Arsenal were able to keep PSG at bay on Tuesday night.
Arsenal beat PSG 2-0 when they hosted them at the Emirates Stadium.
Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka produced the goals that secured this Champions League victory for the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta’s side were dominant and aggressive in the first half. Havertz combined well with Leandro Trossard to grab his goal, whilst Gabriel Martinelli looked reenergised and Arsenal fans were impressed by Saka.
Things changed after the break as PSG grew into the game and Arsenal seemed happy to sit back and protect their lead. However, whilst the Gunners gave up possession and territory, they did not surrender control.
The hosts held PSG at arms’ length and were relatively untroubled at the back until the final whistle, with William Saliba making a couple of eye-catching interventions to keep his team out of trouble.
Arsenal were praised for their pragmatism and deserve credit for their defensive solidity.
Arsenal up with Real Madrid in key 2024 stat
The Gunners were able to keep yet another clean sheet against PSG.
In the 32 games that Arsenal have played in 2024, across all competitions, they have preserved a clean sheet on 17 occasions.
Across Europe’s major leagues in this calendar year, only Real Madrid have recorded more shut-outs than the North London club, with 18 under their belt.
This proves that Arteta has constructed one of the meanest defences in world football, and that solidity will provide the platform for his side to build their push for silverware on.
What is the secret to Mikel Arteta’s defensive success?
Of course, Arsenal would not have been able to achieve this remarkable feat were it not for the individual quality of their defenders.
Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have been labelled the best centre-back partnership in the Premier League, and for good reason. Goalkeeper David Raya has also dazzled Arsenal fans this season.
Arteta has an impressive collection of full-backs to call upon, with Ben White, Jurrien Timber, and summer signing Riccardo Calafiori all having caught the eye in recent weeks. On top of all that, midfielder Declan Rice is an expert at breaking up opposition attacks and protects the back four.
However, beyond individual skill, it is the team’s collective defensive effort that allows them to succeed in keeping clean sheets so consistently. All of the players have bought in to Arteta’s tactics and are committed to pressing from the front and tracking back.
The forwards care about defending as much as the players at the back, and that mentality has made Arsenal so incredibly difficult to beat this year.
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