Down. But Certainly Not Out.

Ok - it's now the Friday after the Tuesday before. Three days since the match, and two full re-watches later. It's about time I got something out to you. So hopefully this review (and preview) will be worth it...

When you get to the rarified atmosphere of a Champions League semi-final, you should expect the quality of opponent to be pretty high. And that was certainly the case with PSG. They're on another level from anything I've seen at Emirates Stadium for quite some time; possibly superior to peak Manchester City from 4 or 5 years ago. I mean... I knew they were good - but did any of us think that they were that good? And the fact that this Arsenal side, shorn of the injured Gabriel, Califiori, Tomiyasu, Jorginho, Havertz and Jesus as well as (crucially) the suspended Partey, and up against a fully healthy PSG, are still in the tie is of great credit to both coaching staff and players.

Just before I get into the game, I'll give my thoughts on team selection. And also on the much-awaited pre-game 'party'. Team selection - precisely as anticipated; the question was how much the loss of Partey might unbalance the side, with Rice dropping into a holding midfield role and Merino in turn forced to play left 8. As for the pre-game tifo display etc... well, what an embarrassment!

Whilst I appreciate that Arsenal have every right to refuse suggestions from RedAction and the Ashburton Army (the Henry tifo for the Real Madrid game was superb, I'm sure you'd agree), I - along with thousands of others - was majorly disappointed with a mere gigantic cannon on a red background. Not large enough, not interesting or inventive enough; and not even hanging properly!  A real lack of imagination shown there, Arsenal - must do better. I was somewhere underneath the #MakeItHappen banner, by the way... The atmosphere pre-game, however, was superb. The Angel ('North London Forever') - spine-tingling. My pulse rate already at 110bpm. 

And then the game kicked off; very soon giving me flashbacks to May 2009 - the evening when Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United destroyed Arsenal's dreams in the first 10 minutes of the home side's most recent appearance at this stage.

For the first 20 minutes, PSG pretty much blew Arsenal away. They were a goal up as early as the fourth minute, following a prolonged period of possession (no less than 26 passes) that dragged Arsenal - crucially including Declan Rice - out of position. Rice had been lured forward, and was bypassed by a 30-yard pass into midfield as Dembélé dropped into the centre circle to receive the ball. Untracked by either Saliba or Kivior, he quickly found Kvaratskhelia on the left wing. With Timber caught infield and unable to engage, he made a tidy pass with the outside of the boot, and the unmarked Dembélé was on the edge of the Arsenal box to sweep the ball home off the far post. A devastating start, and one that put a power cut on the atmosphere; except down in the corner where the PSG Ultras were dancing and letting off flares.

What was noticeable in the minutes that following was that Arsenal couldn't get near the ball for more than very short periods of hurried possession, and it was clear that Rice was going to need to impose himself on the game very quickly for Arsenal not to suffer further. Ahead of Rice, the press wasn't getting to PSG, and they looked really comfortable. Everything felt off kilter. Indeed, PSG were toying with Arsenal, breaking between the lines and dropping into space with impunity. Kvaratskhelia was giving the ever-reliable Timber the most torrid of evenings. But, for all their possession, they were interestingly not actually creating that much.

I can't go much further into this without a mention of the referee, who decided to lay an early and - in the context of the enormity of this match - un-necessarily low marker down by booking Trossard for a fairly minor push on Hakimi, who had been looking to break free following a rare Arsenal corner. A very minor infringement, one would have said, and he compounded that decision with a series of dubious decisions throughout the rest of the game (but showing inconsistency by not getting the card out for worse offences). He certainly appeared to be more lenient on PSG throughout; allowing them to get away with much more than Arsenal. I variously described him as officious and sanctimonious as the game wore on; and some of the other 'descriptive' language around me would burn your screen off!

Nonetheless, Timber perhaps got away with one in a challenge on his Georgian opponent inside the penalty area. Maybe not quite enough for a penalty, but right on that line. 

I know that there is less tolerance for physicality in Europe than in England, but some of the decisions bordered on the petty side. On top of this, he was far more lax with PSG on where they took throw ins and free kicks from; thus adding to the sense of injustice. And this was last year's Champions League Final referee; coincidentally (I'm sure) a countryman of the UEFA President...

