Hello and how are you?
Wednesday the 7th of May will see the Mighty Cannon back in action, this time in the second leg of the CL semi-final against Paris Saint Germain at the Parc des Princes. Kick off is 8.00pm western European time.
Well, we need a cheer. We need some skilful, cunning football. We need a concerted effort. We need every spark of intelligence, every last joule of energy. We need utter commitment, we need utter concentration, we need, we need….we need.
One of the main problems since the Real game, has been us witnessing the opposite? Punch-drunk our minds are confused, sang Ed Collins back in the Orange Juice days, certain seems that way Stanley?
Obviously we’ve dissected the lot, each and every game and as a fan/follower and it still doesn’t help. The helplessness of the long distance football fan.
The lads know what to do, whether they can, only they will know, once they are out there soaking up all the pressure, to set up and dictate, to react in a positive way, even if PSG make a second goal, only they can find a way. They can do it.
As for all this season; victory is utterly possible, but we could lose, and sadly a draw won’t hep us now. If we lose having played a 100% committed game, I don’t care, if we don’t turn up, the loud voices will be yelling in fear for sometime to come, wanting heads and for the named scapegoats to have a time in the stocks, and the last of the season will be little more than a damp squib.
Lets hope for a good and fair but controlled game for the ref, what with his historical activities, any poor judgement could see wrathful attitudes and the game losing all kind of meaning?
There all sorts of gossip about whose coming back from injury to boost us or whether Dembélé is playing, better just to wait and see, we will know soon enough.
Its odd, as many might say this is the most important game of the season, but it isn’t, every game so far has been important, otherwise we couldn’t have got here?
Whatever happens, its going to be an emotive night, ecstasy or humiliation or some kind of mixture of the two.At this point of time in writing, the tension feels like its starting to build.
It seems such a long way away looking back down the tunnel of time, to when I first scribbled some pieces for our first encounter with Bleu this season, when we beat them 2-0 in the league stage of this competition and now we are here facing our final hope of the campaign….like all life these days, how quickly it slips through our fingers?
Our mates at Statto HQ have quoted me PSG at a 45.7% chance of winning and the Mighty Cannon at 28.3%, but that’s 8.3% more than expected against the Real Mads…
Take care for yourselves. COYG, do us proud!
Mills
Positively Arsenal 
Do you think what with Barca going out, its even more of an incentive to win tonight?
Inter, as good as they (great) are (maybe) psychologically/historically for us, (potentially) easier to beat than Barca?
COYG!
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Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Merino, Saka, Martinelli
Subs: Neto, Setford, White, Calafiori, Tierney, Zinchenko, Jorginho, Henry-Francis, Nwaneri, Butler-Oyedeji, Trossard, Sterling
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Arsenal have never overturned a home first-leg defeat in European competition, losing all five ties
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we’ve had 3 good chances so far, a rice header just wide, Martinelli scuffed shot straight at the keeper and now the keeper makes a wonder save from odegaard
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PSG hit the woodwork
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thats that then, 1-0 to PSG
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there is no desire from our players to get on the end of crosses, its amazing
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HT: PSG 1-0 Arsenal
2-0 on agg, we started very well, made 3 great chances, took none and then conceded and been huffing and puffing since, will take a miracle to turn this around. Season is 45 minutes from being over
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out attacking play is clueless, its paint by numbers football once again
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VAR penalty check for PSG, MLS handball, a bit unlucky, its given
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Lewis Skelly and Martinelli off
Calafirori and Trossard on
Raya saves the penalty
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well that is the game killed off, 2-0 on the night and 3-0 on agg
PSG have had 9 efforts on goal and put 5 on target, scored 2, Arsenal have had 14 efforts on goal and put 4 on target and scored none
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Partey was woeful on both their goals
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Saka pulls one back, a trossard cross deflects into saka and he scores
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saka misses an empty net, ball bounced in front of him and he skied it with the goalie having dived and missed the cross, that might have been the game changing chance
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White on for Timber who seems to have cramp
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imagine needing goals and you choose not to bring on the forwards on the bench, its getting beyond a joke how little game time Nwaneri is getting, if we do bring in a few forwards this summer the lad won’t see daylight next season at Arsenal
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once again with goals needed Arteta changed nothing tactically, the defeat was accepted. He left Nwaneri, Sterling and Butler-Oyedeji, 3 forwards on the bench, he didn’t throw any extra players up front, he changed nothing as that might have led to us conceding a couple more goals and that is his first and last thought, he is totally risk averse.
