I really sincerely hope I'm wrong - but I fear I'm not.
I bet money on a Nice win tonight, could smell it coming from a mile off as they are a bit of a bogey team for PSG in recent times and of course PSG players would have one eye on the 1st leg in London. In case anyone wasn't aware, that was their first loss in the league this season ending the chance of finishing as invincibles.
Unfortunately I think it may cause us to be overconfident and it has come at the perfect time for them to ward against complacency, I suspect It will serve as a kick up the backside rather than a confidence blow. I fully expect us to draw or narrowly lose the first leg and I think across the two legs; Donnarumma will be the difference, possibly on penalties. He's a far better cup goalkeeper due to his ability to save penalties and frankly has more balls, big game experience and stature. Apart from with the ball at his feet a better goalkeeper than Raya generally.
I expect PSG to do the treble and albeit not on this platform I did say to friends and family before we faced Real Madrid that if we do somehow get past them I expect PSG to knock us out and go onto win it, just feel like it's their year, their time.
We have lost half of our spine in Gabriel and Partey (although the latter just for the 1st leg) and we are already virtually playing with ten men out there considering Odegaard this season. I expect PSG to find ways to expose Kiwior which Real Madrid didn't, especially without Partey and Rice together protecting in front of the back four. Add to that the likelihood of Merino in midfield and Trossard through the middle and it feels like the writing is on the wall to me.
As well as Enrique having both experience as a manager and player of getting over the line time and time again in major tournaments that Arteta has continually failed to do...
They are a better team than Real Madrid this season and I think it suited us being underdogs as it led to our players working their socks off and completely outrunning them. But I'm not sure we are seen as underdogs like we were against Real Madrid now given PSG's Champions League history...
Not to take anything away from us either but the contest against Real Madrid was pretty tight until a moment of individual brilliance from Rice and then another, it's not like we were creating a heap of chances up until that point and we were perhaps lucky not to have conceded too. We can't rely on that to happen again.
Please someone tell me I'm wrong and why? Yes anything can happen in football, Saka could steal the show, a crazy red card, two tight games and a single goal but weighing up everything above and the fact that the second leg (and potentially extra time and penalties) is in Paris leaves me highly concerned.
The final thing I will say is that out of the 4 remaining teams, one has already won the league and the other two are on course to win theirs. We are the outlier in that we've had a poor league season and sadly, perhaps that will finally catch up with us here.
Sorry to have to do this...
posted on 26/4/25
comment by Wobble: (U22876)
posted 26 minutes ago
You’re over thinking it
Arsenal can do them …..believe!
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That feels like a virtual-hug / e-hug.
Thank-you mate, I feel better already
I hope you are right
posted on 26/4/25
comment by WeekendOffender (U22920)
posted 24 minutes ago
Agreed.
A bit too much delirium followed the defeat of a Madrid team with the worst midfield in their recent history and missing half their defence.
I wouldn’t fancy Arsenal against any of the three remaining SF teams tbh.
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Not to mention an attack with no chemistry and a group of players who are arrogant like their club and their fans so can't be bothered to put a shift in until it's too late.
posted on 26/4/25
comment by You Can't Buy Class ¯\_/^v^\_/¯ (U12019)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by WeekendOffender (U22920)
posted 24 minutes ago
Agreed.
A bit too much delirium followed the defeat of a Madrid team with the worst midfield in their recent history and missing half their defence.
I wouldn’t fancy Arsenal against any of the three remaining SF teams tbh.
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Not to mention an attack with no chemistry and a group of players who are arrogant like their club and their fans so can't be bothered to put a shift in until it's too late.
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Agreed.
Really hope TAA stays away. That club isn’t for him.
posted on 26/4/25
It's a 50/50 game anything can happen. Partey and Gabriel are a huge miss for us
posted on 26/4/25
Another 3-0 at the Emirates is needed to go through.
posted on 26/4/25
Don't really get the hype around PSG they've got some good players but let's remember they haven't destroyed all before them. Needed penalties to beat Liverpool and despite what looked like dominance in the end they only beat Villa by one goal. People can say what they want about the demise of Madrid but for all intense and purposes they've owned this competition so beating them so easily is nothing to be dismissed.
posted on 26/4/25
Apart from with the ball at his feet a better goalkeeper than Raya generally.
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Really? He's quite poor at catching crosses and set pieces, especially for a keeper of his size.
I think you're just really nervous/chitting yourself. Relax man.
posted on 26/4/25
comment by Tu Meke (U3732)
posted 10 minutes ago
Apart from with the ball at his feet a better goalkeeper than Raya generally.
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Really? He's quite poor at catching crosses and set pieces, especially for a keeper of his size.
I think you're just really nervous/chitting yourself. Relax man.
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Yeah if it went to penalties I'd be worried, good shot stopper but other than that I dont think he's a great keeper they could certainly do better in that department.
posted on 26/4/25
comment by Tu Meke (U3732)
posted 4 hours, 6 minutes ago
Apart from with the ball at his feet a better goalkeeper than Raya generally.
===
Really? He's quite poor at catching crosses and set pieces, especially for a keeper of his size.
I think you're just really nervous/chitting yourself. Relax man.
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Raya can be poor with this at times as we witnessed against Palace. Being short for a goalkeeper doesn't help with catching. Although overall this season Raya has been quite solid with this apart from a handful of dodgy moments if you'll pardon the pun.
It's just a gut feeling I've had since they knocked Liverpool out, truly hope I'm wrong of course. Glad you guys are a bit more confident than me.
posted on 27/4/25
Raya is fooking excellent at catching crosses, probably the best in the league. He was last year too. I get you're nervous, but try to relax mate.