Morning all.
Last nights Champions League semi-final second leg between Inter Milan and Barcelona served up a treat for anyone who loves the game. Other than Barcelona fans of course. Both ties have been entertaining and going into the game, honours were even. Inter went 2-0 up, Barcelona fought back to 3-2 with a place in the final looking secured. That was until 37 years ago old defender, Francesco Acerbi scored in the 3rd minute of added time. The finish was amazing. Inter scored in extra time.
Tonight it’s Arsenal’s turn, our turn and the task ahead for Mikel Arteta’s players is simple, win by more than one goal. Ok, not that simple.
I looked up the statistics for the PSG v Liverpool game earlier in this campaign. Liverpool won. 1-0 in France with 29% possession and 2 shots on goal, 1 of which was their goal in the 87th minute. PSG however, registered 27 shots with 10 on target. As usual, statistics don’t tell the whole story as Alisson had the game of his life in goal and but for him, Liverpool would have been beaten in the same way Aston Villa were. Interestingly though, the possession stats in that game are very similar to the Liverpool game.
PSG go into this game as firm favourites I’m sure and it’ll take a massive performance from Arsenal to get the result required because PSG have a vast number of players who collectively, are a well oiled footballing machine. Luis Enrique, in only his second season at the club has worked magic on the pitch whilst off it, the club have made a number of really good signings including Khvicha Kvaratskhela, Desire Doui and William Pacho. Randal Muani, who PSG paid around £90m for is out on loan with Juventus having had an underwhelming first season at the club. See, big money doesn’t always guarantee a big performer. Slightly tongue in cheek of course.
Luis Enrique had the luxury of resting many of his usual first team players on Saturday. They were defeated by Strasbourg 2-1 but with the League title already secured, I doubt any PSG fans really cares. Mikel Arteta however, played most of his first team players and they still lost to Bournemouth at The Emirates.
I was thinking about our pressing game and whether or not it’s all it’s made out to be. Not just Arsenal’s by the way, but the tactic in general. Yes, it might fluster the opposition goal keeper every once in a while or a dodgy defender but do we really benefit from it or is it little other than more running for our midfielders to do with little reward? If the defence plays round or through our press, we’re left with one, sometimes two players scrabbling back to try and help the defence and against a side like PSG who pass and move swiftly, it might be better to sit back and let them have the ball which we focus on being organised in midfield and defence, making it harder for them to play their game. At The Emirates, PSG went through our midfield with ease and if we are to stand any kind of chance of getting the result we all hope for, we have to be stronger, quicker and smarter.
I know there’s a belief that attack is the best form of defence but I think being defensively strong is the best form of defending. Especially against a side as good as PSG are. Closing them down and stopping the flow to their forward players is surely our best chance of success tonight. Easy to write, very difficult to do.
“We are here to make history, and we have a big opportunity tomorrow. We bring a result that gives us so much clarity about what we have to do. One win away from being in the final. We cannot ask for anything else. Let’s not do the talking [now], let’s do it tomorrow on that pitch at 9pm when the game starts. Show our best, best, best, best version and win the game.”
Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta’s team isn’t going to just sit back and defend all night hoping that we’ll get a few really good opportunities to hit them on the break, or at least I doubt it anyway but in some ways, perhaps that isn’t such a bonkers idea. Pragmatic football I believe it’s called.
Saying that, if we can come out of the blocks fast, score an early goal to level the tie and then be smarter than we’ve been of late in the league. Silence the stadium, or at least quieten them down a bit because they’re going to be a rowdy lot.
We need some big performances out there tonight, we need our captain to bring his best game to the table, to lead by example and make a big impact on this game. It’s not a game for passengers, nor is a game for Mikel Arteta to sit back and watch any passengers either. Be proactive, be bold and be brave.
What’s quite remarkable is that despite our struggles in the Premier League to score goals, in this competition we’ve faired much better, that was until the first leg of this tie when chances came and went without joy. Those opportunities should give this Arsenal team belief ahead of the game. All they need to do is find a way past the 6’ 5” frame of Gianluigi Donnrumma. At least twice…..
After limping off the pitch late in the Bournemouth game, Martin Odegaard is fit. As is Jurrien Timber. Riccardo Calafiori has returned to training too so I expect he’ll be on the bench. Wouldn’t it be great to have Kai Havertz sat next to him? Better still, a 26 year old Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp or Ian Wright.
Lastly, Felix Zwayer is the referee tonight, the official who back in 2005 accepted a £250 bribe from fellow referee Robert Hoyzer. Zwayer served a six-month ban while Hoyzer received a two-year five-month prison sentence and was banned from any role in football for life. Any official or player who gets involved match fixing or accepting bribes should be banned from the game in my opinion. Although I might give Zwayer a ring and offer him £300 just to be fair and consistent during tonight’s game.
Try and enjoy the game guys, assuming you’ll not be hiding behind the settee for most of it….
Catch up in the comments.
Get on that phone Rico.
It’s engaged Kev.