Meanwhile, in the first quarter of the game PSG continued to deal comfortably with Arsenal's press, and at the same time hurried the home side into errors. It was clear that Arteta was going to have to come up with some sort of tactical shift. 

Now, whatever he did appeared to start to work around the 20th minute. The way Arsenal were pressing was subtly altered, cutting down on some of the passes into midfield. Saliba also started following Dembélé out in order to harass him. Thus allowing Rice to get into more damaging areas. And Arsenal started to make some territorial headway. When PSG looked to break on them, one piece of strong play from MLS ignited and energised the crowd. 

That, plus a really good save from Raya from a Doué shot that forced him to change direction late, were key moments in the psychological battle. Things were perhaps looking up, with the play looking more even, but Arsenal were yet to threaten Donnarumma's goal in any meaningful way with half an hour gone.

By the end of the half, however, they had very much managed to do so. Bukayo Saka, finally able to influence the game in some way, wriggled past three defenders and had a low shot comfortably saved. He then wandered over to the other side of the field, again used his strength and quick feet to beat three men, and crossed to the far post where Martinelli (perhaps fractionally offside) was inches away from levelling up the tie. 

Saka then got himself booked for kicking the ball away following a linesman's call of a foul by him on Mendes that simply wasn't. 

Frustrating again; but hope was starting to spring. And especially when a driving run by MLS and a perfect release sent Martinelli in on goal as we hit the 45-minute mark. The Brazilian tried the old Henry-esque finish, which Donnarumma read. He could probably have started the ball out a little wider, but I wish he'd have gone near post instead; which the keeper would not have anticipated. Kudos to MLS, however - his contributions were lifting his team-mates and supporters alike. And the crowd booed the referee off the field at half-time.

Arsenal had been in the ascendancy at the whistle, and it could be argued that the break came at the wrong time. They appeared to have drawn level immediately, however, as they were awarded an free kick almost from the kick-off for a stray Neves arm into the face of Merino. From the subsequent free kick, Merino headed home, and we were up on our feet. 

From where I sit, the Spaniard looked a yard onside when he nodded home. But from the television angles that I've now seen, he did look offside (Kvaratskhelia's elbow looking the only hope of salvation); not quite able to get back on from the trademark Arsenal 'jump back' move. Bearing in mind that UEFA use semi-automatic offsides, the three-minute delay that followed was inexcusable. With match-going fans clueless as to what was happening, this was an infuriating passage of 'play'.

Difficult to discern a change in the pattern of play early on in the half, but it soon became clear that a) Arsenal were looking to go longer with their passing and b) Rice had moved further forward and was happier to carry the ball further. The second a brave move, with the centre-halves being entrusted with preventing the PSG midfield from benefitting from pockets of space. And the game was much more even.

In the 55th minute, we saw a trademark Declan Rice run. He strode through the midfield and released Trossard on the left with a perfectly weighted pass. The Belgian did (almost) everything right, and forced Donnarumma into an excellent save low to his left. If anything, Trossard perhaps scuffed the shot slightly, but he couldn't have done much more. Credit to the keeper, who got his 6'5" frame down to the turf, and stretched out his arm, very quickly indeed. If Trossard lifts that shot a couple of feet, however, it's in the net. Like the Martinelli effort at the end of the first half, it was fine margins.

The bravery in Arsenal's play was clear at this point. Kivior hardly put a foot wrong. Merino dropped in intelligently to cover Rice. Rice himself continued to drive at the French midfield at every opportunity. MLS dealt with an attempted Cruyff turn from Doué with disdain. Saliba could be seen constantly tracking Dembélé into the centre of the field. It was so much better.

However, as time passed and we approached the 80th minute, it was apparent that Arsenal were either running out of ideas, or perhaps even settling for a narrow defeat; conceding a second goal may well have been terminal. It was also worth considering that whilst Enrique had the luxury of being able to call on the likes of Barcola and Goncalo Ramos, Arsenal's injury woes left Arteta with very little in the way of game-changers. The fact that his first change was White for Timber told a story, and it was only very late on that Nwaneri replaced the disappointing Odegaard. 

