Martin Odegaard and Christos Tzolis shined as Arsenal started their title defence with a convincing thrashing over Coventry at the Emirates Stadium on Friday night.
When a new season begins, expectations are at their highest and excitement oozes around the club. For both Arsenal and Coventry this game felt different. The Gunners were starting a campaign as title holders for the first time since 2004 and Coventry were embarking on their first Premier League season since 2000.
The home side started how they meant to go on. New signing Christos Tzolis flew out of the blocks and brought the game to Frank Lampard’s side. His electric pace and close touch control taunted Milan van Ewijk for the entire game.
After fifteen minutes of pressure, the opening came. Tzolis forced an error on the left side allowing Riccardo Calafiori to pick up the ball and deliver a pinpoint cross to Kai Havertz who swept the ball clinically into the bottom right corner. Proving Mikel Arteta’s interesting choice of benching Viktor Gyokeres in favour of the German.
It didn’t take long for the champions to double their advantage. Yet again, Tzolis was key in the goal. His cross took a profitable deflection and fell kindly to Bukayo Saka who fired home for 2-0. A huge moment for the Englishman who struggled to find his best form last season.
The visitors failed to threaten at all. New signing Loum Tchaouna took aim from range, but his effort was miles off target.
The second half started how the first did, Arsenal relentless pressure. Just like he did in the Community Shield against Manchester City, captain Martin Odegaard got himself on the scoresheet within five minutes of the restart. The old combination of Ben White, Saka and Odegaard was in full flow and the Norwegian, with a bit of luck, bundled White’s cut back past Carl Rushworth to ultimately seal the game. It felt like a goal straight out of the 2023/2024 Arsenal goal catalogue with those three involved.
After the third, the Gunners clearly put the brakes on and were keen to see the game out, make some changes and keep yet another Premier League clean sheet. Jack Rudoni caused David Raya to make his first save late into the encounter, but it looked a simple catch for the World champion.
It’s a perfect start for Arteta’s men as they look to retain the league title for the first time in their history.
