Morning all.
If there’s a result which says no lead is big enough, it’s Luton’s 3-0 lead against Bournemouth on the south coast last night. How on earth could a team which is so desperate for points go on to crumble before losing 4-3? I strongly suspect the Bournemouth fans who booed their team off at half-time felt a bit stupid when the final whistle blew.
Arsenal play both Bournemouth and Luton at The Emirates before the season ends…
Tomorrow is another big day for Arsenal Football Club. In the morning the Champions League draw takes place and then in the evening, Arsenal’s women take on Chelsea in what is a massive game as far as the title chase goes. Kick-off at Stamford Bridge is at 7pm and it’s live on Sky Sports. Chelsea are probably favourites going into the game but we’re when they faced Man City a few weeks ago but that didn’t stop City taking all three points. A victory which ended a run of 22 home wins. Arsenal go into this game after a 1-0 victory over Totts, Chelsea, a 4-0 defeat of Leicester City.
Back to the Champions League and which clubs are left in the competition other than Arsenal?
Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Barcelona (ESP)
Bayern Munich (GER)
Borussia Dortmund (GER)
Manchester City (ENG)
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
Real Madrid (ESP)
I would say, which club do you hope we draw but to be honest, there’s very little between all of them. Atletico are likely to play a bit like Porto so at least we’ll be well prepared. lol
Seriously though, over two legs, anything can happen in a cup competition and if we are to get to Wembley, we’ll need to beat two of the above, three if we’re to lift the big trophy. Being the realist I am, I’m far from convinced we’ll get as far as Wembley because the other clubs have more experience of winning in Europe. Don’t get me wrong, our victory over Porto was fantastic but the clubs left in this competition are at a different level in my opinion. However, I would so love to be proved wrong.
Our squad is very good and pretty deep in strength at the moment but an injury to Saliba, Rice or Odegaard for example, could really derail our season. I know, the same could be said for any club challenging for a league title or cup but I don’t care about them. Arsenal have a lot of football to play before the 9/10th and 16/17th April – City away, Luton at home and the Brighton away. In between the two CL matches we play Aston Villa at home. plus there’s the wretched international break to get through too.
Still, one day at a time and one game at a time. Man City….
Catch up in the comments.
G’day Rico and all.
The Odegaard Shuffle, from The Telegraph.
Surrounded by blue and white shirts on the edge of the penalty area, Martin Odegaard was in possession of the ball for three seconds. For two and a half of those seconds, there was no pass available to the Arsenal captain. No way through the block that Porto’s defenders had created.
But then, at the crucial moment, Odegaard produced the slightest of touches. A tiny shift of the ball with the outside of his left foot, almost imperceptible to the naked eye. Suddenly, like a single ray of light finding a crack in the wall, the gap appeared. The ball was gone, Leandro Trossard was in, and Arsenal had found the goal they craved.
It was an assist straight from the Odegaard playmaking playbook. The most creative footballer in Europe can unlock a defence in all kinds of ways but one of his favourite tricks appears to be this little shuffle of the ball, just a half-yard, to create the angle he needs. Speed of thought, speed of foot. Where Mesut Ozil had ‘The Ozil chop’, where he kicked the top of the ball into the turf to make it bounce, Arsenal’s incumbent creative leader has ‘The Odegaard Shuffle’.
Aside from the penalty shootout victory, in which goalkeeper David Raya starred, this touch of defence-breaking genius was the standout moment of another night in which Odegaard showed the way for Arsenal. Victory took Mikel Arteta’s side to the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since 2010, and reaffirmed Odegaard’s status as the leader that this club has been wanting for years.
In the Premier League this season, Odegaard has created 62 chances from open play, the most of any player in Europe’s top five leagues. Arsenal’s attacks flow through the Norwegian, who operates with a subtlety and intricacy that makes him consistently effective in even the tightest of areas.
As he demonstrated with that assist for Trossard, one of Odegaard’s most important attributes is ball manipulation. Stylistically, this is what makes him different to the other leading playmakers in the Premier League, such as Kevin De Bruyne and Bruno Fernandes.
Generally, the likes of De Bruyne and Fernandes will get the ball out of their feet and whip a pass forward, with power and accuracy. Odegaard, by contrast, is often at his most dangerous when the ball is shifting beneath his studs.
His ability to take numerous touches in quick succession, shuffling from right foot to left, from the inside of his foot to the outside, is often what opens up the passing lanes on the edge of the penalty area.
The pass for Trossard was far from the first example. Against Burnley a few weeks ago, Odegaard’s feet touched the ball four times in less than two seconds as he created a goal for Bukayo Saka. It is a quick step, pitter-pattering sort of move, and it can make all the difference in a game when timing and positioning are everything.
Such is the speed of Odegaard’s footwork, he is sometimes capable of changing the angle of the ball and playing a pass in one move. Physically, it is a triumph of ankle flexibility and core strength. One of these “flip-flap” passes, for Eddie Nketiah against Wolves earlier this season, would have been one of the assists of the season had the ball ended up in the net.
A similarly spectacular move almost produced a goal for Granit Xhaka against Manchester United last season, and prompted a collective purring of approval on social media.
This sort of shuffling skill cannot be described as dribbling. Odegaard is not a player who surges past an opponent, in the way that a winger such as Saka would do. Instead he uses his supreme technical skill to pull defenders around, to put them off balance and to open up avenues where none previously existed. It is small-space football, for a team that is so often forced to operate in small spaces.
