Arteta's inspired changes show how to finish in front

Martinelli and Trossard are Gunners’ instant hits in Bilbao

- MIGUEL DELANEY

Athletic Club 0

Arsenal 2

Martinelli (72), Trossard (87)

As Mikel Arteta was figuring out how to give his team that crucial finishing touch in a fervent San Mames, he looked across the bench, and couldn't help notice the manner in which Gabriel Martinelli was leaning forward.

"In his eyes, I could see that he was ready," Arteta said, before then gesturing to Leandro Trossard. "Leo as well." They were more than ready. They were raring to go. Within a mere 36 seconds of coming on, Trossard had hooked a ball over for Martinelli to score a sleek opening goal in this 2-0 win over Athletic. Just minutes before the end, Martinelli returned the favour for Trossard to seal the three points.

Talk about inspired substitutions. Except, that's not actually a phrase that Arteta likes to use. The Basque is part of "leadership" groups involving elite coaches from many different sports, where they share ideas, and one thought from rugby has struck. Just like Eddie Jones and Joe Schmidt, Arteta describes these players as "finishers".

"I love it," he said of the phrase, “because I don't like other words to describe the players".

It's been a pointed message from him to the squad in the opening weeks of this campaign, "that the finishers are going to be more important this season than the starters".

It might also be an especially important message, given that Arteta has the new challenge of managing a huge and expensive squad. There has already been talk on the training ground of players having to use other pitches they never expected to. That feeling of being sidelined is going to be multiplied for starting selections.

"Every time you name the line-up, you are disappointing a lot of players," Arteta said. "I know how much they want to play this competition and what it means to them."