‘Arteta Made Simeone Look Average’ – Arsenal Fan Reaction 4-0 Win Over Atlético Madrid | OneFootball

Arteta’s Arsenal Dismantle Atletico Madrid: A European Statement at the Emirates

Arsenal’s emphatic 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League left AFTV’s Robbie and Curtis full of praise for Mikel Arteta’s side, in what both described as a “serious performance.” Speaking immediately after the match, the pair reflected on a result that they felt sent shockwaves across Europe and underlined Arsenal’s progress under Arteta.

Arsenal’s Ruthless European Form

From the start, the hosts looked composed and confident. Robbie began the discussion by correcting himself mid-sentence, laughing, “We have just beaten Atletico Madrid 4-nil in the Champ… No, we lost it… Did we lose? We lost in it.” Curtis replied with a grin, “That performance tonight was unbelievable.” Robbie quickly agreed, adding, “That is an unbelievable performance. Please don’t say that. I said the second half was amazing. The first half was a good performance as well.”

The AFTV host was quick to defend the opening 45 minutes, noting Arsenal’s dominance. “We were at them. They hit the bar, we hit the bar as well. We had eight shots, they had none on target. That’s Atletico Madrid. That is not no joke team there.” Robbie reminded viewers that Atletico had recently “beat Frankfurt 5-1” and “put five past Real Madrid,” emphasising that Arsenal had “just destroyed an elite manager and an elite team here at the Emirates.”

Set Pieces as a Weapon

Much of the post-match conversation focused on Arsenal’s growing versatility under Arteta. Robbie passionately defended the team’s use of set pieces, saying, “When you win lots of corners, what should you do with a corner? Just play it short? Like what we used to do under Arsène Wenger? No. Now we’ve got weapons.” He highlighted Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka as “two of the best deliverers of the ball in Europe when it comes to set pieces,” adding that “Gabriel was unplayable tonight.”

“The first goal, he just ran in, they couldn’t deal with him. Bang, goal,” Robbie said. “They were scared when we got set pieces. If we win every game scoring from a set piece, I don’t care.” He called set pieces a “serious weapon” and dismissed critics who claim such goals are unsustainable: “It is sustainable if you can do that week in, week out. Use your weapons.”

Curtis echoed the sentiment, insisting that Arsenal “can score from set pieces, they can score from open play, they can play out from the back, they can go direct.” The pair agreed that Arsenal’s tactical flexibility has been a major factor in their rise under Arteta.

Arteta’s Tactical Masterclass

When the conversation turned to Arteta, Robbie was full of admiration. “He’s made a couple of changes tonight, and the changes have come off big time,” he said. “This was the toughest game we’ve had in the Champions League so far, and he got everything right.” Curtis added that the Arsenal manager “has to get full respect” for how he handled the match.

Even when critiquing one decision, Robbie’s tone remained light-hearted: “The only thing that upset me tonight with Arteta is when he took Victor Gyökeres off. Let the man get a hat-trick! A European hat-trick, man!”

Robbie highlighted several standouts, saying, “Gabriel was excellent, Timber was excellent, Declan Rice again absolutely brilliant tonight. And I was so happy for Victor Gyökeres. He needed a goal and he’s got two goals tonight.”

Belief Building Around Arsenal

As the discussion wrapped up, Curtis asked whether Arsenal fans should start believing in a potential title and European challenge. Robbie responded calmly: “It’s still game by game. But let’s not forget, where did we come last year? We came second, right? We’ve improved on that team. We started better than we did last season.”

He added, “We got to the semi-final in the Champions League last year. We’re no mugs in this no more. We’ve strengthened that squad. You can leave out players like Ødegaard and still see no difference whatsoever.”

Robbie closed on an optimistic note: “We’re looking good at the moment. We started better than last year, and we can only be optimistic. We’re going to fight on this front and we’re going to fight in the league. You can’t look around and say there’s a team that looks way better than us.”

AFTV’s post-match show captured the growing confidence among Arsenal fans that this team, guided by Arteta, can finally convert performances like this into silverware. Against Atletico Madrid, Arsenal not only won — they imposed themselves as genuine European contenders.