And a word on our skipper. He's clearly nowhere near his best; and we don't know why. We're not seeing the incisive running and passing that we've become used to, and in this game he began to drop deeper and deeper in an attempt to influence the play. He's off his normal high standards, as his stats from the game showed. Passing - well below acceptable levels. Dribbles - one completed all night. Duels won - zero. But he gets no respite as the only alternative in his position is the teenager. But it cannot be said that he's not trying. He runs hard, leads the press, waves other players into where he needs them. He needs that spark back, but it may take a summer off for him to get there. 

Would you risk trying something different in a game such as the one next week? Nwaneri from the start? Trossard at left wing and Martinelli down the middle? Zinchenko into midfield? Start Saka at right 8? It all feels far-fetched to me. And I'm not even going to mention Raheem Sterling...

In the last 10 minutes, Arsenal could well have conceded that decisive second goal. Joao Neves blasted one opportunity over the bar.  Barcola shot just wide following a clever one-two. Ramos's shot hit the bar. Worrying times as the home team's second half efforts took their toll.

But it ended 0-1, and whilst it wasn't what we wanted hope springs eternal. The sight on the television of Califiori, Havertz and Partey standing in the tunnel near the end gave a hint of what might have been, and next week will be different. Of course, going to the Parc Des Princes will not be easy, but I sense that Arteta knows what to do from here. Importantly, with Partey back it will mean that a) Rice can move forward, b) Merino can go back up top as a tall target man, c) Trossard will add depth to the bench and d) they've seen what they need to counter now, and they'll have Partey to help counter the threats. It ain't over until it's over.

I've heard a lot of nonsense spoken about the 'lack of atmosphere' in the ground. But I'm not buying it. That's really quite harsh. It was superb pre-game. But the early concession burst the balloon good and proper. You'd expect the away support to make the noise they did - it's the same everywhere you go - and Arsenal didn't really do enough to consistently get the crowd up. When they did, the crowd responded. But otherwise it was as you'd expect, in my view. Talk of 'tourists', and the fans not backing the team are wide of the mark. 

Just a quick mention of the other semi-final. If you didn't watch it, you missed an absolute treat! It ended 3-3, but could have been 6-6. Barcelona are devastating going forward, and in Raphinha and particularly the mercurial Lamine Yamal have two scintillating wingers. And Inter surprised me; willing to counter attack throughout, and completely unlike any Italian side I've seen before. Whoever reaches the final from that side will be very dangerous - but they have plenty of apparent weaknesses too.

And now from the sublime to the ridiculous. Spurs against the Norwegian champions. Manchester United in Bilbao. And Chelsea facing the might of Djurgaarden. Yes, all three look favourites to reach their respective finals; but how jealous must their supporters be of Champions League-chasing Arsenal!

On a personal note, I intend to start a petition to UEFA requesting that they cancel the Europa League final - or at least withdraw the trophy. To think that Spurs or United could finish 17th, yet still be in next year's Champions League, makes an absolute mockery of the seeding/coefficient system.

In the meantime, it's Bournemouth at home before the trip to Paris next week. A game not to be taken too lightly, as Arsenal need 7 points from the last 12 to guarantee second place - and still have to face Liverpool and Newcastle. Expect rotation, of course - but there can't be much with so many out injured.

COYG!

From Palace To Paris

A quick review of the draw with Palace to start off. Followed by a tactical analysis of the big game on Tuesday. If you don't want to read the Palace review - ancient history and all that - then scroll down to the photo of Emirates Stadium at night.

Just a few days after singing the praises of an Arsenal side who looked to have elevated themselves mentally following victory in the Santiago Bernebeu, we need to reflect on a sloppy performance at home to Crystal Palace that indicates that - however great a side one may purport to be - there is no escape from the need to work hard. Following on from two fixtures against Real Madrid where we saw Arsenal players run further and harder than their opponents, we saw them drop those levels; and pay the price for it. For all that Crystal Palace had an FA Cup semi final at the weekend, it was clear from very early on that, despite having literally nothing to play for in terms of the Premier League, their players wanted it more. 

Perhaps, having scored very early - Kivior's header from no fewer than 12 yards had Henderson rooted to his line - from yet another set-piece (olé! olé!) - Arsenal thought that it was going to be easy. But that was not the case, as Palace pressed in a manner that we've not seen from too many other sides this season. They hunted Arsenal down in packs, hustled them into errors, and were never out of the game at any stage.

