LOSS UEFA Champions League Semi Final: Arsenal 0 - 1 Paris Saint-Germain (1st Leg) | Tuesday, 29th April | KO: 20:00 BST | Amazon Prime Video/TNT Sports

So here it is…



5th May 2009

The biggest movies of the year were Inglorious Basterds, Avatar and the Hurt Locker. Dizzee Rascal and Kanye West (ahem) dominated the charts and David Cameron was still sat in opposition.

Lionel Messi was about to win his first Ballon d’Or AND Arsenal last played in the semi finals of a Champions League. We’ve waited almost 16 years… so many false dawns and even a half decade in the footballing wilderness of the Europa League but now…

WE’RE BACK!

You have to go even further back for our last winning semi final effort with this heart stopper against Villarreal in 2006.



That’s right almost 20 years since that famous night in the then Madrigal. Hopefully the spirit of Jens won’t be needed by Raya over the two legs…

Predicted Team



After the last round the line-up pretty much sets itself. The big hope is that both Merino and White come through their injury scares.

Whilst obviously it’s Merino who’s most important the bench is looking very light with this game probably arriving too soon for Calafiori and Jorginho even though they should be back for the return leg.

The threat of the team depending on whether it’s Trossard or Merino up front is night and day. In a few short weeks Merino has proven to be our signing of the season raking with both goals and assists.

The Opposition

After defeating the biggest name in club football in the quarter finals we now face probably the most in form.

From the new year they’ve won 23, drawn 2 and lost 2 with those two losses coming in legs against Villa and Liverpool when they still managed to progress regardless.

Now whilst as per usual they have steamrollered Ligue 1 their form in the CL has been iffy. A lot of people point to their form post January when they’ve comprehensively slapped up City (although so did we and even Real Madrid managed it) and Stuggart but to my eyes they have looked very uncertain at times against Villa and Liverpool.

Villa in particular had them fully on the ropes looking dazed and PSG needed a dodgy injury time allocation to really get them over the line.

PSG are one of the four other clubs that our manager has played for, and we have an unbeaten record against them having won twice and drawn three of our previous competitive matches, a record we extended earlier this season in the Group Stage when we comprehensively put them away.



Notice both goals coming from crosses… set pieces have proven to be a constant weakness for them this year so hopefully Joever has been cooking something up in the lab.

There are a few former players who’ve played for both clubs ranging from the ridiculous (David Luiz and Kaba Diawara) to the sublime with our once upon a time teenage phenom Nicolas Anelka sandwiching his time at Arsenal and Real between two stints with the Parisians.



Danger Man

extended. Again this isn’t necessarily the star studded PSG team that’s so embarrassingly flattered to deceive in Europe over the years.

Gone are the “Galacticos” of Neymar, Mbappe, Messi, Ramos and Cavani now replaced with a glittering array of youngsters such as Zaire-Emery, Barcola and in particular Desire Doue who looks scarily good.

We could also say Kvaratskhelia who’s arrival in January has coincided with a higher level for PSG but in terms of danger men it has to be the man with more goals than starts this year…



Ousmane Dembele who has been in frightening form in both Ligue 1 and Champions League.

COYG LETS SMASH THEM

 

[viktor]

He has it’s easy it’s crazy. He has the media on his side, he has convinced people he’s managing a tiny club fighting uphill battle fighting giants. We haven’t scored from open play last 7 semi final matches we played and he’s on the verge of losing his 4th straight semi final

the problem is deeper more than we need this player and that player in summer, because the problem also about coaching issue, this season our build up so poor from defensive third into middle third, poor substitution , he has no solution when opponent play mid block low block

 

[One Song]

Got to give Kiwior credit. I think he was one of our better players tonight and stepped in to fill the void left by Gabriel nicely.

In terms of the defence, not too sure about those risky passes at the back by Raya. Always a bit of unease and nervousness whenever it’s played across the defence.

Saliba looked shaky again. One great last ditch tackle but lack of composure on the ball almost cost us a few times.

 

[db10_therza]

I already told you about the penalty you pretended wasn't a penalty. Chance creation is also not the only indicator of quality. They had us playing their game for a longer period than we had them player ours. I'm not sure how or why you want to dispute that but if you insist then go ahead. I'm not going to agree.

You’re fighting a losing battle. These guys will only ever see what they want to see.

 

[Batman]

Got to give Kiwior credit. I think he was one of our better players tonight and stepped in to fill the void left by Gabriel nicely.

In terms of the defence, not too sure about those risky passes at the back by Raya. Always a bit of unease and nervousness whenever it’s played across the defence.

Kiwi has really been fantastic. He deserves a ton of respect for slotting in so seamlessly back there. It can also be really tough for CBs when you play such a fluid attack with no real central focal point to mark and I thought he handled that really well.

 

[Synical]

Putain de MERDE !! FAIT CHIER !! Y avait tellement la place pour marquer ce soir, je suis dégoûté

On a encore un infime espoir, mais ça va être très très dur

Are you lost?

 

[viktor]

Got to give Kiwior credit. I think he was one of our better players tonight and stepped in to fill the void left by Gabriel nicely.

