The documentary “All or Nothing” about Arsenal showcases Mikel Arteta’s passion for winning. He is famously known for saying, “When I lose, I’m really upset!”
Compared to three seasons ago, the current Arsenal team is much stronger and more competitive. Arteta has fewer reasons to be upset now.
Look at each individual in the team. Jurrien Timber makes precise passes. Gabriel and William Saliba display joy while executing excellent defensive plays. Declan Rice isn’t afraid to dive into tackles. Interestingly, it’s not just the key players who excel.
Kai Havertz states, “I wasn’t the kind of player who won duels before, but now I love it.” His desire to compete has been ignited.
Bukayo Saka emphasizes, “We all have an attacking mindset, but the coach highlights other aspects of the game. The team needs sacrifice and discipline. When we see the results, like keeping clean sheets, it encourages me to continue doing that.”
The level of cohesion in this team is unwavering. They demand the best from themselves and from each other, recognizing the benefits of maximum effort.
It’s still early to predict what Arsenal can achieve this season, but they have clearly shown their fighting spirit. Whether it means attacking with power and speed or defending solidly, they are ready for both. Their convincing win against PSG proves that Arsenal knows how to manage different aspects of the game.
A well-programmed pragmatism is currently supporting the team, and they have managed to transfer this from the Premier League to European competitions. This showcases Arsenal’s maturity. Arteta has seen a growing character in his team against PSG that he appreciates: “I think we’ve shown a lot of maturity in our style of play, and we’ve made our mark on how we want to behave in Europe against top teams.”
He notices that the current squad has a different self-awareness in these types of matches: “I feel something different in how we prepare for games and how the players want to focus. I think they want to prove something – that against a top team at home, we can be ourselves and also be very dominant. It creates a special night, those great European nights against big clubs. That belief elevates everyone’s energy and spirit.”
This victory was built on a fiercely determined first half, with a goal chase supported by tackles and strict defensive coverage at home.
The opening goal embodies perfect timing. The combination between Leandro Trossard and Havertz is improving as they blend their talents. Trossard, while running, looked and delayed his movement to wait for a teammate’s move. Havertz, initially running slowly, suddenly accelerated into the box. The timing of the cross perfectly matched Havertz’s run, combined with the German forward’s great goal-scoring form.
Captain Saka created the second goal with a surprise free-kick. While everyone expected a high ball aimed at tall players at the far post, it was a low, curling ball that caused chaos and avoided multiple players.
In the second half, as PSG found moments to increase their attacking quality, Arsenal displayed their resilient and highly focused face. There was a period of five to ten minutes when they seemed to switch tactics and withdraw into a highly organized defensive block designed to minimize any dangerous incursions.
Having multiple ways of “preparing” gives Arsenal a more refined European taste this season.
All of this combined created an overdose for PSG. “We didn’t win any duels,” Luis Enrique commented. “We couldn’t withstand that kind of pressure.”
PSG couldn’t read Arsenal, just like Aston Villa, Brighton, Tottenham, and especially Man City did before. This multi-faceted version of the Gunners is genuinely exciting!
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