To be frank, it was clear where Arteta's priorities lay as - whilst Saka's knock in the previous game may have precluded him from starting this match - the selection of the utterly ineffective Sterling told a very clear story. With Merino and White both sidelined, the team pretty much picked itself. But Arsenal were only in second gear - not wanting to exert themselves too much with the Premier League long gone and a massive game less than a week away - and paid the price. Eze's stunning volley from the edge of the penalty area following a corner levelled things up midway through the first half. Eze... now there's one fine footballer.

Trossard again (olé! olé!) as Arsenal took the lead again just before half time. A fine finish from the edge of the penalty area, with a slight deflection wrong-footing Henderson. And that was a relief; not least because it felt a little undeserved, with Palace clearly having put in more effort throughout. As far as Leo is concerned, however, that made 4 goals in 4 PL matches as - even with Partey suspended for Tuesday - he is making a decent shout for a semi final start.

I'm going to chuck in another piece of PGMOL controversy here before I go on. A scooped pass from Odegaard saw Timber - apparently in an offside position - nudge the ball back from the bye-line into the 6-yard box, where Martinelli tapped in from around a foot out. A drawn-out (of course) VAR check for offside, and as it turns out Timber was ok. But, in what looked like a piece of guesswork from the VAR, the goal was ruled out for the ball being out of play. And I really don't think that it was. I still remember the controversy at Newcastle a couple of years ago, so this was further irritation with the incompetence of officialdom.

Saka, who had replaced Sterling but who found even himself almost completely sidelined throughout the half hour he played as he saw very little of the ball, nonetheless had a chance to sew up the points from a Martinelli cross, but Henderson saved well. And then - to add to the catalogue of dropped points due to officiating this season - Mateta equalised. I'm stretching things, of course, because this was completely down to a mistake from Saliba - a second one leading to a goal in three matches from the generally immaculate Frenchman, who must cut this out. I imagine that he's probably feeling fatigued at this stage of the season - now with the extra mental strain of babysitting Kivior - but this isn't what we've come to expect. Saliba's misplaced pass let in Mateta, who cleverly lobbed Raya - a long way out of his goal as usual - from 25 yards. Annoying all round, and yet another draw to add to the tally. Although Arsenal should, technically, have been 3-1 up and out of sight at that point if the officials had done their job properly instead of guessing.

Now Mateta is an interesting one. Lacking the profile of the more talked-about centre forwards in Europe, he is vastly improved this season, and is a constant threat to defenders. He is big (I mean, really big!), strong and not lacking in pace. Nor skill. A dark horse to be picked up by a bigger club, perhaps?; along with Eze and Wharton - Palace's three best players. I rather like him.

So two more points dropped; leaving Liverpool with the simple task of not losing to Tottenham in order to confirm their title; and leaving all those associated with Arsenal to wonder about what might have been. Say no more... but further taunts from the unbelievably infuriating Palace fans of  'Second again - olé! olé!' rang hollow when, once again with a 'lesser' club, one looks at their PL position. Nonetheless, I really hope that they win the FA Cup, which would be the first big trophy of their history.

Second place is not quite sorted, so Arsenal must keep half an eye on that. But the biggest game of the season so far is almost upon us. PSG in the Champions League semi final. And, if my analysis is correct, this could be a decent match-up for Arsenal. Or a disaster... 

Let's have a look at the opposition.

PSG are a completely different outfit to the team that Arsenal beat comfortably in the group stages in the autumn. Similar personnel, but whilst Luis Enrique was searching for answers back then, he has since mostly found them. They were awesome against Liverpool in their last 16 match-up - the aggregate scoreline didn't come close to reflecting their superiority - but they had a surprising struggle against Aston Villa in the quarter finals. Particularly in the latter stages of the second leg, where Villa put them under considerable pressure. And this is perhaps where Arteta will look to exploit weakness.

Enrique's tweaks eventually led him to start Dembélé as his 'false 9', with Barcola and Doué on the flanks. The addition of the exciting Kvaratskhelia in January added a further threat - he looks like a very good player. But just as key was the decision to let the leash off of left back Nuno Mendes, who joins his right-sided counterpart Hakimi as dual attacking threats; thus continually overloading opposing defences. With Dembélé shifting out wide, the full backs run forward and infield and dovetail with their wingers. It's difficult for defenders to see the patterns. With three skilful midfielders backing them up, they generally dominate the ball and force opponents back.

