Any other year since 2011, Arsenal could take advantage of the pressure on PSG to win their first ever Champions League. Especially if the Gunners could gain an advantage in France, they could then capitalise on the fact that PSG’s manager would be under intense pressure and the squad would know they face scrutiny if they fail, regardless of domestic success.
The irony is that the one season the media have had fewer expectations, the campaign where fans have shown greater understanding, the owners are willing to be patient, and the club are more united on and off the pitch than they have been in decades, is the very reason they appear more likely than they have in a long time to end their European drought.
Outside of the French capital, their supporters may seem spoilt and entitled. In recent years, the likes of Neymar, Messi and then Mbappe were booed for only collecting a title medal. Having the best talent in the world and dominating your league is a worst-case scenario that most sports teams would love to have. Yet since Qatar Sports Investment became majority owners, their ambition has been to become the biggest football institution in the world. Funded by the Qatari government, only lifting UEFA’s premier competition would be seen as success by some.
In the summer of 2022, Nasser Al Khelaifi announced a new action plan having accepted that his five-year mission statement had failed. The president decided that the Galactico model was not working. Fantastic individuals helped dominate Ligue 1, but a great team was needed to earn a first-ever European Cup.
It would take a strong coach to oversee the transition, especially because no matter how much all parties insisted they were prepared to go backwards to go forwards, one can never know if employers are truly willing to go through adversity. Luis Enrique, however, is a strong enough character to deal with most situations, including continuing to play Mbappe while his contract ran down, while also preparing for life without the greatest goal scorer in the team’s history. Anyone who understands what the Spaniard has endured in life will know he is not going to be stressed about rebuilding a young squad with the help of Luis Campos.
Les Parisiens showed more tolerance this season, which might be a huge factor in why their progress has been faster than expected. Arsenal and PSG faced each other in October but they are almost unrecognisable from the side we beat 2-0. Tactically, they were still a work in progress that night in North London, yet to find the confidence to do what they can now do. In the first phase of the Champions League, the quality of the youngsters at Les Parisiens was evident, but the consensus seemed to be that it was a couple of years too soon for this youthful group. The average age of their squad is under 25, Bacola is 22, and the likes of Doue and Warren Zaire-Emery are just 19.
After finishing 15th in the original table, PSG needed a playoff to advance to the last 16. The turning point may have been the Man City fixture. At 2-0 down, they were flirting with exiting the competition. Instead, this was the night they found their self-belief. Ousmane Dembele in particular has stepped out of the shadow now that he can be the main man. Is it a coincidence he suddenly scores 32 goals and provides 11 assists once Mbappe leaves the stage to him? It underlines the change in culture at the club that the work rate of a player like Vitinha is now celebrated.
Incredibly, Tuesday will be PSG’s sixth fixture against English opposition and their fifth visit to the UK in this tournament. It is a young team who are used to winning most weeks. With a 23-point lead over Marseille, it is already confirmed that they are champions of France again, they are in the Coupe de France final, and with four league fixtures remaining, they could go unbeaten, something Gooners know a thing or two about. If someone had offered their fans in pre-season the chance to retain their domestic treble, they would have bitten your hand off.
This was meant to be a transitional period at the Parc des Princes. A manager for once given empathy and time. No more fans turning on their own players. Perhaps even the first season since Nasser Al Khelaifi’s vision began that PSG can play knockout football at the head of UEFA’s table without being crippled by the fear of failure. There is zero consequence if they are knocked out in the semi-final. They might even embrace the other silverware added to the trophy cabinet. Which is why they are more dangerous than ever before.
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I don’t want to touch the money, but I just have a feeling that we’ve got this.
The team is flying so high on confidence (in the CL at least), and if they combine that with complete focus and determination.
Call me overconfident… Maybe it’s just because it’s a Friday and heading into a long weekend here in South Africa!
I just hope we win and progress over 2 legs.
They seem to be the toughest opponent we will face in this knock out stage.
Without Partey our shape and rythym changes but I will go for 2 – 1 to us.
Without Partey, and with Odegaard currently off form, Rice will have his work cut out to contain the formidible midfield trio of PSG and it will be interesting to see how Arteta uses Merino in the match.One thing for sure,if Raya and Saliba do not improve on their performances against Palace we will not make it to the Final.
@Grandad, I agree with you.
Let’s see what tactical solutions Arteta can come up with in the absence of Pathey and also to make Odegard efficient on Tuesday. MLN will also be facing a very pacey PSG full back Hakimi and tricky doe. But if Arsenal are compact,we should escape with a victory. PSG didn’t win any Epl teams over two legs in group stages
With the team I watched against Palace, I honestly can not see us intimidate or beat PSG. Except it’s a mind game, then these Arsenal team is not ready for any major trophy I’m sorry.
That game was meaningless and the team were obviously focused on being able to play PSG without injuries. Everyone said we would lose to RM and look what transpired there!
Oh mate u got to be sorry for your self bro,u making a huge mistake compering our domestic form with our Europe success, forget about the crystal palace game bro, PSG just lost a game tonight, their big stars featured in the game
Bro come Tuesday, get a popcorn and a chill glass of wine, sit down cross your legs and watch arsenal take PSG to the cleaners.Remember chukzyking 007 a gunner fan from Nigeria said so
Have no fear arsenal 💪 is playing in the Final
Coyg
Everything has a context. You are talking about the team which played against Crystal Palace but how about the one which played against Real Madrid both at home and away? Why do you only pick out the negative? How about the PSG team which lost to Aston Villa?