One could not help but wonder what Pepe, the 41-year-old warrior in Porto’s defence, made of Odegaard’s performance. The pair were team-mates at Real Madrid in the past, at a very different time in Odegaard’s life. He was 16 when he joined Madrid and never settled at the club, where he initially trained with the first team and played matches with the reserve team. It was an arrangement that made it challenging for Odegaard to establish himself with senior players such as Pepe.
But the boy has become a man now and, when he and Pepe strode forward for the coin toss before the penalty shootout, they did so as the respective front men of their teams. Odegaard won the toss, chose to shoot first, took that first penalty and smashed it into the corner. That is leadership, and that is what Arsenal have come to expect from their fleet-footed maestro.
As to tomorrows draw, if you want to win the big trophies you have to beat the big sides.
The one team I would like to dodge is Manchester City, keep them back so we can defeat them in the final and complete the double. 😉
As we go into another long football drought it gives the media and facebook every chance to find another stick to beat us with . This time it’s the alleged insult thrown at Porto’s managers now dead family member. Is this the same family member that apparently Guardiola and Tuchel insulted when their teams beat him ?.
I wonder .
Time now to consolidate and think about City . They have a game against Newcastle before we play them although they still will get 10 days or so in between that and us.
So I guess team selections will come down to the international break and whether theirs and our players come back intact.
In the meantime expect every bit of dirt that can be slung at us to come our way. At least we got about 10 and a half million euros for reaching the last eight . So that’s not too shabby.
Whats more it seems that White and Tomiyasu have signed new contracts . Keeping this squad together is not a bad thing .
I’m really not bothered by what tripe appears on-line and in the media, most of it is uninformed drivel and regurgitated fake news.
I wonder how near to fitness Timber is.
White has signed a four year deal with a further twelve month option. 👍
Great news about White resigning,
Afternoon Cicero. Great piece from The Telegraph. Thanks for sharing.
I don’t bother reading the dross the journalists make up. They’re really boring now and unimaginative.. buffoons…
Excellent news re Benjamin 😂
White Speaking after signing, he said:
“I’m so happy – it’s been a long journey, and amazing to sign again and be here for more years. I’ve said before I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, so it’s perfect.
“When you’re in that office, it’s a little more daunting but it’s amazing to sign again and have the same feelings of pride It’s a really good achievement.”
That’s what we want from players, not like so many before him who dawdled around waiting for something better…
Afternoon Rico and Co
Regarding the Champions League draw, I’m torn.
On the one hand I’d prefer Dortmund as they’re clearly the weakest team left in the competition.
But on the other hand what are we in the Champions League for (to win it – yeah I get that) but we’re in it to play these massive games, to have these massive occasions.
To take on the likes of Bayern, Barcelona and Real, but this time with a team that can really match them!
So as long as we avoid Man City, as that will be boring, I don’t really care as long as we’re away in the 1st leg. Because if it does go to penalty gain it’ll be at the Emirates…
Nice piece from the Telegraph, thanks for that Cicero.
Great news regarding Ben White, remember when all the moaners were saying we overpaid, looks a bargain at £50m now…
We don’t only have a great team, a team to be proud of but we have a thoroughly likeable team, even Cedric.
That’s why nobody wants to leave this iteration of our great club…
Apparently Pierre Emerick Aubameyang is enjoying a bit of a renaissance at Olympique Marseilles at the age of 34. He recently became the leading goal scorer of all time in the Europa League.
Afternoon Kev, aren’t Dortmund doing well in German or have I muddled them with Alonso’s club? I think they’re all a bit much of a muchness really. As you say though, at least now w have a squad to compete rather than just turn up to play before getting beaten.
Absolutely agree re the team/squad Kev. Everyone is likeable, loveable even because as soon as they step over the white line, they’re committed. Much of that is down to Arteta and his staff. Complacency is no longer welcome at the club and that’s just how it should be. Also, players we have clearly believe in what is being asked of them although I have to admit, I doubted it a while ago.
That’s true Rico, I’d imagine that many of us had a few doubts about Arteta in those early seasons.
I see Southgate has thrown Ben White under the bus. According to Southgate’s Presser Edu phoned and told him White doesn’t want to be involved with England. Seems a little hard to believe.
Ben White or Harry Maguire? I know which one I would pick, but I’m quite glad he won’t be injured in this break.
Inevitable really Kev considering he came to Arteta with the minimal of experience. Sitting alongside a manager is very different to doing things himself. I doubted Albert too but not now, in fact his entire team seem to be fully part of what the team is doing.
I don’t blame Ben White for rejecting England. Southgate is bonkers for not keeping him in his plans after his first time selected. Like you though Pete, I’m glad he’s opted out…
Gabriel Martinelli has withdrawn from the Brazil squad. Jesus isn’t it their squad either.
Ederson is reported to be out for a month..
Thanks Cicero .. great article.
When I think about the draw, of course Dortmund seems who we should prefer… but I’ll be genuinely excited to take a shot at any of the big clubs, not worried at all. We’ll be under less pressure as they’ll be favoured. The bookies (unbiased- much more accurate) will have us almost even with any club, but the pundits and media will talk of the opponents as heavy favourites.
Let them under estimate us.
Kudos to Ben White, he obviously can’t hide his distain of the coaching set up and it seems he doesn’t suffer fools either… Holland and Southgate are abject failures, always have been always will be.
New post up.
Morning guys.