Morning all.
So that’s it then, another season gone by without winning anything which is disappointing but always likely perhaps.
The difference between Arsenal and PSG last was in front of goal. They took their opportunities whereas we didn’t. Had we done so, the tie would have been turned on its head in the first half an hour of the game. The home fans would have been silenced, the nerves would have set in and PSG might have wilted. However, that’s not what happened. Credit has to go to Donnarumma because he was excellent in goal but I can’t help but think about what might have been if only Arsenal had a goal scorer or two in the squad.
Mikel Arteta on the performance…
First of all, congratulations to PSG for being in the final. Talking about merits, I think we deserved much more. When you analyse both games, who has been the best player, the MVP has been the same player, the goalkeeper, and the Champions League is decided in the boxes, and he has won the game for them. Because obviously today after 20 minutes and what happened in London as well, the result should have been very different.
So, I can take a lot of positives and I’m very proud of the team. We have to arrive in the competition at this stage with a full squad, full available, in best condition. We haven’t got that, so let’s put that aside. It’s still the team that I’ve seen today against, probably one of the best, if not the best team in Europe, it gives me so much pride, but at the same time I’m so upset, so annoyed that we didn’t manage to do it. And two things that are on us, probably not together, another thing is that obviously the opponent at this level has the quality to deliver like Donnarumma has done today again.
Arriving at this stage of the season with a goal scorer would help too Mikel, as would having players fitter than ours were because they’ve played too much football over the last ten months which is down to him not rotating his squad enough. Once more he stood by and watched a player struggle, this time it was Myles Lewis-Skelly yet he had both Kieran Tierney and Riccardo Calafiori on the bench.
As good as Mikel Arteta’s team was at the start of the game, the players clearly tired. The energy levels dropped, mistakes crept into our play and PSG took advantage. 2-1 on the night, 3-1 on aggregate and all the bold statements from the manager/players before the game, drifted off into the night.
Of course it’s great to see the club we all love in a Champions League semi final, just as it’s been good to see the club improve its league position recently but no one remembers a semi finalist any more than they remember the runners up in the league.
Three Premier League matches remain and personally speaking, I’ll be glad when they’re over. The sooner this rotten season is over the better. Injuries and referee/VAR decisions have not helped our journey over the last nine months but the biggest disappointment in my opinion, has been our football. Yes, there’s been moments where we’ve been very good, there’s been a few cracking performances in Europe too but domestically, I don’t think we’ve been particularly good at all.
What we do now is hope the club will bring in the right kind of players this summer, like creative players, strikers, wingers, the list goes on and then hope that Mikel Arteta is more flexible in both his management of the squad and tactical approach to games.
Five and a half years into his job, multimillions of pounds spent on players and we’re still playing the same way. That’s not quite true actually as last night and for the first time ever, Thomas Partey was taking the throw-ins and sending them into the box. Great I thought to begin with as PSG weren’t expecting it but after a few goes, it became predictable and easy for the home team to deal with.
What’s the saying? It’s the hope that kills you….
Catch up in the comments.
Good post Rico, I don’t think that I totally agree and that Myles struggled, I think that Arteta actually made the change because Myles had already been booked and Arteta needed Calafiori to play like a winger as we threw caution to the wind. Calafiori almost got an assist but the chance went begging as did most of our chances over the two legs.
I think that Arteta had the right game plan but that the players didn’t execute it properly and Scarface in the PSG goal played like a champion. Arsenal created enough chances to go through but we just couldn’t finish. It’s why Arteta begged for an attacking signing in January.
Interesting to read the Arteta ‘hit piece’ on the BBC website written by Phil McNulty, the chief football writer on there and a big Liverpool fan. Of course the Scousers are upset that they haven’t been given the full credit they think they deserve, that the good fortune they’ve enjoyed this season is being brought into the discussion. The Scouser mafia in the media won’t let that slide by without push back.
Mikel Arteta is in the crosshairs because those who hate Arsenal would like to see him gone – they don’t like a competitive Arsenal, it’s why everyone and their dog is having a grand old time online laughing at us.
Why are they laughing at us? Well they were dreading Arsenal winning the CL because they knew how close we were and they also just love to take the piss out of Arsenal.
Now if you allow yourself to be convinced by those pundits and journos who only wish ill of Arsenal then there’s nothing I can do to convince you otherwise, but we’re all long enough in the tooth to know how that game goes.
I’m going to sit on this result and just see how the player react to their last three games of this season before I try to analyse this campaign, I’m fairly certain that Arteta will be fully motivated to see us sign off the season with three wins.