But... it's generally pretty easy in Ligue Un. Not quite so in the Champions League. And to my eye PSG's attacking patterns have the capability to offer opportunities for Arsenal. Win the ball back. Break the press. Because in transition Arsenal can expose them.

On the assumption that Arteta goes down the 'safe' route of dropping Rice into the 'number 6' role, and uses Merino and Odegaard as twin '8s', then I can see some interesting scenarios. Rice devours the ground and anticipates well, and whilst he lacks the cuteness in tight spaces of Partey or even Lewis-Skelly (I'll come back to him) he has the power to dominate his counterparts; as he did to Bellingham in the previous round. Freeing the ball to Merino - whose cute one-touch passing can be a real asset - or Odegaard - who is starting to carry the ball more effectively and decisively now that his mate is back in the side - can help break past/through the PSG midfield and give opportunities to the speedy Martinelli and the mercurial Saka. With Trossard dropping deep and perhaps taking a centre half with him, and with the PSG full backs perhaps over-committing, then I see exciting possibilities.

Whether you are watching or going to the game, expect to see PSG have more of the ball than Arsenal. I expect a mid-block from Arteta, and an attempt to 'rope a dope' the French side. Mikel will surely rely on his team's defensive solidity, and look to draw PSG on. Expect it to be cagey, and a game of 'transitions'. It won't be 'blood and thunder' - at least not to start with. The key will be not to let the wingers in behind, and not to allow the full backs to find space between Arsenal's defenders.

For me, a key battle will be between Kvaratskhelia and Timber. The winger can be devastating off of either foot, but he will be up against possibly the best defensive full back in world football. Saka will obviously be dropping back to help too, and Rice must hold his central position as much as possible. 

On the other side of the field, it will be interesting to see whether Arteta gives MLS license to 'invert'; the issue being whether this is likely to expose Kivior to Doué (who I'd imagine will start ahead of Barcola). Martinelli can be very important here, but perhaps with Rice's physical capabilities - greater than Partey's, for sure - maybe Arteta will ask MLS to rein himself back a little.

One area where Arsenal can dominate is at set pieces. PSG aren't the tallest or most physical of sides, and Donnarumma - whilst a world-class shot stopper - is not so hot on crosses. Corners and free kicks in the PSG final third may be key. Watch out for them.

Both sides have fallen away domestically recently. Arsenal's league challenge has been dying for weeks (and was finally put out of its misery on Sunday). PSG sewed up the title long ago, but were looking to go Invincible. They failed miserably in that quest on Friday, going down 3-1 at home to Nice in a game that they absolutely dominated. That may well end up as a template for the second leg for Arteta.

From my point of view, if Arsenal can come out of the first leg with any lead - no matter how slender - then I see the team being capable of defending it in the Parc Des Princes next week. A draw wouldn't be a complete disaster, but defeat may be. Either way, it's going to be a fascinating tactical battle between two coaches who learnt much as youngsters at La Masia. Both clubs - perennial Champions League under-achievers over the past 20 years - can spy a shot at destiny. PSG must be hurt from years of painful and embarrassing knockout defeats, and Arsenal - now back where they belong - must shrug aside thoughts of all those painful exits at the hands of Barcelona and Bayern. One of them will create their own history over the next 8 days - let's hope and pray that it's Arsenal.

If you're going tonight, be in your seat early. By all accounts it'll be worth it!

Oh - and it's probably pointless mentioning it here, but I'll have a go. The second leg falls on my 65th birthday. I'd love to spend it in Paris; so if you hear of a spare?...

Right then. COYG!!!

Arsenal’s New Aura. And Arteta’s Partey Replacement Dilemma

Nothing huge to report from a pretty routine win at Portman Road against an outclassed Ipswich Town; one major and a few minor talking points notwithstanding. But I did sense something different about the demeanour of the players just a few days after the win at the Bernebeu. An aura - a swagger, almost. A sense of them having hit a new level; psychologically at least. There’s actually no telling what beating Real Madrid might do for this group on a mental level as they move forward.

Of course a sample size of one is not statistically relevant, and Arsenal’s kryptonite - the low block - remains the final part of the jigsaw that Arteta needs to solve. But if they carry this aura on in the rest of the Premier League campaign - difficult matches against Liverpool and Newcastle notwithstanding - then perhaps taking the same attitude into next season and to whatever the opposition put up against them will turn out to be the answer.

