Post-Match Reaction: Three Things We Learned from Olympiakos v Arsenal
It was without a doubt one of the more memorable nights in Arsenal’s long European history. It was a night when so much was on the line and in the end Arsenal showed their class and took control of the occasion.
We look back now the three things we learned from last night’s epic Champion’s League Win.
GQ Giroud is that Striker We Need.
Olivier Giroud continues to divide opinion. Some love him or hate him. His detractors cry that he isn’t worthy of wearing the shirt. Well last night should have hopefully put an end to that nonsense.
Fact is whether he is coming off the bench or leading the line Giroud offers Arsenal physicality and movement that some of our other attacking options lack. Whether he is playing with his back to goal and winning the ball to dish it off or making his trademark near post run he is as Wenger likes to classify him “an animal.”
Yes, he has his moments – so does every player. But Olivier Giroud has shown time and again that he is not only a good striker – he is more than good enough to wear the famous red and white of Arsenal.
Last night was just such an example. With the likes of Alexis and Santi on the training table. With Theo just back from injury and Mesut Özil doing everything he can in his magical silky way to keep Arsenal humming – Arsenal needed someone to step up.
That someone was Olivier Giroud. He had an all-around effective game. He offered his normal fight against the opposition CBs and was effective pressing the ball – nearly getting the Olympiakos keeper to lose the ball early in the match.
But it was his goals that we’ll remember. His first, that trademark near post run we mentioned. With a low header that probably should’ve been saved but had so much strength and velocity on it, it wasn’t doing anything but going in. That near post works for him in so many ways, with scoring either off a header or a nifty flick (ala versus Tottenham a few years back) or drawing 2-3 defenders to cover him and opening space for his teammates – it’s just something his so good at.
Then the second – to me better than the first because of his continued movement. Some players would’ve stopped their run when it looked like Campbell was getting the ball stuck in his feet and under pressure by 3 defenders. Not Giroud – he kept that run to 1.) be the option for any pass and 2.) to maybe draw defenders off Campbell and like we mentioned before open up space within the box.
The third was as near perfect a cool PK as you would want. No jitters. Nothing. Just cooly slotted to the far corner opposite to the direction of the keeper.
It was an epic performance and worthy of the 10 Arseblog rated him at in his player ratings. Like it or not, GQ Giroud is the striker we need and we can win big things with him in the squad.
A Mature Performance
I loathe clichés but it’s hard not to call this anything but a “mature” or “professional” performance. In the opening 10 minutes Olympiakos looked up for it testing Arsenal and trying to exploit the space they knew would be there as Arsenal had to chase for goals.
But Arsenal remained patient and even though some of the early defending looked a little ragged we never really looked the confused or lost lot we’ve seen before in years past when our defense was in pure shambles.
It took a chance – Flamini’s rocking the crossbar – to really turn the match into Arsenal’s favor. From that moment on, the game became methodical as Arsenal looked for the weaknesses in Olympiakos’ defending.
It was down the left they would see their chances start to come and the first and second goals had their genesis start down that side. It was an Özil pass to Ramsey who crossed it in for Giroud from that side that opened the scoring and an Özil lobbed pass from the left to Campbell in the middle that led to the Campbell assist to put the game away. In each instance the play started from the weak point they found and would exploit.
Patience isn’t always an Arsenal supporter virtue and people often mistake the team’s patient approach to just passing the ball around. Yes, sometimes the movement off the ball isn’t enough but last night this patient approach paid off in spades and it more than likely pays off as long Arsenal remain solid in the back. Last night they were as Laurent Koscielny showed again why he and his partner the BFG are either the best tandem in the league or one of the best tandems.
When you are solid defensively – the patient, passing and probing and stretching of defenses works and it did here and it showed that Arsenal have come a long way from days when we were chastised for not having the “mental fortitude” to do what had to be done.
Joel Campbell is this Year’s Francis Coquelin
Joel Campbell is slowly but assuredly putting in a string of performances that likely should warrant him a new Arsenal contract. Additionally, Joel Campbell is likely going to make it hard for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to get into the squad – if the former continues to put in the shifts he has been putting in like last night.
Campbell since he has been signed by Arsenal spent 4 years loaned out to different teams. It has resulted in as Wenger said him fighting for his chances at Arsenal. Before the injury list it was hard to see where Campbell would fit in and rumours were that the Costa Rican was nearly sold this past summer. But he wasn’t and he is showing with performances like last night that he might just deserve to be here longer.
If Giroud is effective with his near post run, what Campbell seemed truly adept at was his runs from left to right from outside. This happened with significance when he was swapped to the left with Theo. Something happened and he found the space he needed and started to pull apart space in the two flanks of Olympiakos defenders.
His assist to Giroud was only part of the story – under pressure by three defenders, it looked like he had lost the ball but successfully fought off the pressure to regain control and weight the pass perfectly for GIroud’s one-timer.
He has scored in the league and created crucial chances. While there is still more to be done, it’s hard not see Campbell having a future at this club in some role or another.
Extra Time
Going into last night the British press was all aflutter about the doom and gloom of the possibility of 3 English teams falling out Europe’s premier tournament and dropping into it’s bastard step brother the Europa League.
Seems they were either slightly relieved or upset (all those doom and gloom stories that were pre-written and all that.) But England head into the round of 16 with 3 teams that could upset apple carts. The sacred coefficient will be preserved until next year when the hand wringing begins anew.
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