Anfield should be interesting…
Morning Kev, thanks.
I think MLS was struggling to contain his player but that’s not a criticism, the guy is 18 and has been exceptional all season.
Arteta is right, something we all know too, the difference between the two sides was in the box.
I’m not sure how the players will come back as I think they’re broken mentally and physically. They’ve kept going because the CL has driven them on imo.
Morning Rico and all,
well feeling a bit deflated today, another season with out a trophy,
Morning Geoff, you’d think we’d be used to it by now. 😜
Good Morning Rico and all
A very good post Rico, not with the headline and content we all wanted but its still good.
Kev is right….those who hate Arsenal want to see him gone because he has made us competitive. I can assure you that everyone and his dog were Tottenham supporters…..they were dreading us winning the CL. The EPL they could manipulate because refs are bent esp those on VAR, however, they cannot influence the ongoings in the CL. And we were better.
Do i feel disappointed?? You can bet on that because I am. Because overall we were the better team especially with regards possession and play. However, as Enrique pointed out, the essence of everything is score and we did everything right bar that.
Fingers crossed we win the three remaining games keeping City behind us.
Talking about City…..why has it gone quiet with regards their case or cases??? Is it a coincidence but suddenly talk about the charges have stopped and suddenly their results have perked up again??
There are many reasons why things have gone pear shaped again and it really is a mixture of players and manager.
To me it’s about being clinical , I said last night I did not think that Partey is the one to continue with and I stick by that , he is a good player but prone to concentration lapses , too many passes go astray and when we see fast breaks into our area frequently he is two yards behind his man and leaves a team like PSG running through our midfield at will..
The long throw tactic is handy if you have players likely to attack the ball we don’t , maybe if Gabriel was there it might work but without him no .
Looking back at our almost a nearly season , when you remember where we got to. The league cup semi second leg when we had Havertz as our striker , he misses 2 open chances and then Isak takes his first chance and we are found wanting.
F.A Cup against United it’s more of the same chances go begging again Havertz missing them until Fernandez hits a worldie . Odegaard misses a really poor penalty in game time and then we go out on penalties.
On to the first leg first twenty minutes we could have led but Martinelli this time fluffed his lines , Dembele gets one chance and we are a goal behind . Which leads us to last night , chances come and go , Saka probably misses the golden one after we had got back in the game and we are out.
As I said earlier it comes back to players and manager and you can also add coaching to that .
Why doesn’t Odegaard shoot anymore ? why is it always the slide rule pass to someone else to take the responsibility ? Why don’t we switch the wingers ?
Having said that we do create chances but there’s a reason why top strikers cost over 80m. They are the difference makers. Players like Havertz, Sterling etc have been exactly not that. These players will NEVER get us over the line. Until we learn to be clinical in front of goal we will not be the bride and personally I don’t fancy the bridesmaids.
Morning Devil, thanks.
I’ve kind of run out of things to say really. Yes we’re better than we were but I still think something is lacking. Can Arteta take us to the next level?
I’m not sure..
Hard to disagree Potter although with Partey, much depends on whether or not we have the funds to replace him and Jorginho as well as making creative/attacking players.
All I have heard this morning is Arteta out and all that bullshit. Taking those comments with a pinch of salt, sour grapes or what have you.
I dont think that the board will sack him. he has made us competitive once again. I still cant believe the sack bandwagon after the injuries and everything this season. People are forgetting where we were and how far he’s taken us. You don’t just ditch a manager when he has you on the cusp of CL finals and PL titles. Arteta needs full backing from the board now and has to clear the deadwood over the summer (some of that deadwood were originally signings that helped get us up the table). And tbh any talk of keeping PArtey now is dust. any new contract needs to be shredded. yesterday he was found wanting and who’s to say that he won’t get injured or dip in form once he signs a new one.
we have lost 21 points from winning positions this season. had we had taken the chances offered to us we would be farting in the face of the dippers behind us. Thirteen league draws and possession football has taken away the sides freedom and fluidity and our ruthlessness. Possession is important yes but direct football until we kill teams is far better.
Donnarumma’s fingertips were probably the reason we lost this tie over the two legs
but that’s football. There’s an awful lot of luck involved. While understanding Arteta’s deep disappointment, I thought his post-match comments were ungracious to say the least. Having said that and in answer to the question that you pose, Rico, I do think he’s an excellent manager who can take us to a level where we win trophies.
Morning
For me, I would have started Trossard and Calafiori. Donnarumma was excellent and made two great saves from Saka’s and Odegaard’s great shots. If it had been another goalkeeper, I believe they would have gone in.
