In his press conference on Tuesday, Mikel Arteta said, “Winning trophies is about being in the right moment in the right place.”
He was playfully suggesting that, based on Liverpool’s current points total, Arsenal would have lifted the last two Premier League titles.
Little did our manager know how true those words would ring in the French capital last night.
At the Emirates, we started nervously and PSG punished us within three minutes. By the time we’d tactically corrected our system, we were chasing the tie.
In Paris, the home side looked crippled by anxiety – but the difference was, we couldn’t convert our great start into a goal.
At the Emirates, we never quite found that one moment to lift the crowd.
Kvaratskhelia did deliver that moment at the Parc des Princes when he hit the post.
These are the moments we don’t talk about at the end of the season. But at this level, success and failure are separated by the smallest details—moments that decide whether you write yourself into history or crawl to the finish line, just wanting the campaign to end.
We were a squad so close to immortality. Now we’re left wondering how this year will truly be remembered.
Some Gooners will point to missed chances in Paris, and the world-class saves Donnarumma made across both legs.
But in a Champions League semi-final, you can’t let the moment pass you by—like we did last week—and expect not to be punished.
It reminds me of what Paul Merson said last year after we lost to Aston Villa. His words still haunt me.
Liverpool had dropped points before kick-off. A win would have put us in control of the title race.
Merson warned: you might never get another moment like this again.
And how many times in a career do you get to play in a Champions League Final?
This is why so many were hurt by our failure to sign a forward in January.
Arteta himself admitted we were short up front and needed help.
But our owners don’t understand the sport deeply enough to see that doing nothing was effectively standing still.
The Kroenke family lacked the ambition to realise that the transfer window was the moment that mattered.
We started the second leg of a European Cup semi-final needing a goal—with a central midfielder playing as striker.
When you put it like that, does this sound like a club ready to be champions of Europe?
The irony? While some insisted there was “no talent available” in January, PSG quietly signed Kvaratskhelia for £59 million.
A deal we could have done.
When you think about that, ask yourself: which owners deserved to go to Germany?
Another season. Another year.
Another moment that passed us by.
It’s becoming our legacy…
How disappointed are you?
Dan
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Im not disappointed. I am livid, we are wasting money every year and not looking like ever winning a bloody trophy. We are just wasting years on a manager that clearly can not do IT.
Dan, why to be disappointed?
Top 4 in Europe, top 2 in England, what would you say for ManU or Tot H fans? I am eagerly waiting for the summer transfer window to open and we get NKunku, Anthony, etc
The Shola Reality Show,
There you go again making me laugh. 😂🤣👍😉
We have a talented group of players, but not a single killer among them to strike fear in opponents.
Honestly, I have no faith in Arteta choosing a proper striker; not after Nketiah stinking it up for 4 years, the failure of Jesus to have an impact outside the physio, and Havertz doing his best playing out of position and coming up short; as many knew already, except Arteta.
Merino has been a better striker than midfielder, which tells its own story. We have a constantly injured Calafiori to replace a departing and constantly injured Zinchenko.
Frustration and anger are natural consequences of favours, but after the dust has settled, it is perhaps appropriste to acknowledge the fact that we were beaten in both legs by a very fine football team who I expect to go on and win the final against an aging Inter Milan who were fortunate to win through against a Barca side who have some wonderful players but seem to be suicidal when it comes to defending.A team is only as good as its Yweakest link, and from what i have seen of them this season a full strength PSG seem to have all the bases covered.As for where we go from here,well a major reset is required but until we can unload a number of players who are currently injured or who do not have tge trust of our Manager for one reason or another,we may have to limit our recruitment to at least 2 quality front three operators and a DM, if Arteta is intent on continuing to use Rice in a box to box role.As it is, i expect us to finish 4th in the League which will be a reflection of our lack of ammunition up front which is painfully evident to anyone with a modicum of knowledge of the game.Unless we revert to a more conventional tactical approach which involves our full backs overlapping instead of inverting, i do not expect an improvement in our fortunes next season regardless of who we bring in, but i hope i am proved wrong and we can at least win a trophy or two.
