What Martin Odegaard did to inspire Arsenal win as Mikel Arteta promise proved right
Before a ball had even been kicked, Martin Odegaard had instructed the Arsenal fans to «bring the noise» with his programme notes. It seemed as though everyone with a Gunners sympathy was more than happy to oblige. Flags were waved in the North Bank, tifos displayed in the Clock End and Slade played on the tannoy. Everyone knew that this was a big game.
In the Premier League Arsenal have been flawless this year. Five wins and 21 goals had put to bed many of the doubts over their efficiency in front of goal. But upon returning to European competition in midweek, older concerns began to rear their head.
Porto, led by 40-year-old veteran Pepe, mastered every dark art in the book. Arsenal, by the admission of Declan Rice, couldn't match this knowhow.
Having shown a glass jaw against these kind of teams there would have been few opponents they wanted to face next than Newcastle. In Portugal 36 fouls were committed across a match in which the ball was in play just 51 per cent of the time. Last season's clash with Eddie Howe's side saw the game live for just 51 minutes and 26 fouls awarded.
With the added fuel of November's feisty affair at St. James' Park everyone knew the streetwise way in which Newcastle would approach the game. They did not disappoint. Loris Karius began taking his time over free kicks, Tino Livramento was slow on throw ins. Bruno Guimaraes was snapping into tackles on Jorginho. These were the almost identical conditions that Arsenal faced at Estadio do Dragao.
This time though, the Gunners knew exactly how to handle it. The home crowd were straight on to Newcastle's time wasting and after a smart piece of mind games from Mikel Arteta in his pre-match press conference to call for the referee to manage the flow
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