Arsenal beat the French champion convincingly and will do it again, here I will try to explain why.
Much has been Said about their talisman Ousmane Dembele and his 32 goals this season and why he wasn’t involved in the trashing we dishes out to them last time around.
This battle will come down to the hunger of the two, where forms goes out the windows and heros born.
The French champion is probably one of the most attacking team in Europe with a similar set up to ours, but in a one club league where they are rarely tested, maybe one could argue they have triumph over the Merseyside club and the very experienced Spaniard from the Villans.
They hate when given a dose of their own medicine, but unlike Martineli that can be found most time than not helping in defense, that’s not a practice PSG does very well.
PSG won’t sit deep , they attack in numbers and relys heavily on very capable defenders to do the mapping at the back, this is the type of game for Martineli to dip his bread.
If not PSG whom do we want to meet? What is then our wish? Beware of what you wish for is the famous mantra. All the rest are battle hardened UCL specialists who won UCL several times compared to our ‘minnows’ Arsenal. We and PSG are nil specialists in UCL managing to reach the finals but got home empty handed. So who needs this season’s trophy the most? PSG boast with many domestic trophies. We the Arsenalites nothing to show. So we either sink or swim without reaching the final to say the least. Arteta’s thus far works to be dragged in the mud declared void tbh. Arsenal and his lads whom he always trusts too much have no choice but only to win the SFs and claim the final spot at Bayern Munich Stadium. If you take out a fish from the pond of water you know what happens with it so is Gooners without reaching the final. The summer will be too too too long languishing in defeatist mentality. We mock and banter but not with this season’s UCL trophy. We’ve become too serious with it after disgracefully toppling down the Mr UCL Real Madrid. Yes we can! COYG
Anything other than winning the UCL will make this season a disaster for arsenal. Below is my prediction
Ars 2 – 2 Psg
Psg 4- 1 Ars
I hope I am wrong
you’ve every right mate upgrade it please to PSG 7-1 Arsenal.
Uhmm😳…you’re definitely wrong my friend. Be it home or away, PSG won’t get more than 2 goals past our defense.
Welcome to our Motherland Africa. Enjoy your time in the beautiful Country of South Africa. If it is your true name the word Kia in our local language means ‘our’. This name is usually given to adorable babies who look like the parents. Kia = Our!
Am seriously dreading the fact that Partey won’t be playing in that 1st leg. I hope the manager has a plan – a good plan.
Trossard – Dembele
Martinelli – Kvaraskela
Odegaard – Neves
Saka – Barcola
Merino – Ruiz
Rice – Vitinha
Skelly – Mendes
Kiwior – Pacho
Saliba – Marqhuinos
Timber – Hakimi
Raya – Donnarumma.
I picked 8 PSG Players if done like that lol
You can easily make a case for atleast 5 of our players, 6 if Partey is fit. PSG have lost and beaten Liverpool and Villa, qualifying on goal difference. Are we Villa ? We would have already had 1 victory over Liverpool ourselves if 3 defenders didn’t go off injured. The wingers of psg and wing backs can cause us nightmares but if our technical players and midfield play well they will barely see the ball.
With Partey being suspended for the first leg, I don’t think we have anything to worry about.
Raya will probably take it upon himself to be the extra midfielder. 😂🤣😉👍
Good shout Derek
I think we can go through but it all hinges on the line up Tuesday. Putting rice or Jorginho at dm could spell trouble. For me it’s a gamble but I would like to see Skelly at 6, Timber at lb and White on the right. MLS is the closest we have to Partey. We need Rice further forward. Timber is good on both flanks and the White and Odegaard dynamic could be beneficial.
Liam,
Jorginho is out for the foreseeable future. So he not even an option thankfully.
Comfortably beat them at our ground, then we are into the final!
Come on fellas,in Nigeria pigin English we say “WE DIE HERE”meaning we won’t leave the pitch without collecting 3 points.
We have nothing to play for any more in the league so we die here in the ucl.
Haven’t you guys notice that arsenal 💪 this season ucl is a different kettle of fish in the ucl?
PSG came through the play off Arsenal finished top of their table.
What befell Madrid in the qfinal will befall PSG.A man with a machete have no chance with a man with an AK-47.
Fellas on match day come Tuesday,go get a bowl of popcorn, get ur self a bottle of chill win,sit down on your sofa,cross your legs and enjoy your darling club send PSG to the cleaner
Cheers Gooner mate!!!!! Love to hear any kind of yours. Squeaky (?) bum time for ARSENAL! COYG
Dembele.
Kvaraskela. Odegaard. Saka.
Ruiz. Rice.
Skelly. Pacho. Saliba. Timber.
Donnarumma.
Psg like us are inexperienced at this stage of the competition and the winner will most likely be the one who can hold their nerves better. 1 positive is that Psg will not sit back in a low block which seems to be our kryptonite but attack full force trying to make it an open game. They will get tired in the 2nd half and be ripe for a killer blow.
Like that we have a week off, so Saliba and Raya can rest their minds and bodies.
AFC should be up for it either way.
Let’s go!
No easy game at this stage, if you thinking it’s a walk in park! Far from it, we will need everything to work out to put us in a position to reach the finals. Maximum concentration will be needed accross the 2 legs. COYG