PSG - Arsenal Wednesday 20:00 UK Time.: Page 2 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

PSG - Arsenal Wednesday 20:00 UK Time.

Sicario2

Burnwinter even if that plays out we still have a week to re-group and face Newcastle who we owe some revenge. Even if we did lose to Newcastle then all we have to do is beat Southampton (assuming 6th and 7th have won all their games till then). If we can’t beat the worst side in Premier league history then we don’t deserve to be in the CL next year anyway.

But one game at a time :-)

Burnwinter

Sicario2 If we can’t beat the worst side in Premier league history then we don’t deserve to be in the CL next year anyway.

If in the end we have to beat Southampton to guarantee Champions League we'll have crawled humiliatingly to the end of this season.

Imagine instead if we were to get past PSG then somehow also beat Liverpool at Anfield.

Stakes are very high and I hope and pray Arteta's finally developed the skills to manage the feeling and resolve possible in what's left of this squad. If we can't get the results then at least give us the performances.

But yes, one game at a time—let's just make every one of those games wins, thanks, that's all I ask.

awooga83

Going to be on a plane for this, apparently you can watch it on the flight although not done that before so all around going to be an interesting experience whatever.

As for the match I don't really believe we will get a result, I hope we can do something but right now it all feels classic Arsenal in these moments where we just don't have the ability to perform in the crunch moments. Going into it I feel like the Bayern game that we just won't have enough going forwards and right now we seem like we ship at least one goal which will kill us.

The team are low and don't look on form and me only Rice and Saka could do something and Rice isn't really the attacking player you would expect to always do something and Saka has been up and down since his injury.

But this is a big game and win or lose it will lead to views on Arteta and where he's got to.

lorddulaarsenal

If our rivals win out the chances are they’ll have a better goal difference than us.

We need to thump Southampton.

Don Pacifico

SimplyThePest you're not alone. We're definitely capable of it, you only need to look at some of the headline results we've achieved this season. Sadly, a large portion of this season (particularly the last month or so), has been very meh. The more it happens, the more you start to feel that's our dominant personality this season.

Arseblog was talking this morning about the need for some tactical refreshment this summer. Can't help feel that will be strongly linked to who we sign; if we prioritise players who can perform well in a system versus those that can perform well outside a system, I think opposition will continue to nullify us. Broken record but we need more chaos.

On the plus side, signing a player like Calafiori (albeit a defender and injured for a large part of the season!) feels like a step in the right direction. MLS has provided that individuality from time-to-time and Rice is also increasingly showing that in his game.

Claudius

Don Pacifico all of this makes sense.
On Calafiori, however, I think that is actually quite consistent with Arteta's way of thinking all along. When he first started fixing the team, he put in Zinchenko, and has since gone for Calafiori and then MLS emerged. All are given a somewhat free role that is effectively a left defensive midfielder. He has not liked Tierney there, and also admitted to messing up by trying to play Kiwior in that role. So he does allow a specific position to break out of structure - which is probably linked to the right side bias of the team - spaces open up to the left and an extra midfielder lets you move the ball quickly in theory.

We do need a Saka alternative up front. Will just make it easier to unlock teams. That can be any of striker, left wing or left 8. The position doesn't matter as much. It's somebody who can make their own supper.

Gazza M

Don Pacifico inspiration over perspiration. arteta needs to shed the moyesian prioritisation of size and stability because he's largely already achieved it.

Don Pacifico

Claudius agreed. It does give me pause for thought that we sanction individuality at LB but it is limited elsewhere on the pitch. As you allude to, we need someone who can take on that mantle further up the pitch. We're just too predictable and there needs to be scope for our players, particularly our attackers to be a bit more unpredictable.

Arteta talked a good game last season about bringing variety into the way we played but I'm yet to see that truly come to fruition. There have been hints of it from time-to-time, when we've seen some positional fluidity but it's not a consistent feature of our game. I believe some 'individual' talents will help us become harder to stop.

Gazza M

I can see us going 1 down, then scoring 2. PSG are still prone to lapses and wilting, and I can see them being a bit unsure on what to do if they take the lead.

Qwiss

Panda Imagine if Timber is injured and he puts Partey at RB we may as well not even bother tuning in.

If that happens I might turn on Arteta completely. Another big upside of Partey leaving this summer would be him never playing at right back again.

Qwiss

I think we are going to win this. I don't know why I just do.

Unfortunately I have football training with my U11 team from 7-8 so it'll be a mad dash home and if anyone is late to pick up their kids tough luck, your kid needs to brave it on their own.

Tam

Qwiss Character building.

Will stand them good stead should they ever grow up to be supporters of Arsenal and need to watch the team chase a 1 goal deficit in a Champions League semi final....

Tam

I have no idea how I think tomorrow will go. I'd managed to put it out of my mind with it being a bank holiday weekend, but now this thread, and the working week, has started it'll be hard to avoid.

My main fear is that Arteta will try to be too smart and either try something new or revert to something we've seen before which we know doesn't work.

I'd also like someone to stand Raya next to Saka and show him he isn't seven foot tall. Maybe if he wants to continually hit Saka with long balls, he could give him a chance.

Don Pacifico

Tam that's not even a Raya thing, Ramsdale used to do the same. Was always amazed how many of those Jesus would actually win...alas, you can't win those balls when you're injured...

Pepe LeFrits

I think we'll go out tamely. Hope I'm wrong.

TambourineMan

Pepe LeFrits same, have zero faith.

awooga83

Pepe LeFrits yep, I mean this is the outcome that would be most damaging. Arteta falling back on his over cautious approach scared to take any risk and imparting that to the team so we play not to concede and then maybe lump crosses or long balls in the final 10 which do nothing. That would show he's learned nothing and I would doubt if he could ever change his approach.

Bring Back Kerrea Gilbert

Just go long. Merino up front knocking it on to Rice and Martinelli.

Pepe LeFrits

awooga83 yep, I mean this is the outcome that would be most damaging. Arteta falling back on his over cautious approach scared to take any risk and imparting that to the team so we play not to concede and then maybe lump crosses or long balls in the final 10 which do nothing. That would show he's learned nothing and I would doubt if he could ever change his approach.

That isn't quite what I had in mind - I can see us going out all fired up but being unable to land a punch on them and getting out maneuvered tactically. It's kind of the way it goes for us in Europe; we get a disappointing first leg result and hope/expect a bit of English football blood and thunder in the second leg, only to be out thought again.

Claudius

Don Pacifico yeah. some of that distribution is purely driven by pressing tactics, on both ends of the field. you send the ball long to bypass your opponent's press. and then if your player doesn't get the long ball, then you immediately press the opponent - at least you are 60 meters away from your goal now and not in immediate danger of turning over in a dangerous area.

Tam

Don Pacifico It's not so much the long kick itself, I may be wrong but it feels like his execution of longer passes like that has been poorer of late. Raya in full flow could seemingly drop it on whichever foot of the target he felt like. Now it seems like he's overcooking it by a foot and forcing them into jumping on the touchline.

Qwiss

Speaking of Raya he really needs to sort his head out for this. Has looked extremely jittery lately and we can't afford to be giving PSG the sort of easy chances we've been giving teams in the league.

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