Arsenal v PSG | UCL SF 1st Leg | Tuesday 29 April 8pm UK time | Prime: Page 25 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Arsenal v PSG | UCL SF 1st Leg | Tuesday 29 April 8pm UK time | Prime

Mirth

Qwiss

Till around the 70th min we had the better chances despite playing worse

MistaT

Mirth -- I suppose xG doesn't factor in waved off pens?

Krava was pretty close to earning one.

awooga83

What a disaster, we really got taught a lesson and in one of those big moments once again we couldn't deliver.

My biggest concern was if we got a set back how we would respond because under Arteta that's something we've failed to do and in this season particularly we've seen that. Once again unfortunately we got the set back and we just didn't have anything to respond. No moments from any of the players a we would have looked to make something happen. Saka not really in it, Trossard just not involved, Ode anonymous again, martinelli showing the limitations we are all probably aware of.

I get we didn't have many trusted options but when it was clear Ode just wasn't at it and plan A was bust you had to try to change things as a manager and Arteta seemed to have no answer.

It's only 1 goal but this current team I don't have confidence in to overturn these moments, it can be done but Arteta and this team haven't shown me yet they can do it so I would expect us to be knocked out not. I hope it'll be a different story come next week.

Burnwinter

awooga83 What a disaster, we really got taught a lesson

Honestly, the first 20 minutes were dire. But first and foremost it was getting caught napping and then great execution by Dembele for their goal that proved the difference.

The first period reminded me of the moments that have cost us in recent seasons. It reminded me of Bayern last year. It reminded me of the White, Partey and Saka mixup that cost us a vital two points early last season.

Statistically we were "expected" to outscore PSG and we generated some handsome chances. PSG also spurned some golden opportunities which I assume are being covered up by the way the xG values are generated. I am weary of Trossard and Martinelli, both had sharpish chances fall to them but they couldn't find the killer edge.

There is no altering the fact that having this kind of luck at home gives us a mountain to climb away, but it isn't completely impossible. The luck just has to be reversed.

Qwiss

Claudius Jesus and Tomi don't count. We allowed this situation to happen. You know why PSG are so much better than the last time we played them? Because the didn't act like morons in January.

daredevil

Qwiss

The club threw the towel in January. If the leadership doesn't want to do more to increase our odds of success, it's misplaced for the fans to commit so much to the cause.

Claudius

Qwiss I clearly said outside the transfer mishaps, we still had big issues. I acknowledge that we had an issue with transfers. But we can’t also say it’s not any issue that we didn’t have 4-5 high quality players beyond Jesus/Tomi while our opponent had a clean bill of health.

We play this game with Havertz and Gabriel, and I think we do much better on set pieces and can beat press more easily. We have Jorginho in for Partey, again we have A bigger player up front. In addition, any one of these guys gives us 20 minutes more of subs, not just 7 total. These individuals missing caused us all kinds of disadvantages.

Qwiss

Dom really? I thought Merino was pretty bad. I want him back up front asap.

Dom

Mirth

I would play him in Odegaard's position. He's got important assists and goals since becoming Havertz's replacement and has shown his technique holds up well in the final third.

Qwiss

Not as a deep lying midfielder, where I agree he's usually been bang average when played there.

Gazza M

Qwiss merino has surprising been way more of an asset up front than in midfield. he looks way too flat footed in the middle of the park

Claudius

Neutrals I’ve talked to enjoyed the game. Say we played well. These are two studious coaches. I’m hoping we can find some weaknesses to exploit. They can definitely be hit with long balls. So having Merino higher up the field will be a nice release valve next week

Mirth

Seedorf is an excellent pundit

Mirth

Dom it would be like playing Giroud at number 10

Claudius

Dom and where would you play Odegaard?

Dom

Mirth

Merino's workrate and intelligence in the final third has seriously impressed me. Unless Odegaard starts to replicate his August - December 2022 form in the summer, we can't carry an attacking player with little goal and/or assists threat.

I also don't agree that he's anything like Giroud. He was slick in both matches against Real.

swider

Claudius
MLS has been very good and I doubt Calafiori gets in front of him anyway, Havertz is not a big miss, maybe a slight improvement, but I'd agree it would be nice to have Trossard as an option from the bench. However our biggest problem today was Odegaard who has been shit for almost entire season.

Big Willie

swider our biggest problem was being unable to control the midfield because both Partey and Jorginho were out.

USArsenal

swider Havertz is not a big miss, maybe a slight improvement,

I coulg not disagree with you more. Kai has been a huge miss. His work rate, holding the ball, winning fouls, and pressing have been something we've missed a lot

awooga83

Big Willie 😂 hey I've been at every European game this season😜 I've very much made it happen 😁

Big Willie

awooga83 😂 hey I've been at every European game this season😜 I've very much made it happen

😂 I was joking. Then again it was maybe this result was all on @RocktheCasbah up in hospitality with the prawn sandwich brigade. Yes. I think he's who we should blame for tonight.

Sicario2

Gazza M still thought he was MOM.

We looked scared first 20 mins. Too much hype, too much build up, too many videos, too do or die, for the game, got into the players head and Enrique’s tactics spot on.

Martinelli and Trossard need to be finishing those chances though.

We have a second chance though and this is what Arteta needs to drill in these players heads. Tie not over at all and with Partey hopefully back it’s a different story. PSG are very overrated and are bottle jobs - we have to play to that.

We have to fucking leave Paris with PSG players in tears, that’s the goal, nothing less.

JazzG

daredevil The game is 60/40 in their favour now, it will be incredibly hard but not impossible. We don't need to go chasing the game, one goal takes it into extra time.

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert Should have taken Odegaard off a lot earlier as well, disgrace he nearly played the whole game

Qwiss Don't agree with that, we are without Partey + Jorginho that in turn meant Merino had to drop into midfield and Trossard up top. Completely changed the whole dynamic of the team as a result.

Qwiss

MistaT he dived.

awooga83

I think we have big questions around Ode at the moment right now be doesn't deserve to be automatically in the first team with how he's playing.

Claudius

awooga83 there is one thing that Odegaard is still doing at a high level and would be hard to replicate. Managing and leading the press. All our pressing is controlled by him. When Ode isn’t playing, we basically don’t press.

Mirth

Dom Merino just isn't mobile or agile enough to be an attacking midfielder. Think of any attacking midfielder, past or present and their movement/agility is a prerequisite to success.

Merino had an excellent game against Real Madrid but he played as a striker hence the Giroud comparison.

Also I disagree that Odegaard's best form is isolated to August-December 2022, he was our player of the season in 2023/2024 as well as in the PFA team of the year for the same period so clearly his form extended across two seasons. No point re-writing history.

Big Willie

Dom I also don't agree that he's anything like Giroud. He was slick in both matches against Real.

Giroud was a very slick player. Surprisingly so. Most of our best team goals involved him during that time. He was just a very streaky scorer.

awooga83

Claudius I don't think we pressed that effectively today or least that's not what it looked like to me. Maybe that'd not Ode's fault but I don't see the benefit for having him in just for that.

daredevil

I would give Odegaard another year before I turn on him but he is pitiful right now.

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