The Meaning of Arteta's Big Smile from Leeds Headquarters

LEEDS, SATURDAY - The heavy rain at Leeds United's home ground, Elland Road, was not enough to overshadow the broad smile of Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta after the final whistle. Arteta was very pleased not only because his team ended a poor streak in the Premier League but also due to their comprehensive performance, reminiscent of a title-contending team.

Arsenal successfully dispelled doubts at Elland Road, Leeds, on Saturday (31/1/2026 WIB). After failing to win three times in the English Premier League, they ended that poor trend with a decisive victory over the home team Leeds, winning 4-0. "The Gunners" have also returned to the top of the temporary standings, leading by seven points over their closest competitors, Manchester City and Aston Villa.

"Based on the last three performances, we know how important today's match is. Winning 4-0 is a significant result for us. We can only control what we can control, so we just need to keep winning matches and fighting," said Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice regarding the title race.

After the final whistle, Arteta appeared cheerful amidst the heavy rain pouring down at Elland Road. There was no longer the flat expression seen last week when they were defeated by Manchester United at home. The manager was very pleased with the players' reaction, particularly how Rice and his teammates secured all three points.

The dominance of the visiting team was evident with a pair of goals in each half. They were already leading 2-0 at halftime. Interestingly, the two halves presented different narratives. Arsenal's face was very cautious and almost solely relied on set pieces throughout the first half.

The two early goals of Arsenal originated from a corner kick scheme. Their first goal, scored by midfielder Zubimendi, was a continuation of the attack after the Leeds players cleared a corner kick attempt. The visiting team extended their lead thanks to an own goal by goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who misjudged the corner kick.

In the first half, "Si Meriam" failed to address criticisms regarding the lack of creativity in their attacks. They were only able to produce two shots during the 45 minutes, half of which came from set pieces. Meanwhile, Arteta had deployed two forwards simultaneously, namely Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz.

Arteta's broad smile was a reflection of Arsenal's performance in the second 45 minutes. Leeds managed to take control of the game for 20 minutes after halftime, boasting nearly 70 percent possession. Arsenal, which usually would only aim to maintain its lead, dared to take more risks.

The visiting team demonstrated their intention to add more goals. They immediately counterattacked whenever there was an opportunity, not slowing down the tempo. As a result, two goals were scored in a very straightforward attacking scheme from open play. The pair of goals were contributed by Gyokeres and substitute player Gabriel Jesus.

Arteta stated that the performance was sufficient to respond to the noise from "outside." "A very impressive performance, a very impressive result. We did it with a team that is in good form, in a stadium that was so energetic. We showed absolute dominance, resilience, character, and quality. I loved that," he said.

The main spotlight was on Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, who started the match on the bench. His position was taken over by Havertz. The midfielder has faced significant criticism for frequently slowing down the attack. His decisions are often incorrect. When there are gaps in the opponent's defense, he repeatedly chooses to pass backward.

Odegaard responded to the criticism during his half-hour appearance at Elland Road. He was directly involved in the last two goals for Arsenal, one of which was an assist for Jesus's goal. Odegaard appeared more daring in executing through balls into the opponent's final third, something that has been rarely seen lately.

After Odegaard entered the game, Arsenal's attack became much more fluid. They managed to create 10 shots in the last half hour. This number is two and a half times greater than their total shots during the first hour (4 times).

According to Leeds Coach Daniel Farke, Arsenal is currently the best team in Europe. The opposing team has the quality to trouble anyone when playing offensively. "They have players like Gyokeres and Jesus. They can punish you instantly, and that happened to us today. Their quality is too good; we have to accept that," he said. (AP/REUTERS)