Fair assessment Grandad; I agree with most of your points. Where I disagree is the point on inverted full back. I think it is a great tactic in some games and certain game states. Rather than completely abandoning this tactic, I’d prefer mixing it up. An inverted fullback for some games and a more traditional approach for others.
We definitely need more overlapping runs. But overlapping runs don’t have to be made by fullbacks. In 22/23, Xhaka was often the one overlapping when Zinchenko tucked into midfield. This created space for Martinelli and he scored a lot. Another thing is that while the LB inverted, White didn’t. So White provided the width and overlapping runs which benefited Saka and Odegaard.
This season we’ve had Timber who, while is a better defender than White imo, is not as effective as White in providing overlaps. It will be interesting to see what Arteta does at RB next season with a fit Ben White.
We will have to agree to disagree on the subject of inverted full backs but i share your views on the merits of Timber and White, neither of whom are a natural attacking right back.In my opinion our frailties in defence stem from our lack of a competent left back.We have one in Tierney ,but MLS,Zinchenko and the injury prone Calafiori are poor when it comes to positional sense and do not have the pace to cope with speedy wingers or indeed opponents overlapping right backs.With Tierney on his way, i feel we need a quality left back but i accept this is unlikely as we have greater priorities elsewhere.
I wouldn’t say we have frailties in defence when we have the best defensive record in the league, having conceded just 31 goals in 35 matches, despite having played five of those matches with ten men. Our problems lie on the other end of the pitch. Some of them can be fixed tactically but most of them can only be fixed by new players who have certain abilities we don’t have in the squad.
I’m disappointed but at the same time proud of the team. Considering how thin the squad is at the moment and the relative inexperience of the squad, a semi final exit is not bad.For context, PSG had a fully fit squad. I would like to believe that if Havertz, Gabriel and Jesus were fit, we’d have a better chance.
This was only our second season in the Champions League after a long time out. For more context, it took Manchester City and Guardiola SEVEN attempts to win the Champions League, despite being considered the best team in Europe during that period. The team we lost to, PSG, has invested billions and have come short for years. They may actually win it this time. But it shows just how difficult it is to win it.
I don’t think we are the “nearly men” just yet. Give it one more season.
If we do get a world class striker in and we still don’t win a trophy (and by trophy I mean CL or Prem), then I would start saying we are chokers.
As the banner at Liverpool said yesterday. Always the Brides Maid, never the Bride.🤣😂👍😉
Some fans didn’t like the banner, I found it quite funny myself. 👍😉
What is your opinion on how they treated Trent out of interest?
Dan,
I think personally it depends on the context the player leaves.
For instance looking at our own situation regarding a certain Ashley Cole (or should I say Cashley), apparently that all kicked off because Arsenal went back on the original deal that they offered him. I think it was over £5000 I think.
Now I wouldn’t have had a problem with him if he had put in a transfer request if he wasn’t happy with the terms being offered. But to go behind the clubs back and meet with Chelsea officials, and then get all upset when Arsenal hung him out to dry or to the sharks, I can’t remember his exact quote, then I can understand that can cause bad feeling between fans and the said player.
But in Trent’s case, I personally think that having won all there is to win with Liverpool. He’s perfectly entitled to try something new, if that is his wish. Not being a Liverpool fan, I don’t understand what there gripe with him is, one of the things being said is that he’s a free transfer and that Liverpool are going to get nothing for him.
Well what’s the problem with that. I think that all the success that Liverpool have had over the years he’s been there, he’s more than helped contribute to the club in the best way possible, by helping them win trophy’s.
Oh If only out team could win trophy’s. Maybe one day. 👍😉
Derek, I think the reason they booed him was because of an interview he did, in where he was asked if he’d rather win the CL or the Balloon d’Or ? He said the latter. They probably thought he put personal glory in front of the team.
Another Moment Missed…
Now that could also refer to linesman, the ref and VAR regarding the challenge by Robertson on Saka in the first half. The ball was in the air, Robertson grabbed Saka by the throat with his right hand and with his left hand on Saka’s left shoulder threw Saka to the ground. Ex referee, Keith Hackett said it should have been a straight red card.