Reaction to Arsenal's Declan Rice inspired 3-0 win over Real Madrid | "It could have been more!"

They have thoroughly beaten them. The question is have they knocked them out? Two Declan Rice free kicks, two of the best goals you'll see this season, along with Mikel Morena's wonderful effort. Gary where does this rank in recent Arsenal nights? This is the biggest night without a doubt and anyone who talks about those free kicks they're probably as the years go by we're saying it was 40 yards out, it was 45 yards out, it was unbelievable. Declan Rice amazing quality and that has been the difference. Bakayo Saka's return crucial. He caused Real Madrid no end of problems and won both free kicks for Rice to thrash into the top corner. Vinicius nowhere near it. Real Madrid nowhere near the hosts. They meet again at the Bernabeu next week. Mbappe and Co with work to do even by their standards to turn it around. Full time in North London, Arsenal three, Real Madrid nil. This match was brought to you by Mastercard, UEFA Champions League official sponsor. Well well did anyone see that one coming? I'm watching. I'm kidding Martin might have seen it. Well I should say Martin I didn't get your pre-match prediction so I think you would have gone 3-0 for Arsenal. Well thanks Owen I'll take it now. What I said at the beginning was that you're going you've got Modric in the middle of the field a 39 year old who's been a splendid footballer throughout his career but he cannot move now he cannot run anymore and that's all very well you having a player like Modric playing at Las Palmas against Las Palmas when you want to hold on to a 2-0 lead or something like this here but you're away you're away to Arsenal at the Declan Rice if I'm if I'm our tether tonight I'd have been saying to uh uh to Declan Rice before the game you know you will be able to pick him up even if you make 30 yard runs into the penalty area all the time you'll still be able to get back in again because Modric will not be able to sort you out and Camavinga the only thing he did was get himself sent off he's so ordinary it's unbelievable so you're carrying two players in the middle of the pitch the Arsenal dominated at the middle of the pitch but then you've got Saka coming in playing brilliantly and then Rice's incredible goals incredible making our tether said it's the biggest night of his managerial career he'll be very happy with how it went Shea given I have to say I didn't know Declan Rice had those three kicks in his locker I don't think Declan did to be honest uh no it was amazing I mean I'm sort of first one to sort of say does our tether ever get questioned and and now I'm questioning myself because because that was such a special uh performance from Arsenal just three saves as well Real Madrid were hanging on for dear life I've never seen Real Madrid play as bad as that especially second half we showed some clips at halftime they were decent and I don't think Red even got a touch of the ball with these gloves in the second half Real Madrid were miles off it and and Arsenal the belief they will get from this game is just phenomenal going to the Bernabeu next week it'll be I think if they don't go through now then it'll be a travesty yeah immense performance in the end maybe a little bit tempted the first half from Arsenal did a better team spoke about going into halftime and I'm sure the conversation would have been come on a little bit more belief there's a game here to be won and you felt once that first goal went in it was just a surge of confidence and belief within the team and you have to remember this isn't a full strength Arsenal team this is an Arsenal team which came onto the pitch tonight with no centre forward without the first choice partnership at centre half their talisman figure hasn't played in almost a game started a game in three months but you know they pulled together as a group and they finished so strongly they really did their authority deserved great night for Martin Odegaard against the club he joined as a 16 year old their youngest ever player Real Madrid didn't happen for him there it is happening for him at Arsenal and he's the captain on an absolutely historic night show I mean this is one of the great probably the great greatest European night since they knocked Real Madrid out in 2006. They're Real Madrid's bogey team in the Champions League. It looks that way doesn't it I mean it's a special story obviously he spoke this before the game didn't he how special it was for him and his family tonight actually because it's the first time he's played. He's probably milking it there as well. He's milking it yeah I'll be probably milking it as well we just beat Real Madrid 3-0 but there's a bit of a backstory there obviously being at Real Madrid as a kid and but yeah he's the captain and there was times tonight it actually showed Odegaard and Saka linking up again to show that old pairing that's been missing for long periods of this season and if Saka can stay fit and Odegaard can get back up to the levels they're a second half a second leg comeback in the offing. No it's not it's not over because we know I think what this Real Madrid team is capable of particularly that kind of front forwards didn't really function at all I don't think I've seen that all season we spoke about maybe frailties before the game we were talking most about the defensive side of the game the defensive structure we never really spoke about that front four you can't trust them well tonight they were an absolute shadow Mbappe, Rodrigo and Vinicius in particular I thought Bellingham done okay probably him and Asensio had sent the half were the only two players in Real Madrid jerseys to come out with a little bit of credit apart from that nowhere near good enough. Martin is it over? No well 3-0 it's a long long way back and the way that Real Madrid you're asking Real Madrid to change things in what is the matter of seven or eight days or something like this here right they're capable of scoring a goal we said that again because they've got the ability to do that Vinicius was very very poor Mbappe never got a kick and Rodrigo hasn't had a kick since he scored in the first couple of minutes against Atletico Madrid way back in the previous round so they've been really ordinary but it's it's the fact is that they're capable of conceding this is the whole point they're all over the place and eventually when you're being well and truly beaten of course you know you don't find any energy to run you don't do any of those particular things so the last 10 or 15 minutes is gone I thought to myself that they might just try and get a goal try and just get a goal to get back in to give them something to hold on to 3-0 3-0 is a long way back I think they can score I think they can score they can score three goals in this set actually wouldn't surprise me what would surprise me though they can keep a clean sheet the reasons that we're talking I think Arsenal you made a point at the start you made a point at the start and I've been critical of their midfield at the end of it and then you said and probably quite rightly but who are they going to bring in this is the whole point it's all right it's all very well saying that we'll replace it but they need some energy in the middle of the pitch well that's good news for Real Madrid it's really good news for Real Madrid seriously I don't see it he's better than that he's better than that to be honest you had a poor game tonight he would need to be you need to be better it's not just tonight when I'm talking about a midfield player I don't when you're playing for a team like Real Madrid I think you've got to be able to do something I don't see it in his game I don't see it I can see him I could do what he could does he gets the ball he passes at 10 or 15 yards and gets it back and because he's left footed he looks a wee bit better that's all that's more of a digger you're right he's more Tusmanian he's probably the more accomplished ball player man he'll put he'll come in for the second game maybe give him a little bit more incentive but he's out Carmel Zing is out now well as I said to you that's good news for Real Madrid but what I'm saying is that that when you when you're I know I said it at the beginning on but I genuinely believe it when you see that Modric is playing against he's been a great player I'm not critical of that he's been a fantastic footballer but he can't do you can't expect a 39 year old been up to do these things and away from home against Arsenal they're just going to outrun you a mountain to climb to say the least for Real Madrid in the second leg an absolutely historic night for Arsenal three nil winners