What is for certain is that Ipswich had not a single answer to Arsenal, at any stage, and supporters in the ground would have ended up with cricked necks from watching pretty much all the play in one third of the field. But we don’t have to cast our minds back too far to remember recent struggles against said low blocks against Brentford, Everton, Nottingham Forest and others that in the end have cost the team any chance of vying for the Premier League title. 

However, I sensed something different about the team on Sunday; it was as if beating Real had elevated the group to a higher plane. Watch this space.

And so to the game itself. Arteta went strong to start with, wanting to burn the opposition off early, and the team delivered. The full backs and Partey were rested, however. First half goals from Trossard (playing in the false 9 with Merino dropping back into midfield) and Martinelli had put the game to bed long before the game’s major talking point. 

On the goals; Arsenal’s right hand side, with Saka almost back to full power, looked irrepressible, and Starboy had whoever faced up to him on toast. Whether he went inside or outside, they had no answer, and there is simply no doubt now as to his importance to the team - nor to his standing in world football. Add in his link-up play with Odegaard, and we’re looking at questions that any defence in the world are going to find it difficult to answer.

The second goal, by the way, was a thing of complete beauty. Saka, released by Trossard, burst down the right and crossed; where Merino - rotating with Trossard - sublimely flicked the ball to the onrushing Martinelli, who passed the ball into an open goal. I'm sure that Merino meant it...

Of course, the major talking point from the match was the horrendous challenge on Saka from Davis, which sent Starboy 5 feet into the air. The defender raked his studs down Saka's achilles - and if you've ever had someone do that to you, then you know how painful it is. Davis simply couldn't have been going for the ball - it was too far away - so that was deliberate; and he got exactly what he deserved in the shape of a red card. Impact injuries are of course easier to deal with than muscular ones, so the application of ice to the point of impact would have helped Starboy's recovery, and I do expect to see him in some capacity against Crystal Palace.

Following lengthy treatment, Saka was able to continue. Bizarrely, the Suffolk inbreds decided that the best course of treatment for Saka for having the audacity to be fouled so horrendously was to boo his every touch from then on. I have no idea whatsoever why they should choose to do so. But in the space of the next 10 minutes Starboy missed a hat-trick of what for him were more than presentable opportunities to score (at the same time making a mockery of my decision to make him my Fantasy League captain for the week). Close-ups of Saka indicated that he at least saw the funny side of it, but on another day Arsenal could have been 5-0 up at half-time.

The second half was as much a formality as the first, with Arsenal doubling their lead via goals from Trossard (again Ole Ole) and Nwaneri - via a couple of deflections - both from short corner routines. Saka had long departed, but the dynamic of the game hadn't changed; as Odegaard pulled Arsenal's strings. There was almost a dream start to the Premier League career of Nathan Butler-Oyedeji (NBO from now on!), who finally made it onto the pitch following a dozen appearances on the bench, as his very first touch was a rasping shot from the edge of the penalty area that had Palmer at full stretch to palm over.

And that was that. Ipswich have been doomed almost from the start, of course, and will along with last season's other two promoted sides be going back down from whence they came. The gap is simply too much for most promoted sides. Although this may change next season, as both Leeds and Burnley have recent Premier League experience and better squads than this season's lambs to the slaughter. If that's the case, then hopefully Tottenham's recent slide down the table can continue into the 25/26 season and see them in a real relegation battle; as it stands they are likely to finish 17th this season - saved from ignominy only by the lack of quality of Southampton, Ipswich and Leicester. 

Whilst Spurs have somehow found their way into the Europa League semi-finals - along with the other Banter Club Manchester United (we're all lovers of Bode/Glimt and Bilbao, are we not?) - Arsenal have much bigger fish to fry next week as they come up against PSG in what could be a classic Champions League semi-final matchup. Mikel Arteta does, however, have a dilemma to solve, due to the idiotic booking that Thomas Partey picked up late on in the Bernebeu. The Ghanaian is ruled out for the first leg, and those are big boots to fill. With Jorginho and Califiori both still out, this will mean that the Manager has to be creative.

