Positives & negatives from Arsenal's 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid

Arsenal cemented their status as masters of winning ugly in Europe by defending Bukayo Saka's 44th-minute goal resolutely to see off Atletico Madrid 1-0 in the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg and confirm a 2-1 aggregate win on Tuesday, May 5.

In the process, the Gunners returned to the showpiece game of the continent's premier club competition for the first time in two decades. Just like in 2006, this run to the final owes almost everything to a rock-solid defence.

Saka netted the goal at the Emirates Stadium to put an exclamation point on nearly 60 minutes of fine work and another excellent cameo in his much-needed comeback from injury. His name was on the scoresheet, but Saka was denied hero status by often unfairly critiqued frontman Viktor Gyökeres, who flat-out bullied Atleti defenders all night.

Gyökeres' exceptional efforts leading the line were matched by those of Gabriel Magalahes at the back. The skipper is the emotional leader of this team of battlers, and why he was still his usual vocal self, Gabriel did a lot more leading by example to constantly thwart the enterprising visitors from La Liga.

Gabriel kept things strong in the middle, but Mikel Arteta should take note of how often the Arsenal back line was stretched down the flanks. Particularly on the left side.

Arsenal needed determination and maximum concentration at the back because the forward play was again lacking inspiration. Mostly due to a strangely sheepish performance from Eberechi Eze, who wilted under the spotlight in the key No. 10 role, before being replaced by the returning Martin Odegaard.

Positives & negatives from Arsenal's 1-0 win vs. Atletico Madrid

Positive #1: Viktor Gyökeres

No need for any glib play on words in the sub-heading for this one. Gyökeres was the positive, plain and simple.

He continued his late-season surge by taking the fight to the away side from the first whistle. Routinely backing into defenders, using his body to shield the ball and earning fouls on the turn.

This was equal parts rugged toughness and devilish intelligence from Gyökeres. A masterclass in how to play like a true No. 9 in a big game against streetwise opposition.

Atletico have long been used to being the bullies under fire and brimstone manager Diego Simeone, but Gyökeres gave them a taste of their own medicine. He also gave Gooners the chance to experience what it's like to be on the other side of watching a team get pushed around by a bullish striker exploiting his strength and know-how.

This was Gyökeres doing his best Diego Costa and Didier Drogba impression. Brilliant stuff only missing the goal the Swede should have gotten when connecting with a pinpoint cross from substitute left-back Piero Hincapié.

Scoring would have made this a perfect 10 from Gyökeres, but he still went a long way toward silencing the misguided critics and proving his significant worth to this team.

Gyökeres also proved how graft can compensate for a lack of flair.

Negative #1: Eberechi Eze retreated into a shell

He had the catbird seat in terms of being able to conduct Arsenal's creative output, but Eze conjured very little. The versatile forward who is usually defined by his instinctive daring appeared timid about trying to force Atletico back with his pace and trickery.

Eze also rarely used his vision to thread passes between the lines. It was almost as if the 27-year-old was fearful of trusting his technique and chancing a through-ball that might have turned over possession quickly and left Arsenal vulnerable to a counter.

This apparent reticence wasted Eze often being in the right areas of the pitch to take a chance. He also saw enough of the ball to do more to hurt the opposition.

Arteta wisely curtailed Eze's tepid display just before the hour mark. The manager will be glad to have the more technically proficient Odegaard back available, but Eze is still a difference-maker whose suddenness could be decisive in the final.

Although perhaps not as decisive as the Gunners maintaining their stubborn resistance at the back.

Positive #2: Gabriel Magalhaes led by example

No player did more to defend Arsenal's slender lead than the No. 6 often wrongly overshadowed by fellow central defender William Saliba. The latter is the up-market fan's centre-back of choice, all controlled pace, calm timing and refined distribution, but Gabriel is the rough and ready hero to the low-cost ticket holder on the terraces.

A typical Gabriel performance is loud, untidy, but unrelenting and effective. The Brazilian was all of those things against Atletico, throwing himself into one vital block after another.

This level of enthusiasm for the cause is key to Arsenal's awesome defensive record in Europe. Gabriel is the unquestioned leader of a unit that's conceded just six goals en route to the final, but he'll need to speak up about a potential vulnerability both Bayern Munich or PSG can ruthlessly expose.

Negative #2: Defending down the flanks

There were more than a few nervy moments for the Gunners on a night decided by fine margins, and most of the nerves came whenever Atleti attacked the flanks. The away side found plenty of joy out wide, particularly against Arsenal's left side.

It's the obvious place to attack when Riccardo Calafiori plays as a sort of deluxe inverted full-back. He doesn't merely tuck inside to supplement midfield, the Italian also makes direct runs high up the pitch, much the way Arteta's old pal Pep Guardiola has precocious talent Nico O'Reilly doing for Manchester City.

Atletico exploited the spaces left by Calafiori's buccaneering runs and by Leandro Trossard's erratic willingness to track back. Only a series of suspect choices with their final pass denied the visitors a goal from this route.

Arsenal ultimately held firm because Gabriel and Saliba dove and slid to clear any balls delivered from out wide. They also received superb support from midfield engine Declan Rice, who made the block of the night to deny Atletico winger Giuliano Simeone.

Contributions like this one from Rice are why Arsenal boast the meanest defence on the continent. Yet while it feels wrong to end on a negative, Arteta and Co. must take this is a note of caution about what either PSG or Bayern will produce from the flanks in Budapest on Saturday, May 30.

Players like Michael Olise, Luis Díaz, Désiré Doué and the magical Khvicha Kvaratskhelia are wide forwards Arsenal can't afford to grant so much space.

That's tomorrow's problem. For now, Gyökeres, Gabriel and the rest have earned the right to savour this truly special moment in Arsenal's history.

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