Guess you're big favourites to beat them in the final then
Champion's League Semi Finals (with apostrophe)
- Thread starter HankHill
- Start date
Guess you're big favourites to beat them in the final then
Sorry but this is nonsense. The final is over 3 weeks away. Both, PSG and Bayern, already won their leagues and can prepare for Budapest with only match per week.
I really don’t understand where the people who think Arsenal will definitely lose the final take their confidence from. To me they are the favourites against both possible teams. They defend extremely well and are completely shameless in their cheating. That’s incredibly difficult to overcome.
You actually think that if you lot play the second leg with the intensity shown in the first one and at this stage of the season, worse with in an even more stressfull game there would be no place for some injury that can take more than three weeks, like for instance the hakimi muscle tear in the first game?....come on
Half your xG from the first leg match was down to a Martinelli chance that was miles offside, and over half of the xG you produced in the second leg came while down 3-0 on aggregate(and comes down to Saka's goal and missed open goal tap in). In fairness, PSG's xG is also boosted by an infuriating handball penalty
Definitely some luck involved and Donnarumma was very much key to their win, but it's also true that they took the early lead and mostly kept you at arm's lenght until after their lead ballooned to 3 goals
Arsenal are a bit like Southgate's England. Very efficient at putting away weaker sides but they often come up short against good teams.
Didn't beat City in either game this season including the "must win" last week. Scraped a 1-0 against us on opening day but were well beaten at home. Didn't beat Liverpool in either game this season... none of those 3 teams are anywhere near as good as PSG or Bayern.
I'm not confident that Arsenal will lose in the final but I do feel confident in saying they're a level below your lot and PSG.
I agree. They are fecking awful to watch but they are really really good at what they do.
Because arsenal cower against good teams and get beat, it's what they do under Arteta.
They obviously have a chance but they are definitely not the favourites.
They have already beaten us this season. In a rather convincing way.
Knockout football is a whole other thing versus group stages. Look at their results versus psg last year in groups and knockouts.
I know. But while knockouts are different, I wouldn’t disregard the game just like that.
That game was a travesty of football and refereeing
Replace only Lookman by Kvara or Luis Diaz and Arsenal lose both games against Atletico.
The only thing I would agree on is that a final is a completely different game of football that is more down to mentality than quality. Whoever is more confident on that particular night will win the game
It should be an interesting final, nonetheless, in an attack vs defence way.
I disagree that Bayern and PSG can't defend. In the first game, both managers made the choice to focus on what they can do best with the ball instead of looking to nullify each other's threat. We've seen it before. It's a tactic, not the absence of it as some may think. What magnified it was that they both went at it and they did it all over the pitch. I hardly expect this to be the case in the final.
I also believe that Arsenal can play good football, if they want to. Anyway, imagine if they told you 5 years ago, if Bayern go through, that Company and Arteta would be facing each other in a CL final.
I disagree that Bayern and PSG can't defend. In the first game, both managers made the choice to focus on what they can do best with the ball instead of looking to nullify each other's threat. We've seen it before. It's a tactic, not the absence of it as some may think. What magnified it was that they both went at it and they did it all over the pitch. I hardly expect this to be the case in the final.
I also believe that Arsenal can play good football, if they want to. Anyway, imagine if they told you 5 years ago, if Bayern go through, that Company and Arteta would be facing each other in a CL final.
Not disregarding, just stating that arsenal are not the favourites
Are you talking about some alternate reality? We were unbeaten against the top six teams for a long time and until this season had a great record against top sides.
It’s funny how in the Anfield game that broke the unbeaten streak this season Liverpool had played just as conservatively as us at home as major title favourites at that point, but since they scored a wonderful free kick the narrative was that our negative approach led to the defeat. In the recent City defeat we actually took more risks and created some big chances that we couldn’t convert. Gabriel was pressing Cherki high up the pitch, and City exploited our more open shape to score their winning goal.
Hopefully winning some trophies dispels the nonsensical narratives people have formed about this team over the years because facts apparently don’t.
From the fact that they've nearly lost a 10 point lead in the PL recently and they are playing against one of the best 2 teams in Europe. They also have a history of bottling trophies, have no CL pedigree or much experience.
I'm talking about this season. You either cower and lose or try to play and lose. Both have happened multiple times this year.