Nwaneri really needs to think about getting out of Arsenal this summer, Arteta clearly doesn’t trust him and with it very likely that we bring in a few forwards this summer the lad aint going to get much if any game time here. Odegaard was crap once again tonight but he is Arteta’s man so stays on to do the cheerleading
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in our last 10 games in all competitions we have a record of 4 wins, 3 draws and 3 defeats, 2 of our wins were against Real Madrid, the other 2 were Fulham and Ipswich, the 3 draws, Everton, Brentford and Crystal Palace and our 3 defeats PSG x2 and Bournemouth. The only game we did not score in was the first leg v PSG, but the only clean sheet we kept was at home to Real Madrid.
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sorry we also kept a clean sheet v Ipswich
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Over the two legs, the better team went through. The managers are not even in the same league.
Mikel is very good at PR and looks lovely at pressers. He obviously has a talent for making the players feel special and has certainly created a great team spirit.
We have all said that Mikel’s game management needs to be improved, if ever that can be the case but until then we will struggle in big games.
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Sam Dean
@SamJDean
Since beating Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final in 2020, Arsenal have failed to win any of their subsequent eight semi-final legs in all competitions (Europa League, League Cup and Champions League).
tonight was the first of those 8 games we even managed to score a goal, it is a tactical problem, not a personnel problem. We haven’t won a cup since Arteta got in all his own players and imposed his paint by numbers football
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PSG are a very good side and in parts we did play well but mistakes were never changed by the coaching staff and as Ed says we never really go for it.
Although there will be many headlines about their keeper, realistically our shots were all at or near him. Even the Odegaard shot wasn’t near the post.
MLS started really well but like many of the team started holding on to the ball to long. I thought at half time the team and especially Myles would have been corrected in this area. When he was caught twice within the first ten minutes of the second half he should of been hooked.
Another mistake we have made all season or longer is not leaving a player on the edge of the area both at set pieces and on breaks and once again we were punished. They say Mikel is meticulous on rewatching games and erasing errors but this simply can’t be the case.
The one for one changes in this situation was weird in the extreme. If you are only ever going to use the same players and don’t trust the rest, then that makes your squad very small.
Going forward this means we need to buy loads of players again so Mikel trust the squad. Unfortunately I pretty sure we can’t afford to do this. The starting eleven however can be improved and I’m sure we look good in points again next season but I don’t think we can last a whole campaign especially with a risk adverse manager.
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So Mikel, in his post match presser has said that the better team lost and indeed we were the best team in the competition.
Well that’s simply embarrassing. The 0-1 defeat at home was getting away with one to be honest and although we had chances the tie could of been over in the first leg. Maybe he didn’t see them hit the woodwork three times in the tie.
I know he does needs to boost the players up before the Liverpool match but in the end they will stop believing the bullshit. Yes we played well in parts , yes with a bit of luck we could of scored more but we were clearly second best over the two legs.
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its the usual guff from Arteta after a defeat, it all backs up my claims that he accepts low scoring defeats cos then he can claim the best team lost, and the kepper was the best man on the pitch etc etc etc. It’s why he never chases a game, never risks getting bet by 3 or 4, cos if that happens you only make yourself look like a deluded mug if you claim the best team lost.
Ian I agree with you that making a few top signings and improving the starting 11 will not be enough unless somehow they all stay fit and in form for a full season, which is impossible, Arteta is 5 and a half seasons as our manager and he still hasn’t a clue how to rotate or even make best use of his subs, and he really does not want to use youth players, thats as clear as day.
If we do bring in a whole host of players this summer we will have the excuse that the results are not good cos they had to bed in to the superior Arteta tactics and when they do have a season to get used to them that we will then be winning the big trophies.
I say it again, it won’t matter a whole lot who or how many quality forwards we sign this summer unless there is an injection of bravery in Arteta and his tactics. What’s infuriating to me is that we in the Real Madrid games showed the bravery to go toe to toe with them and be the better team, but sadly those games were an outlier and Arteta prefers to stick with his paint by numbers risk averse football. Really hope Arteta gets a dose of courage and Arsenal can be all it can be. It is so close it makes it all the more annoying that we are doing the most of anyone to stop Arsenal
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the biggest red flag of Arteta as a coach is that Martinelli has not developed as a real attacking force, in fact he has regressed.
In 22/23 as a 20 or 21 year old, he scored 15 EPL goals in 35 games, he scored 6 last season and is on 7 league goals with 3 games to go. Now of course in 22/23 he had Xhaka playing behind him and that useless easily replaced so and so somehow has not been replaced despite all the money spent on Havertz first and then Merino to be the upgrade. But Arteta if he was the generational coach that so many claim him to be would have by this point made Martinelli into a scoring machine. Imagine what Arsene would have made Martinelli into by now. Martinelli turns 24 next month
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To be an Arsenal fan is bloody frustrating, to say the least! Grrr!
