himself sent off.

Not pretty by any means, Arsenal held on to book their place in the Europa League quarter-finals where they will be facing any one of a selection of teams that doesn’t include Tottenham.

Mikel Arteta’s Selections Were Right

Criticism was directed Arteta’s way even after progression was secured, with the decision to rotate as he did, particularly in midfield, causing some disgruntlement.

Why, though?

Looking at the fixture schedule from hereon in, there are few, if any at all, opportunities where the manager can feasibly rotate his side. With another game on Sunday before internationals and then the final stretch, whatever changes big or small for Thursday were the only realistic ones he could make.

The Europa League remains the biggest competition left for Arsenal, but resting certain members of the squad does not constitute a lack of care for this fixture. Olympiacos did have to score three goals. Even with the alterations, the side put out had more than enough in them to win the game, let alone avoid calamity.

Regarding approach, there is nothing wrong with being slightly pragmatic, as long as they doesn’t evolve into arrogance. When the squad is drained after the season’s relentless churning of fixtures, and when the lead is as it is, if anything it’s the wise option.

Did Kieran Tierney have to play? Probably not, yet the game could still easily have been put beyond doubt…

Arsenal Wasteful in Front of Goal

The front three that were put out tonight disappointed.

Emile Smith Rowe struggled until Martin Odegaard was introduced as the partnership with Dani Ceballos was not clicking; Nicolas Pepe was one of few who could hold his head up to a decent level after a workmanlike outing, and Aubameyang looked like he’d ran to the ground from his home to avoid driving and getting caught in traffic.

Smith Rowe is let off the hook as he pressed and fought in the duels even if he wasn’t anywhere near as clinical on the ball, while Pepe also showed glimpses but was let down by his own poor finishing in a match that was suited to him for large spells.

Aubameyang was awful, though.

The chances he missed are ones that he can’t be begrudged for too much. Opportunities will come and go, just as they’ll be scored and missed. However, his overall display lack impetus. He seemed languid, tired and slow. It was instructed to him by Arteta to shift out to the left but his role in the build-up play left loads to be desired.

A display to apologise, in a way, to his manager and teammates was what was expected, yet this seemed more like he was still sulking. A fragility.

It was a funny one as despite being poor throughout on Thursday, Arsenal could easily have scored four. Good to see chances being created even when playing badly. Arsenal weren’t doing that four months ago. Still, start tucking these chances away. Everyone.

Martin Odegaard Impresses When Dani Ceballos Doesn’t

Dani Ceballos is an exceedingly frustrating footballer. He has an uncanny ability of doing a swivel on the ball or a first time flick around the side that makes your toes tingle. Those moments never last long, as within a split second he’s made a foolish decision on the ball or lost his bearings completely that needlessly puts Arsenal under pressure.

For spells of the first half, namely the beginning of it, he was enjoying himself; slotting into his advanced midfield role where the shackles of defending were loosened. One or two moments of flair that were countered with bizarre and sloppy moments in possession.

Given the chance to rectify it after the break, Arteta hooked him – and Mohamed Elneny who was very similar in performance – for Martin Odegaard. What a difference it made.

Within 20 seconds he’d caressed the ball with a calming aura that filtered through into the rest of the team. He carried the ball at the right moments, picked up the dangerous spaces in between the lines and demonstrated maturity in his distribution. None of the erratic thought processes seen in the first half.

Arsenal were still majorly poor in the second half but the attacking phases were significantly improved with the Norwegian’s entrance, and if there was better finishing across the board – from himself, too – he could have had two assists. Night and day between them.

Petition for Ceballos and Odegaard to wear masks of each other upon his return to Madrid. Please.

Gabriel Martinelli Is Mentally Fierce

You look at Aubameyang who came back in after his disciplinary issue and, attitude-wise, he looked off. Disinterested and disheartened.

Compare that to Gabriel Martinelli, who has been left out of the side entirely for issues not relating to off-field matters, and a question of mentality arises. This is being positive, however, as Arsenal are into the quarter-finals, so Martinelli gets his section with a happy finale.

Despite no Premier League start since the 0-0 draw with Manchester United, you wouldn’t have been able to tell. He came on and immediately made an impression. Sprinting like he had Usain Bolt on his tail, his infectious work-rate has perfect poise about it: measured and well-timed yet ferocious in equal measures. He may not be elite yet, that will take a good while, but he has the mental resilience and attitude of an elite sportsman.

With all the tools he needs to show that with his feet, it’s a matter of time before the two combine to forge one of the best forwards in world football.

His unwillingness to surrender possession prompted Ba to have his moment of total lunacy and his dogged desire to win the ball back eased the strain on the rest of the side. Clever runs off the centre-backs opened spaces behind for the midfielders to push into, and his pressing set the tone for the rest.

It’s taking longer than most would’ve liked as Arteta moulds him into a centre-forward, but when the time comes it will be a joy to behold.