%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
Negative #2: Some suspect defending
Winning 7-1 should herald a strong wave of joy, but this can't be ceaseless praise. Not when Arsenal yielded more than a few promising chances to PSV.
The home side hit the beans, blazed over and flashed wide from a couple of open-goal situations and De Jong spurned a half-season's worth of chances. Then there was Thomas Partey showing Lewis-Skelly how recklessness can be contagious, needlessly hooking De Jong around the neck in the box.
That pointless infraction teed up Lang to score from the spot. Other chances followed, but fortunately for the Gunners, the hosts weren't calm nor skilled enough to take them.
Those things won't hold true in the last eight. Especially with the prospect of tournament royalty Real Madrid lying in wait.
Positive #3: Odegaard answers the critics
It's become way too easy for people to criticise Odegaard. Quite why the player who often ploughs the creative furrow for Arsenal by his lonesome is such an easy target, remains a mystery.
Why chide the player who most often turns pedestrian passing into something more artful? Who elevates the form and function of Arteta's boring revolution into something joyous?
There was more than enough joy to go around after Odegaard struck twice to boost what had been a dormant goal tally. Sure, he can thank PSV goalkeeper Walter Benitez for some dodgy positioning and unorthodox reactions, but Odegaard needed a goal or two any way he could get them.
What the former Real Madrid prodigy who never was also needed was to remind the naysayers how good he is on the ball. No better example was provided than the precision, outside-of-the-foot pass to position Calafiori to score.
Riccardo Calafiori makes it SEVEN for Arsenal 🫨#UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/AsYHeb5Lrd
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) March 4, 2025
A thing of beauty.
Those who deride Odegaard for not being a fire-breathing captain should remember this pass. Remember it and start judging him on what he does well, not on what he isn't, and realise this Arsenal team needs more players with Odegaard's vision and technique, not less.