Arsenal analysis: Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey vindicate Arsene Wenger in best away win of season

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James Olley9 March 2018

Arsenal turned the form book upside down and gave Arsene Wenger much-needed respite with a 2-0 win away to AC Milan in the Europa League on Thursday.

The Gunners had lost their last four games in all competitions and were facing a Milan team unbeaten in 13 matches, but stunned the San Siro with first-half goals from Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Aaron Ramsey in the round of 16 first leg.

Milan were more purposeful in the second half but Arsenal held out comfortably with a resilience missing from their recent performances.

James Olley was at San Siro to assess the key talking points...

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Players respond to criticism

There has been plenty of talk about wanting to ease the pressure manager Arsene Wenger is under but little sign of that will on the pitch in a recent run of eight defeats from 13 games. This was much, much better.

AC Milan may not be the force of old but they are in form and confident under Gennaro Gattuso yet Arsenal picked them off expertly to take a giant stride towards the Europa League quarter-finals.

This is a result which helps keep their season alive and can help generate some forward momentum in the weeks ahead. They just need to build on it now.

AFP/Getty Images

Ramsey and Ozil vindicate Wenger in different ways

Wenger left Aaron Ramsey out of his matchday squad for last weekend’s defeat at Brighton to give him a breather and the Welshman’s absence was keenly felt during an insipid performance at the Amex Stadium.

He lost possession cheaply at the outset tonight but thereafter helped push Arsenal forward and deserved his goal in stoppage-time at the end of the first half after being sent clear by Mesut Ozil, who also created Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s opener.

Ramsey’s energy epitomised a performance that couldn’t be more contrasting from that against Brighton while Ozil has often been accused of going missing on nights like this but he carved open a Milan defence that hadn’t conceded a goal in six previous matches dating back to February 4.

Getty Images

Mkhitaryan’s Europa League love-affair continues

He could have scored in the opening ten minutes and should have done just before half-time but Mkhitaryan’s 15th-minute strike set Arsenal on the path to a hugely impressive victory.

There is something about this competition that seems to bring the best out of the Armenian: according to OptaJoe, since the start of the 2015-16 season, he has been involved in more goals than any other midfielder in the Europa League with nine goals and six assists.

He would no doubt prefer to play in the Champions League but few have done more than Mkhitaryan to get Manchester United and now Arsenal there.

AFP/Getty Images

Arsenal’s best away win of the season

Admittedly there isn’t too much competition – Arsenal have only beaten BATE Borisov, Everton, Red Star Belgrade, Burnley, Crystal Palace and Ostersund on the road before tonight – but the Gunners finally produced a high-quality performance away from Emirates Stadium this season.

Wenger has been at a loss to explain the huge gulf in Arsenal’s home and away form but winning here in the San Siro as they did should provide a huge confidence boost for the challenges ahead.

They showed far greater hunger for the fight and pressed the ball well, forcing Milan to repeatedly concede possession in their own half, particularly in the first 45 minutes. Somewhat incredibly given the way they have defended of late, there was even a clean sheet.

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