Just like Manchester City, Arsenal is in the pot with other great European clubs who had not enjoyed the start of the newly renewed Champions League. Teams like Real, Bayern, Leverkusen and PSG are also in that category, but coach Mikel Arteta is concerned only with his team. The Gunners didn‘t start the season in the Premier League nor in the Champions League as they wanted and as they did last year. They are just fourth in England and they are trailing nine points to the league leaders Liverpool, while in Europe, they are 12th, and would have to play in the qualifications playoffs for now. The Gunners show their real face and cut the Trees!After a draw against Chelsea and a 3-0 win over Nottingham, things are a bit better now in England, but in Europe, the results are worrying: three defeats and one draw in away matches in 2024. In fact, the last away win in Europe for the Gunners happened on October 24, 2023 against Sevilla. And in Portugal, the ‘hottest‘ striker in Europe right now Viktor Gyokeres awaits them. The Sporting striker so far scored a stunning 59 goals in 55 games for club and country and is on Arsenal‘s wish list, along with other clubs‘ too. Sporting are still undefeated in Portugal and Europe this season. Coach Arteta thinks that his players need to be ruthless.“The away form is certainly something we have to improve. I think we have made the right steps. But the reality is that you have to make it happen and we didn’t. Making those steps is what we have to do next. Be ruthless, be efficient in the opposition box and do what we have to do to take the three points away from here. The efficiency that we have shown inside the box with the chances that we are normally able to generate in the Champions League is not at the level required to win consistently. I always say the Champions League is about boxes, small margins and details. You have to get all of those right to win, especially away from home“ said the Spaniard.Pepe claims: “Arsenal spent a lot of money on me and I paid the price for it”Ex-centre back Uwe Hunemeier was at Brighton when Gyokeres joined the club in January 2018. His advice to Saliba and Gabriel?“I played against Lewandowski and Haaland – you need to be really quick to stop these players because they have a physical strength in their game, and they are really quick in the mind. You also need to be in his back to stop these kind of players. They want to cut into your back so you can’t see them. That makes it so difficult with a good striker. They always find a way to get some space. He’s strong but not as strong as maybe Haaland or Lewandowski because he’s not as big as these players. You have to be tight, give him a nudge in duels to try get him off the ball. But he can score any kind of goal from what I have seen in the last few months. Most of the quick strikers I would say they have a good nose for what’s coming next, but he realizes the situation probably earlier than most of the centre backs“ said Hunemeier. ##NAJAVA_MECA_8528336##