There are a number of ways to skin this particular cat, with the easiest one appearing to be dropping Rice to the number 6 role, Merino to left 8, and sticking Trossard up top. This is by no means perfect, however, as it will restrict the influence of Rice; and also leave Trossard dwarfed by the PSG centre backs. There was plenty of positional rotation on Sunday, but Ipswich aren't PSG, and Sam Morsy is no Vitinha!

What we did see on Sunday was Arteta experimenting with his midfield, We saw first Zinchenko and then MLS move into the number 6 role, with Tierney coming on at left back, and this is certainly another alternative for the Manager to consider, but it's a risk against such a potent midfield. I suspect that Arteta's natural conservativeness will see Rice start at number 6, but there will be wriggle room as the game develops. Interesting. 

For me, PSG are a decent matchup for Arsenal. They are an entirely different outfit to the one that Arsenal completely bossed in the group stages of the tournament, and they certainly won't be looking to sit back in a low block. It ought to be a game of attack and counter attack, and the best defence - Arsenal's - can hopefully expect to come out on top. Two games to really look forward to.

Meantime, it's Crystal Palace first; the match brought forward from Saturday with Palace in FA Cup semi final action at the weekend. Arteta and Arsenal may well have their minds on next week, but Glasner and Palace will have their weekend even further at the forefront of their minds. Hopefully we won't see Eze, who is their main creative threat, and I don't really want to see Mateta either. But, having thrashed Palace 5-1 at Selhurst Park in their first meeting this season, I don't expect that Arsenal should have too much difficulty with them. Frankly, Arsenal still need the points in order to keep their challengers at bay - the likes of Forest, City and Newcastle continue to nibble at their toes - so Arteta cannot afford to rotate his starting line-up too much.

We shall see. In the meantime... COYG!

The Colossus Of Madrid

History buffs will know that the Colossus of Rhodes was a gigantic statue of the Greek Sun God, Helios. It was regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Last night, Declan Rice bestrode the Santiago Bernebeu like a giant himself, dominating Real Madrid. A colossal performance from somebody who we know already was a fine player, but has now announced his brilliance to the world.

Rice completely outshone Jude Bellingham (whose petulant behaviour during and after the match meant that some Arsenal fans have now dubbed him Jude B*ll*nd). He was up and down the pitch all night, getting tackles, blocks and interceptions in as required, but not afraid to break forward and help set the tone for Arsenal moving the other way. A performance that reminded me in many ways of peak Steven Gerrard.

Of course, Rice wasn't the only hero of the evening. But what really impressed me most - apart from the utterly disciplined and professional team performance - was the bravery of firstly the Manager in devising the tactics, and then of the team - as a whole - in carrying them out to a 'T'. Not prepared to allow Madrid to dictate play, Arsenal chose their moments - especially early on - to press high. This put Madrid on the back foot, and prevented them from getting into any sort of rhythm. The drive up top in the press, especially from Odegaard, Merino and Saka, meant that Madrid couldn't develop any pattern of play. And with Martinelli buzzing everywhere, the home side really struggled and rarely looked like clawing back the deficit.  

There were, of course, a few moments that could easily have been turning points or momentum changers. Arsenal's early penalty - correctly awarded by VAR after the referee missed it - ought really to have settled the nerves. Who knows what Asencio was thinking as he hauled Merino to the ground at a corner? And frankly who cares? But we simply weren't prepared for what happened next, as Starboy tried something he'd never done before in a competitive match; a 'Panenka'. 

What was he thinking, we must have thought, as it went horribly wrong and Courtois saved easily. I'm very firmly of the opinion that the Shearer method is the way to go - aim for a top corner and hit it as hard as you can. But Saka's weak and misdirected attempt lobbed gently to the goalkeeper's right. 

My first thought was that the moment could a) be a momentum changer, and b) might affect Saka's confidence. 