In terms of the defence, not too sure about those risky passes at the back by Raya. Always a bit of unease and nervousness whenever it’s played across the defence.

saliba also, huge credit to him when gave tackle to hakimi in the box, that is huge

 

[dino bravo]

Hopefully in the 2nd leg we carry on playing the ball backwards until it gets to Raya, then he can try a hopeful diagonal out to Saka who is completely isolated.

The Pickford like long punts were annoying as hell. I get it we were trying to bypass their midfield, but our front 4 must have an average height of about 5ft 7.

 

[avenellroad]

The problem this team has is that we need our first choice players all on the pitch to be our best version. Thats a problem of Arteta’s own making for a number of seasons now

There needs to be some mental resilience shown here to go through next week.
Yes Kiwior is not Gabriel, but he needs to be given confidence to put in a big performance

 

[Nunowoolmez]

Asking a Stupid Question. What's the deal with Raheem Sterling. I believe he was on the bench. With his experience of Champions League football with Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea.
Could have created something.

Have you not seen anything of him this season mate ?

He makes Gervinho look like prime Vini Jr lol

He's done.

 

[Rex Caudillo]

I mean we've thoroughly outplayed them and are just a better team at basically every position lol. JB Bickerstaff also said that he hoped the refs let both teams play physical because he felt his team plays better through contact so he should be the happiest of all to have gotten what he wished for.

I like Cade but what are guys like Malik Beasley and THJ doing in a playoff series ffs?

 

[Synical]

Kiwi has really been fantastic. He deserves a ton of respect for slotting in so seamlessly back there. It can also be really tough for CBs when you play such a fluid attack with no real central focal point to mark and I thought he handled that really well.

I'm so impressed with him. We've always played him out of position and so haven't been too impressed, but he has been very good as CB. I'm not au fait with all this, so can I ask would he be able to deputise for Saliba as well?

 

[KarenSprayGooners]

Alright I'm over it, win the second leg. Only 1-0, full strength.

 

[Nunowoolmez]

Also for real guys. Ødegaard needs to go innit.

I’m done with him. All the apologists and excuses brigade can fk off.

He's fallen off the cliff baaaad. Has become a press merchant like Nelli.

I'm hoping he can come back better next season, but it's clear he needs replacing, which is sad.

 

[Batman]

The problem this team has is that we need our first choice players all on the pitch to be our best version. Thats a problem of Arteta’s own making for a number of seasons now

There needs to be some mental resilience shown here to go through next week.
Yes Kiwior is not Gabriel, but he needs to be given confidence to put in a big performance

That's true for pretty much any team. We beat Madrid with Merino at striker and Kiwior filling in. I think that counts as resilience? Don't you. If you had told anyone at the beginning of the season we'd be in a CL semi-final this season with this XI we're playing right now (minus Partey tonight too) they would never have believed it so while we're disappointed with the result tonight and some of the performances, we should still keep perspective.

 

[db10_therza]

He's fallen off the cliff baaaad. Has become a press merchant like Nelli.

I'm hoping he can come back better next season, but it's clear he needs replacing, which is sad.

Current Nelli is way way way better than current Ødegaard.

And that’s saying something…

 

[Batman]

I'm so impressed with him. We've always played him out of position and so haven't been too impressed, but he has been very good as CB. I'm not au fait with all this, so can I ask would he be able to deputise for Saliba?

I think he could because Gabriel can play on the right even though it's not the most natural thing for him. I think he'd be a bit more comfortable there than Kiwior would.

In an ideal world, if for some reason Saliba was missing, I would prefer White to play RB and Timber to slide over to RCB but yeah I think in a pinch we could probably get by with Kiwior and Gabriel for a while. It might affect our buildup a bit but strictly defensively I think they'd be fine.

 

[viktor]

That's true for pretty much any team. We beat Madrid with Merino at striker and Kiwior filling in. I think that counts as resilience? Don't you. If you had told anyone at the beginning of the season we'd be in a CL semi-final this season with this XI we're playing right now (minus Partey tonight too) they would never have believed it so while we're disappointed with the result tonight and some of the performances, we should still keep perspective.

forget about nobody believe us to reach semi final ucl this season (with merino & kiwior) because the fact is everybody believe that arteta should deliver premier league last season 23/24 if he can beat west ham at home and should deliver premier league trophy this season 24/25 after failed win premier league last season

 

[Batman]

I like Cade but what are guys like Malik Beasley and THJ doing in a playoff series ffs?

Lol I don't think anyone expected them to take the leap they took this season. Next year you would imagine they raise their floor a little bit through some roster moves.

 

[Synical]

People are very spoilt.

Arteta has raised expectations so high that we expect to win the CL with a make-shift line-up

He's got us believing. But the truth is we have no right to be second in the league and in the semis of the CL

 

[Halcyon Daze]

Alright I'm over it, win the second leg. Only 1-0, full strength.

Full strength basically means Partey in the team to give Declan more freedom. If anyone is doubting giving Partey an extension, tonight might answer a few questions.