Donnarumma was excellent both legs, and did a lot to thwart us, but really we had enough chances in both legs…
Not sure what Artetas going on about saying we were the best team in the CL, but most mainstream media pressers are spin these days?
Thats the sort of comment that continually comes back to banter-bite you? We lost over two legs, stay dignified and courteous, even if you dont feel it. Enrique got the sniff on us first leg, and that was enough. Although we were excellent in the first twenty or so, and a couple of goals might have changed everything psychologically for both sides?
Martinelli is a a sad one, great player under performing although great v RM. Martin too, bad form at the moment. A lot of mistakes with Partey and Saliba..Saliba worries me the most, but who knows maybe he’ll be off to Spain this summer?
But it was a good run out, Im not sure any of us expected to get that far at the beginning of the season, and Im sure none of us will ever forget the two legs against RM.
Often Ive felt we’ve never got going this season, fits and starts, too many draws, football more exciting last season and the one before(?), too many injuries and too conservative, in the last few seasons we always took games to the end looking for a last second winner or equaliser, now that spirit seems to have buggered off.
Deep down how many of us expected to beat PSG? It didnt ever quiet feel like it was on the cards, like it wasnt in the air?
Hopefully the Women can do the business in their final and give us some cheer.
Anyway, thats it for this season, hopefully we can stay second, although I think Liverpool will play better than they did against Chelsea and Newcastle are hungry.
COYG!
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At least Martinelli takes players on had the beating of a very good full back on several occasions last night.
Saka on the other hand always comes inside and if he doesn’t plant one bending into the top corner then it’s a waste.
Just before their second goal Saka had the defender one on one with loads of space in front of him. He came back, we lost the ball and they went up the other end and scored. In fact the first goal came from a period of pressure started by Odegaard losing the ball when a simple five yard pass was on.
Odegaard and Saka have both been not at their best since returning from injury so the hope is they will both be top drawer again next season although I have my doubt’s about Martin.
We all knew Xhaka was the real Captain on the pitch and I have that feeling with Rice and Gabriel now. It is those two who ush the team on whatever the circumstances.
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Great points Ian.
Dont get me wrong I love Martinelli, and when on form hes devastating, Im sure the full back of PSG was mightily glad when he was subbed off and had to deal with the different game of Trossard all Im sure he was naffed at Trossard part and shove in the goal?
But and I really want him, Martin, Saka, Saliba, all to be on the top of it all and hate to see any player struggling as I know what they are going to get on social media/media and how difficult it might be for them in private, footballs tough with its (aspects of) critical/demeaning nature. I wouldnt last five mins!
Interesting point Ed made about seeing these guys under Wenger though, I think he would have let them develop and mature? But thats all speculation.
It will be interesting to see who goes and who comes in this season?Plus how will Myles do next season, many times in the past we seen great debut season and then players fall off?
Hope we can see the season through with dignity and not collapse. Seems strange now we are out, and thats it just a few games left?
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Because of teams playing each other we might get away with one more win for second place. Certainly the mood in both camps at Liverpool will be very different and it makes it an even more difficult game.
That might be why Mikel was telling everyone how good the team was so they believe it themselves.
Obviously this game has echoes of the past when we were knocked out of the CL and Liverpool came to Highbury and went a goal up. We then needed that fantastic Henry goal, where he sat that gobby Scouser on the floor, to change the game.
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Henry ran riot after half time in that game Ian.
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we constantly see the excuse that we don’t have a striker and are playing a midfielder there, well maybe then it would have been an idea to even in one game have tried Martinelli up front, or when it comes to it, why not Nwaneri, why is Arteta’s tactics so rigid, is it that he has such belief in them that he won’t even try something different, or is it that he hasn’t the ability to come up with different tactics, well bar the Stoke long throws we seen last night.
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EL final is spurs v man utd
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Man City are 3pts and 9 goals behind Arsenal in third spot, they play away to southampton on saturday before we play away to liverpool on sunday, it is possible they will be above us by end of play on sunday
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Arteta has persuaded the club to change the club dog’s name from Win to Expected Goals
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Ed, your point about Martinelli is an excellent one. Also with Odegaard playing so poorly no one else was given a chance at ten.
Its been the same for Mikel’s entire tenure, he will not give players a chance if one his favourites loses form. Only injuries provides chances and even then if he can fit a favourite player in he will.
The Partey, failure at right back comes to mind especially as it was tried over and over again and may even come out of the woodwork in the future.
I still believe lots of youth players would have made the grade and not left if given a proper chance.
The manure class that won the league would have been broken up well early under Mikel.
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look like we have got Martin Zubimendi
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George, I sent over the Livercrutches preview.
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It’s up
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