Arsenal 0 – Atalanta 0 match report: wake up, it’s over

Arsenal played to a 0-0 draw against Atalanta in Bergamo, a result that will suit Mikel Arteta just fine. It bears repeating — the Champions League is a difficult competition and away days are tough. If you draw away, especially against the Pot 1 and 2 clubs (Atalanta is P2), and win at home, you’ll be in good shape.

It was not a particularly exciting match for the neutrals. Arsenal started brightly but the attacks fizzled and vanished rather quickly. Save for the penalty, Atalanta created even less. The Gunners will need to figure out the attacking combinations without Martin Odegaard in the mix because he’s not due back until at least November. I’ve got no problem with the team playing conservatively while they develop new patterns, but performances like tonight can’t be the norm with the captain out of the lineup if the club wants to get where it aims to go this season. Arsenal need to find a way to consistently create chances and score goals.

David Raya’s incredible double save — the penalty and an even better one on the rebound — earns him Man of the Match honors, even if the penalty was a soft one. Thomas Partey got smoked around the corner and grabbed Ederson outside the box. His ever so slight second grab and, perhaps, faint contact on Ederson’s foot as he was already going to ground, was enough for Clement Turpin to award the spot kick. You can see why the penalty was given, but the long VAR review tells you all you need to know about the decision. It was an extremely close one, and in my estimation, shouldn’t have been given, mostly on the strength of how incredibly easily Ederson went to ground.

And not for nothing, the whole sequence shouldn’t have happened. Atalanta only had the ball because Ederson, seeing that he was going to lose the ball in the center circle, threw himself to the ground to win a free kick. There was hardly any contact on the Brazilian from either Kai Havertz or Thomas Partey. Thankfully, football karma won out — ball don’t lie.

That doesn’t excuse Thomas Partey’s defense that gave away the penalty. It was atrocious. He had a decent match otherwise, but his physical limitations were once again on display. It throws the entire team out of whack — everybody around him has to focus on playing within themselves and not getting caught out. Once Mikel Merino heals, I think we’ll see significantly less of Partey. He, along with Gabriel Jesus, were mid-second half substitutes, and Bukayo Saka went off with 20 minutes to go. That felt very much like Mikel Arteta looking ahead to Manchester City at the weekend.

Both Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus could really do with a goal, even one that bounces in off their behind. I was happy with their workrate and involvement, but the final product isn’t there. I have to believe that if Martinelli keeps getting chances, the goals will come. It’s much less serious of an issue than an attacker who isn’t even getting chances. From his play today, Gabriel Jesus may have an important role to play in Odegaard’s absence. He’s good at finding space and linking up the attack. He’ll have to do more of that until the Arsenal captain returns.

Jurrien Timber had an off match on the ball, but some of that might be the left side and the attack as a whole finding its bearings. Riccardo Calafiori looked good in his cameo. Raheem Sterling didn’t have much of a chance to flash his attacking chops, but he did put Martinelli in once.

There isn’t much more praise that can be heaped on the Arsenal centerback duo. The William Saliba – Gabriel Magalhaes pairing is the best CB duo in the world. They were excellent, as always, tonight. They’re going to need to be that good or better until the attack figures things out and / or Martin Odegaard returns.

Of all the Arsenal football matches, tonight was definitely one of them. Atalanta away is a tricky fixture, especially sandwiched between Tottenham and Manchester City away. A draw is a fine result. On to the next.