Arsenal secured a routine 3-0 win over Bodo/Glimt at the Emirates to return to the summit of Europa League Group A.
Eddie Nketiah broke the deadlock with a poacher’s finish, Fabio Vieira assisted Rob Holding to double the lead before the Portuguese rounded off the scoring late on to crash home from close range after a brilliant dribble by substitute Gabriel Jesus.
After the match, Vieira, Jesus and Nketiah were all the subject of questions in the manager’s post-game press conference.
Here’s what the boss had to say…
On tonight’s performance being an early sign of what’s to come from Vieira…
Yes, you saw the quality every time he’s around the box. He’s a real threat, a really intelligent player, brave and in defending, he still needs to do more, understanding more because organisation is key when you play against good teams who have possession.
"He's one of them technicians where everything is done with purpose"
"This guy is a fantastic player"
"He's got an absolute velvet left-foot"
How good was Fábio Vieira tonight? 😍#UEL pic.twitter.com/DmKvMVxc9c
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 6, 2022
On Jesus’ work rate…
I love his mentality. It doesn’t matter how long he plays, where he plays, in which position he plays, he always gives absolutely everything. You see his presence when he goes on the pitch, he makes the team different, his energy as well, and obviously today he made an outstanding action to create the third goal.
If he does it – and he’s won everything in the last five years – imagine what the rest have to do [on the effort front]. Follow him, because he’s always in the right spot.
"He knows he needs to do something big, Jesus is in really good form"
"You expect a performance from him now"
"He's definitely got the confidence and the mentality"@MartinKeown5 & Joe Cole believe Eddie Nketiah can still have a big future at Arsenal 👊#UEL pic.twitter.com/H1e2RXp37L
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) October 6, 2022
On what he liked most about Nketiah’s performance and if he’s the perfect backup striker…
When he puts the ball in the back of the net [is what I like most]. For any manager, this is the best moment. Obviously, his work rate, his attitude, his application is just phenomenal. He’s got this natural ability and he does it every time.
What I can say, is that I’m really happy to have him in this team. He has the qualities to be in this team in any role, as a starter, as a finisher, whatever you want to call him. We all love his attitude and the qualities that he has and we’re happy to have him.
It does [make it hard to leave him out]. Today he could have scored a couple more. You have to look at what you have done, great. But also, what you can do better. That’s his mentality and this is where we want to take him. When you see how he has evolved in the last year or two, he still has a lot of room to do that.
Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!
Hoi! Hoi! Hoi!
Nelson was very impressive as well.
Yes but I was expecting to see Nwaneri. He wasn’t even in the bench.
School night.
What about odegaard’s cameo? Fuck he’s good and just playing scintillating football. Some of his craft and creativity after he came on was breathtaking.
We’re lucky to have him as he is lucky to have us. Arsenal and Arteta revived his early career, even in that early loan spell I think most were unsure about him. Almost a good thing as if he had been playing the way he is now you’d think Real would of almost certainly called him back.
It was all in the plan, to get him to move to Arsenal. “Play a little above average in matches, get Madrid to give up on him, and then turn on the style when we sign you permanently.”
A conspiracy theory you might say, but stranger things have happened.
Indeed, 4 seasons of it…
It’s interesting when you hear the US feed, how much Peter Drury, Graeme Le Saux, and Jim Beglin, among others, swoon over Odegaard. Right now, the only “playmaker” (including nominal number 10’s, false 9’s, etc.) that is arguably better is De Bruyne. And only arguably.
I wish they’d stop using Joe Cole as a pundit, bloke can’t string a sentence together. He just talks in football idioms.
I like Joe.