LISBON, Portugal -- This is what it looks like when the fine margins go in your favor. Whatever the critics say, Arsenal have long-since decided that pragmatism is the best path to glory this season and manager Mikel Arteta now has fresh evidence to remind his players it can be successful.
"The demands from August are win and win and win and win," he explained. "And if you don't win, 'it's a disaster' and 'it's not enough,' and if you don't win four trophies, 'what are we doing?'"
"So that's fine, but they need some perspective, especially from my side, a big reminder of what we are as a team and the things that have brought us where we are. Take it, live the present, do your best and let's see what happens."
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Kai Havertz's stoppage-time winner gave the Gunners a 1-0 win at Sporting CP and firm control of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie. The match-winning moment turned a passive night into a hugely promising one. For long periods, Arsenal were unable to create anything of note aside from their usual set piece threat.
It was an underwhelming, disjointed attacking display masquerading as a measured European performance.
David Raya was their best player; his best save was his first: a fingertip touch to divert Maximiliano Araújo's sixth-minute effort onto the crossbar. He made five saves in all, including three in the minutes before Havertz's goal.
Afterward, Havertz described Raya as "for me, the last two seasons, the best keeper in the world." He can't get in the Spain team ahead of Unai Simón these days, but there is no doubt he is of pivotal importance to Arsenal.
"He's extraordinary, magnificent, incredible," Arteta said. "I don't know the adjective, the right one. And with that, it's enough. We are so happy to have him."
The decision to play Kepa Arrizabalaga -- badly at fault in the Carabao Cup final -- for Arsenal's past two defeats against Manchester City and Southampton seems even more questionable after this.
Raya laid the platform for the smash-and-grab, allowing the "finishers" to finish. Arteta renamed the role of his impact substitutes some time ago and they did the job to perfection here: Gabriel Martinelli played a defense-splitting pass through for Havertz, who controlled the ball and finished expertly.