Enrique is on the line…
I bet he’s offering £350
I bet, I’ll go to £351 and that’s my limit. 😂
Good morning Rico. A great pre-match post to which I can’t think of anything relevant to add
I’ll chuck in a quid or two if needed. 😉
Morning Cicero, thank you.
I’ll take your offer, although I still can’t get an answer. lol
I sometimes wonder if all this running around up front contributes to players being knackered later in the game. Goodness knows how much ground they cover without actually doing anything…
That’s an interesting theory Rico, but until someone comes up with a different way of playing (as always seems the case) then pressing is going to be the staple tactic of most teams.
Funnily enough not always dominating possession is a method that many teams use against us, drawing us in and then hitting us on the break. Maybe you save more energy that way?
I’ll throw in a couple of euros for the referee
I don’t think Liverpool press hard under Slot Kev and it’s worked for them 😜
Think about when we play teams who don’t press us? We can look lost of ideas. Raya dawdles on the ball and the defence pass it around getting nowhere because the openings ahead of them aren’t always there.
Sit off them and be compact in midfield, that’d be my thought ahead of tonight
I don’t expect to see any radical change of tactics this evening, but we will need to be competitive in midfield. High pressing needs to whole hearted not jogging towards the ‘keeper and then slowing up before getting too close a la Harry Kane.
Miles Lewis-Skelly will have to be on the ball defensively as he will be up against a very good winger Kvaratskhelia. As tricky to play against as it is pronounce his name correctly. 😉
Afternoon Rico and all,
We’ll it’s all or nothing to play for tonight, let’s hope we can hit the ground running and put 3 in the net before they get going, as it it’s going to be hard to win if they score first.
Doesn’t he play on the left for psg Cicero?
Afternoon Geoff, just hope the match doesn’t go into extra time.
His number is seven Rico. But do numbers really always indicate positions? You could be right Rico.😉
Ha ha, I just recall him on the left in the previous game but he goes on the right when Dembele is injured apparently so we’re both right Cicero. Or left….
In London, PSG defended well, closing down and populating the central zone. Arsenal were left with the option of playing on the flanks and inevitably crossing the ball to the goalkeeper and defenders, who were tall, strong in the air and without a central striker, and were easily controlled. By closing down the middle, Arsenal were left with no space for quick exchanges of the ball and no ability to develop the game they prefer. On the other hand, PSG have many good players in midfield and good and fast players in attack, who, when called upon, open up the entire defense. The game they lost 2-0 this year made them realize that they could not play the same way.
We have to play differently. See if it works.
We didn’t have Partey last time Jm, nor Merino up front. Hopefully the two changes will make a difference.
Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, M L S, Partey, Odegaard, Rice, Saka, Merino, Martinelli.
PSG starting XI: Donnarumma, Hakimi, Marquninhos, Pacho, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz, Barcola, Doue, Kvaratskhelia
Subs: Safonov, Tenas, Ramos, Dembele, Lee, Hernandez, Mayulu, Zaire-Emery, Beraldo, Tape, Mbaye.
Arsenal starting XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Martinelli, Merino, Saka
Subs: Neto, Setford, White, Tierney, Zinchenko, Trossard, Jorginho, Sterling, Calafiori, Butler-Oyedeji, Henry-Francis, Nwaneri
Snap. 😂
If we need a goal late on, stick Calafiori up front. He has a wicked shot in him…
Calafiori on the bench.
That’s what I mean Cicero, bring him on and put him up front.,
It’s Up For Grabs Now.
Why have we used the long throw in from Partey before? Crazy!
That’s a sucker punch….
Everything but the goal for Arsenal..
Just need to keep doing what we have been doing only with a bit more clinical finishing. It could be worse, that one that hit the post could have killed us off.
they are quicker across the pitch and we are getting caught . Usual suspects making the usual errors . Raya put Rice under pressure , Partey misplacing passes , Rice doing too much and Lewis Skelly is still a kid and not used to this pressure .Reckon we could get a draw but not enough.
Such a shame we couldn’t take one or two of those early chances.
Switch keepers and we’d be 3-0 up 🤣
Time for Trossard to replace Merino up front?
Calafiori for M L S, he’s been booked and looks a bit out classed.
Partey caught in possesion again and then yards behind their break
Now he’s given away a penalty
What a fucking joke, how is that a penalty?
Saved by Raya!
sums our season up
So with 23 minutes left thd officials decide to kill the game.
Terrible penalty
Trossard again if you please?
That’s the game over now..
☹️
That’s it done and dusted! Season over. 3 – 0 on aggregate.
Partey weak tackle , Sorry I dont want to give him another contract
Why didn’t Timber put the cross in at the other end before the goal.
Too much fannying around
Inter Milan will beat them because they have players who are clinical in front of goal
That’s what cost us this game and possibly the opportunity to win this competition. Lack of ruthlessness in front of goal when up against a top keeper.
I’m looking forward to the transfer window now..
And the cricket season. 😂
Looked like long throw Stoke at the finish had nothing else.
Not the result we wanted, the pressure is now on Arteta.