Arteta and the team have done us all proud. Look at the long term major injuries we have had to sustain leaving Arteta with not much left in his squad to make up a continued strong team.
Do not forget, with these injuries, they made it to the CL Semis beating some great European teams and remain in the PL top four to go back into the CL next season.
Lets look at other top English clubs who have had their top players for the majority of the season – Man U (Poor in the PL – Zirkzee, Fernandes), Tottenham (Poor in the PL – Son, Tel and Solanke), Liverpool (Beaten in the CL – Salah, Trent Arnold, Van Dyke ), Man C (Beaten in the CL – Haaland, Foden, De Bruyne).
Lets be proud of what Arsenal have achieved this season with what they have had team wise and stop thinking if Arteta is the right Manager, because he is.
Now lets see what Berta can bring into Arsenal for next season. With Zubimendi a definite, I have a feeling he will bring in much more to make the squad a hard one to beat.
We are Arsenal. We don’t give up however disappointing it is at times.
Donnarumma’s fingertips were probably the reason we lost this tie over the two legs
Guess that’s the advantage of being 6 foot 6 inches.
Laura, I have said it frequently here……if all the players stay fit the team has the ability to do another unbeaten season. Many might laugh at this, but as you pointed out we had so many injuries.
Good morning Rico, a hard post to write and well done for taking the trouble to do so.
The moment of the match, for me, was Declan Rice’s immense, lung bursting recovery run and tackle to prevent another goal, Fantastic!
Frankly I couldn’t give f**k about what other clubs, their supporters and the hacks are saying, they have their opinions and are welcome to them, but to me they’re are just background noise.
We should leave the recriminations until after the end of the season, airing them now will do nothing to ease the pain of management, players and supporters.
Suffice it to say the failure to sign a true goalscorer over two transfer windows did not help us throughout the season.
On that note I have quite of lot grass to cut. Back later.
Cicero, that was a top level comment.
Devil , I think Arteta’s position is down to his relationship to KSE and money. While we are earning large sums from Champions League he is safe , should however the money dry up he like Wenger will be gone . In our domestic programme apparently we are making a loss and as such I only forsee a moderate incoming of players to match the £ 120 million we made from getting to the semi finals.
Phil McNulty is a lifelong Everton fan !
The team selection was fine imo Laura, just the finishing. Then of course, we tired, small squad and lack of depth etc etc. As said last night and in the post, their keeper made the difference along with our inability to be ruthless in front of goal.
Based on the way he did play from the bench, Calafiori might have been sent off had he started the game
Afternoon Cicero, thanks.
That Rice challenge was amazing, his reaction to it was too.
If we’re losing money then how on earth do other clubs spend so much without CL money I wonder.
I see Arsene Wenger has said the winners of the Europa league shouldn’t get a Champions league place,I kind of agree,there’s no doubt that this year’s Europa and Conference leagues have been massively dumbed down.
There could be a nightmare scenario where both Chelsea and Spurs win their cups,and Chelsea finish above us. I seem to be in the minority amongst Arsenal fans I talk to in that I think we’ll pick up at least 4 points and be fine.
In one of Wengers last seasons we finished 5th with 75 points,that tally looks a long way off.
I hope you end up being right. I won’t say how many points I think we’ll secure from the last three fixtures.. 😜
I wouldn’t be surprised if we get the 4 points from Liverpool and Newcastle and go and lose to Southampton.
I’m hoping other teams will drop points too.
Arsenal received £97 million in appearance and prize money in this terms champions league, that doesn’t include match day revenue and television money for the games broadcast. I assume we got a share of the revenue from away matches too.
With that all safely tucked away in the piggy bank alongside the unspent money already there, a sizeable chunk allotted to the signing of a goal scorer, which is earning interest, there should be ample money available for the purchase of quality reinforcements this summer.
As long as we get the points…
Let’s hope so re the money as the thought of another season with a small squad would be worrying.
Arteta has to have the confidence to make more use of our academy players. The evidence is there to be seen, Saka, Nwaneri and M L S have all proved that younger players can prosper in the first team squad. Arteta’s, shall we say, conservative approach means players are snapped up for little or nothing by our competitors. Space in the squad will open up as there are a number of players likely to depart in June. Jesus I hope, Sterling certainly, Jorginho and Zinchenko very likely and I’m in agreement with Potter here, Partey, as well as Neto. The likelihood of Arsenal signing six players in one window is beyond belief so the academy can provide the rest.
Said the same the other day, how can we expect youngsters to stick around when they and we know their chance will only come if we get down to the bare bones.