I get that they made their first European Cup final in 20 years but I thought their celebrations afterwards were a tad over the the top.
You can take the man out of Everton....
No but its far from a formality as you're alluding to.
I would hardly call it keeping us at arms length. They faced 25 shots against before going 3-0 up. Donarumma had to pull world class saves against Martinelli and Trossard to keep it 1-0 in the first leg. First 10 mins of the second leg they could have been 3-0 down if it wasn't for Donarumma.
Reminds of 2010 when Mourinho's Inter faced Bayern (van Gaaal's right?) in the final. I assumed Inter would win, though they were the less entertaining, more negative, side of that draw -- parallels there, alright, with Arsenal, etc., albeit that Inter were streets ahead of this Arsenal (that tactical master class against the best club side of all time, for instance).
I don't think Inter were better than Arsenal. On the other hand, both this Bayern side and PSG are streets ahead of LvG's version. Plus, Luis was a far more cautious manager than people like to remember.
Tbf that Bayern team was nothing special and we really should have qualified over them. We weren't pulling up trees either.
Jose's Inter beat the best team in Europe.
I dunno, the way Inter nullified Barca over two legs was as impressive, re game plans, as anything I've seen.
fair points
Who has the better chance of beating Arsenal in the final? Probably PSG?
Bayern I think, PSG are washed after the CWC last summer, injuries and fatigue, they're only 6 points clear in the league when it should be more like 20+ based on their resources. If Bayern get to the final, I think they'll beat Arsenal comfortably, but I would favour Arsenal over PSG.
What I'd given for it to be Bayern and to beat them with a Harry Kane hat trick
I had no idea Arsenal fans were such wankers. Learn something new every day I guess.
The rest felt like PSG having an early lead and keeping a disciplined but somewhat impotent side at bay. You're using xG to rewrite history here, unnecessarily really.
The only time last years PSG's was under pressure (besides the obvious Liverpool return leg and penalties) was when Villa pulled it back for 3:2 and 4:5 aggregate. Donnarumma was way more busy during that game than in either vs Arsenal. In fact, I believe he made 1 great save vs Arsenal in both legs (Odegaard's outside the box hit).
The rest felt like PSG having an early lead and keeping a disciplined but somewhat impotent side at bay. You're using xG to rewrite history here, unnecessarily really.
Arsenal could beat either Bayern or PSG, but there's no way they'd be the favourites against PSG. The level in quality up top is actually night and day.
Maybe in quality, PSG only had two weeks off in the summer and 10 days of pre season. Hakimi just got injured, I do think accumulated fatigue makes a difference. Even with their easy league and only 18 teams in it, they've been struggling domestically.
Arsenal had 7 weeks off and a full month of pre season.
This shows you haven't really watched game. Plus every stat points to this being completely wrong
First leg, Martinelli first half through on goal and Trossard second half through on goal. Both were world class saves
Second leg, Martinelli first 5 mins from a throw in, Saka curling shot early in the 2nd half which Donarumma pulled a worldly save.
This also excludes close chances that were missed (Martinelli first leg, Rice in the 2nd minute of second leg, Saka open goal)
They created chances too. They took the lead early which was a killer for us as we had to chase the game and their front 3 are deadly on the counter. But to say they kept us at bay is wildly off.
Fair enough assessment. Donnarumma was the most decisive player in that tie
I think some people don’t see the reality that this Arsenal side are winning trophies this season whether they like it or not.
However, like me, they are unfortunately swayed by the fact that you’ve got a complete tit of a manager, arseholes infesting the ground and an online fanbase who are an utter embarrassment.
Other than that, you sure know how to grind out a result.
Arsenal look to be hitting the perfect form at the right time with key players coming back. Ominous.
The way these accounts come out of the woodwork as soon as Arsenal look like they might win something
I forgot Arsenal beat Bayern handily in the group stage. Hoping for a PSG win in that case.
All is good and Arsenal clearly deserved to go through and reach their final. They are much like high jumpers always clearing just fine their bars at first of second attempt, say 2.30, 2.33, 2.35, say Woo or similar kids.. only to find one level too many at say 2.38 and they are out. Next game will be against PSG/Barshim or Bayern/Tamberi, good luck to them.