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

 

[celestis]

A bit disappointed to see us lose 1 - 0. But the Classic line, 'Its only half time' springs to mind.
If we can play in Paris, like we did at Real Madrid, we have a chance.

There isn't much between us , it can go either way .

 

[Clrnc]

There isn't much between us , it can go either way .

They mostly outclassed us. Let's be frank.

Every single match without Partey this season we just struggled to have a good performance.

 

[celestis]

They mostly outclassed us. Let's be frank.

Every single match without Partey this season we just struggled to have a good performance.

Well no I disagree , they outclass in the final third , but in other areas we are better than they are especially when Partey comes back . It's close especially if we get enough set pieces.

 

[Vinci]

Playing conservatively to keep it 1-0 is a good move when you have a second leg at home, but having to go to their ground still, it's just a coward move.

We need a miracle, an even better performance than against Madrid.

 

[Let's play Aubamawang]

At least the away fans are considerably better than the home fans. I imagine they'll bring more noise than those festering turds at the Emirates. Just watching them standing there staring with no emotion makes me want to rescind their season tickets. The players deserve better support. If they want to be so negative, they should go watch the Spuds.

 

[Mraven]

We need a miracle, an even better performance than against Madrid.

 

[freeglennhelder2]

Could have come away from that 0-2 down. Let’s hope PSG regret that next week.

Skelly is a phenomenon.

 

[Riou]

@Trilly




...the Team.Triou hive mind will NEVER let the legacy of Hibbert-san die!

 

[Alexs]

The crowd were shocking. Should have been deflated from mins 4-6 and 49-51, not the whole game.

 

[albakos]

Yeah, the next morning, and still, this loss is a hard pill to take.

Shocked at how easily PSG played through our press, they had elite confidence in passing through, finding open spaces and making themselves available to receive the pass. There was such a massive difference in how quickly they arrived at our box compared to our laboured approach of thinking twice before passing.

 

[UpTheChampionz]

What a limp d1ck of a night

 

[ArsenalInMyHeart]

@Trilly




...the Team.Triou hive mind will NEVER let the legacy of Hibbert-san die!

That is exactly Ødegaard did

 

[Sammy1887]

That TIFO was pure embarrassment. Heads need to roll for whoever was involved in that ****e.

 

[ArsenalInMyHeart]

We are so lucky because Barcola and Ramos missed their chances. If 2-0 or 3-0 i don't think we can do something on the 2nd leg.

 

[HattoriHanzo]

Not maybe….it is his fault cause he built the squad

Edu had nothing to do with it?
If only Arteta built this squad, what was Edu doing?
I don't absolve Arteta for poor squad building, but it's not completely on him.

 

[Nunowoolmez]

Yeah, the next morning, and still, this loss is a hard pill to take.

Shocked at how easily PSG played through our press, they had elite confidence in passing through, finding open spaces and making themselves available to receive the pass. There was such a massive difference in how quickly they arrived at our box compared to our laboured approach of thinking twice before passing.

Indeed. In some moments they just breezed through our midfield uncontested.

They controlled the game very well, but I think we badly lack creativity & their manager will have recognised this, so their task in controlling the game was a lot easier.

It's games like this that really shine a light on the deficiencies of Nelli & this season's version of Ødegaard. It was frustrating to see Ethan only be given 5 minutes to do something. I mean, come on !

With TP back & Merino reinstalled up front, I think we can still pull off a win in the 2nd leg.

 

[Rasmi]

Edu had nothing to do with it?
If only Arteta built this squad, what was Edu doing?
I don't absolve Arteta for poor squad building, but it's not completely on him.

It’s completely on him. Sure he should not have as much of say. But the squad is built on his image. I would bet good money he will try to target Sancet this summer another big lump

 

[OSBK]

I'm not that negative tbh. PSG were going to get chances, it's niave though think we would dominate and bully them. We also had our chances and they were as clear cut as PSG and we didn't take them.

I also think we gave players who are not fit who are playing. Timber was good last night but he is clearly playing with something. Saka is not quite there yet, you can see on sprints he is not quite there.

My only disappointment is the same one I have had for a while and that is Ødegaard still isn't stepping up when we need him.

 

[ArsenalInMyHeart]

I'm not that negative tbh. PSG were going to get chances, it's niave though think we would dominate and bully them. We also had our chances and they were as clear cut as PSG and we didn't take them.

I also think we gave players who are not fit who are playing. Timber was good last night but he is clearly playing with something. Saka is not quite there yet, you can see on sprints he is not quite there.

My only disappointment is the same one I have had for a while and that is Ødegaard still isn't stepping up when we need him.

5 years at Arsenal, he always hides when we need him. Its just this season, he is worse than before. In the previous seasons, we dont see clearly this problem because there are another persons around him. This season we are struggled because of many injuries, and it just highlights our needs from Ødegaard and he didn't show anything. Saka isn't fullly fit still give something more dangerous than Ødegaard

 

[Gunner D]

Also for real guys. Ødegaard needs to go innit.

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

But @Rasmi said it’s Arteta’s fault, and he’s not getting the best out of him?