When Odegaard suffered injury, no Nwaneri in his place and it was only when we were left without a left back did MLS get an opportunity.
Throw these youngsters in for ten minutes at the end of the game, twenty minutes even and watch one or two flourish.
Good morning everyone
Rico, when Arteta was required to throw in Nwaneri and MLS they took to the first team like a duck to water. Now he must have the balls to give Nwaneri at least more game time, especially in MO08’s place so he can rest the captain, plus give other youngsters the chance as well. If MLS is to stay on as a LB then Calafiori, Kiwior and White can provide cover for Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, MLS (and I am not including Zinchenko and Tommy). Unless Saliba goes off somewhere for a large fee there is no need to buy any defender because we do have young defenders who have already played for the first team. I only hope that Arteta plays them because as you pointed out Rico….how are they going to? Couldn’t Kiwior have been played more earlier? Couldn’t Timber and White be rotated more? Hopefully Kacurri is kept instead of being loaned out and given game time.
Morning all.
Devil, I’ve been banging that drum for a while…
Whilst many football fans have been laughing at Utd and Totts domestic season, one of them is going to end up with a Europa Cup trophy.
It seems that Max Dowman is to be bought into the squad but whether he plays or sits the games out remains to be seen . Our end of season implosion has once again created the problem for the on the cusp youngsters that could have had their cameos had we been assured of second . Butler-Oyedeji , Henry Francis and even Setford might have got some pitch time that would have been very useful in their development not to mention their self confidence and desire not to be poached by others . Also it would have settled those that are coming up next in line .
Not only a trophy Rico but entry to the Champions league , two teams that finish 15th or 16th in the league go through as champions makes the whole thing a laughing stock.
Agree Potter on both accounts. I still maintain that bearing in mind Arteta wasn’t prepared to play Sterling early in the season, or when we had a clear lack of striker options, others who actually play in that position for the under 21’s p, weren’t given game time instead of shoehorning others into an unfamiliar position. Something which Arsene Wenger was berated for.
Rico, I still find it weird that Arteta never gave Zinchenko a chance at LW when Martinelli got injured. When he plays at LB he spends more time attacking instead of defending. So why didn’t he play him there?? Infront of MLS.
Also, there has been enough opportunities for the younger guys to get minutes because despite our struggles, we’ve had games where the result was secured but I guess to get in the pitch, they need to be in the bench. Oh hang on, they have!
If we didn’t make that much of a profit this season, then I am wondering how much money was wasted taking the team over seas for a holiday / training camp before and midseason and if any one goes to the mathches has there been any lose in catering revenue at the ground during matchday due to change of food / drinks options and prices.
The younger players, as long as we can secure 2nd place then I would give them a chance to show if the they are ready to take the next step and if any delt in Arteta’s mind I would sell them.
That’s an interesting point regarding Nwaneri, when he first broke through he was sensational and partly because nobody in the opposition knew much about him in detail. He’s also scored a lot of goals, mainly in the League Cup, but he’s still shown that he has an eye for goal and I really like that.
In recent games his influence has been less and that’s basically because the opposition know more about him now, how he moves, what he does, the threats he poses and are working on ways to negate his effectiveness. You know block him off when in turns inside onto his left foot.
Ethan is about a year younger than Myles and is still developing, he needs to copy Saka and work on his right foot in order to have similar options, Saka can go both ways, Ethan is learning that. But young players often start like a house on fire and then suffer a dip in form. It’s normal and I’m sure that the Coaches have picked up on that in training and are protecting him.
He’ll return next season and you’ll notice a definite step up and an improvement in his all-round game, but overusing him now could have a negative and damaging effect long term.
Myles is not the norm, he really isn’t, he’s an exception and to such a degree that he’s been keeping expensive signing Calafiori out of the team (both have been fit before the Italians recent injury) and Arteta has often picked Myles in preference to the Italian and that’s very usual.
I know that we tend to be myopic and only look at things through an Arsenal lens but most other clubs develop young players exactly the same as Arsenal.
Dowman will be fine, he’ll be protected from the hype and be gradually integrated and he’ll be a an absolute star.
Devil, or replace Odegaard when he was injured, after all, Nwaneri wasn’t getting the role.
New post up.
Good morning all.
A big game for Arsenal Women today, it’s the last of the season, it’s at home and its against Manchester United. A draw will be enough for us to clinch second place in the League, a loss will see us drop to third behind United.
Both sides are already guaranteed a W C L place next season but finishing above United will give us a better seeding.
After today just one more game to come, The W C L Final!