Arsenal cruised into the Champions League quarter-finals with a perfect performance and in doing so, showed all their critics they are wrong.
Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze both scored as Arsenal once again kept a clean sheet to see off Bayer Leverkusen.
However, while the two goals were impressive and eye-catching, this was about the performance as a whole and in terms of attacking, Arsenal produced their best night of the whole season.
Did Eberechi Eze’s goal remind you of something? 👀
Eze 🤝 Henry
Arsenal record their most shots on target in a game all season
There has been so much odd criticism of Arsenal this season. Some have called the team out on being over-reliant on set pieces, while others have suggested the team relies solely on being defensively sound to get through games.
That ignores a lot of the good attacking play Arsenal produce and tonight, there’s no getting away from what Arsenal did.
Per OPTA, Arsenal registered their most shots on target in a game all season with 12, while it was only the second time in Champions League knockout history they’ve scored two goals from outside the box.
As Arsenal continue to make their way in all four competitions this season, it feels like we are seeing a different side to the team.
Eberechi Eze’s emergence in recent weeks as a creative force has been welcomed, while the return of Martin Odegaard will do that side of things no harm either.
It does feel like the pieces are falling into place for Arsenal to have the most memorable of seasons here.
Sporting Lisbon, on paper, should be a tie the Gunners win and then come the semis, we’ll really see what this team is made of.
There were some hugely positive signs against Leverkusen but the fact the team are now creating more and more chances can only bode well for the next few months.
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