• On the first count, when Mbappe threw himself to the floor a few minutes later - the referee buying it; awarding a very soft penalty - was that the two penalty incidents would be how the match would be remembered. Fortunately, the VAR alerted the referee to the softness of the award and sent him to the screen. It was clear that Mbappe had thrown himself to the ground at the slightest touch from Declan Rice, and following a 5 minute delay (ludicrous) the penalty award, and subsequent yellow card for Dec, were both rescinded. In the Premier League, that's not happening; the VAR would back his mate up and cite the lack of a 'clear and obvious error'. On the other hand, I don't think that Arsenal get their penalty if Asencio's foul on Merino occurs in a Premier League game. Maybe I'm paranoid, but for me these are yet another example of how poorly the VAR regulations are applied in England
• On the second count... well, not a bit of it. Starboy stood up tall and got on with what he needed to do; which was torment David Alaba (who, by the way, might easily have been sent off as early as the 8th minute for a horrific attempt at a 'reducer' that wiped Saka out). For me, it's never too early for a red card if the offence demands it. And Alaba wasn't the only Madrid defender who should have seen one!

Meantime, Madrid's aggression, which had already led to two bookings, had seen Rudiger haul Partey to the ground prior to a free kick. He was to repeat the action not once, but twice later on Timber, and also barrelled into Merino late; and was then inexplicably not even booked - let alone sent off - for a stamp on MLS's mid-section in the second half. It took until the 85th minute for him to finally receive the yellow card he fully deserved. Lenient refereeing; and B*ll*nd should also have seen yellow for also manhandling Timber to the ground, followed up a little later by a nasty tackle on his England colleague Rice. But as it seems is becoming prevalent in the refereeing world, foul play is not sufficiently punished, but Raya received a yellow for time-wasting just after the half hour. I can't get my head around this.

There was an interesting incident as the players walked off at half-time, when the injured Carvajal took it upon himself to try to get under Saka's skin; first verbally and then by laying a hand on his neck. Saka was livid; and whilst I'm not sure if the Spaniard was punished for it, he should have been! However, and as we well know, it's difficult to ruffle our Starboy. In any case, Arsenal had reached half-time safely at 0-0.

As the game wore on, Arsenal's tactics were clear. Happy to let Madrid have the ball in front of them in a mid to low block, they were doing to Madrid what so many do to them. And at 3-0 up, why the hell not? And Madrid seemed, frankly, devoid of ideas. They fell into the trap of lumping crosses into the Arsenal penalty area - something we've quite often accused Arsenal of being naive enough to do to certain teams - but with Saliba, Kivior and others looking solid, and space at a premium, it was doomed to failure. Madrid ended up with a total of 46 almost entirely ineffective crosses in the game. Chuck in a bit of gamesmanship/time-wasting, and the home crowd grew increasingly more frustrated. On the television, what we could hear alternated between whistles (at their own players) from the home crowd, and some of the all too familiar songs from the Arsenal cohort. 'Allez Allez' came out on several occasions, and we also got at least one 'You've only come to see the Arsenal'. I did get a little jittery, however, when the away fans began to 'Ole!' Arsenal passing as early as the 55th minute!

Arsenal killed the tie stone dead in the 65th minute. A delightful passing move involving Saka, Odegaard (twice), Rice and then Merino saw the latter cleverly slip Starboy in for a delicate chip over the advancing Courtois. A thing of beauty and my heart rate - which hit 80+ prior to the game and went over 90 during the penalty incidents - finally dropped back to normal. To put into context, when Merino scored Arsenal's third in the first leg it had hit an astonishing 160; but in truth I was pretty relaxed by the latter stages of the first half. Weren't you? And Saka, of course, had answered the question about whether his confidence had taken a hit from the penalty miss in the perfect manner.

Rather disconcertingly, Real equalised almost immediately, when Saliba dallied on the ball and was punished by Vinicius Jnr. In truth, whilst this and the penalty miss by Saka were big errors, they weren't anything like as critical in the long-term as the stupid yellow card that Partey picked up late on for reacting to the Rudiger infraction that finally saw him carded. I can forgive the occasional playing lapse, but a mental error like the one Partey made could yet cost Arsenal dearly, as he is now going to miss the first leg of the semi-final.

When Mbappe injured himself and limped off in the 75th minute, I literally put my feet up. Arsenal pretty much cruised through the rest of the match - Partey's yellow card notwithstanding (and Rice was absolutely furious with the Ghanaian!) - and the Arsenal fans could be seen partying up in their corner of the Bernebeu.

The icing on the cake was provided by Gabriel Martinelli. Yet another futile cross was headed out by Kivior, and Merino's threaded pass found the sprinting Brazilian. He outpaced Fran Garcia and finished in Henry-esque style into the far corner. Buenos Noches, Madrid!

So what can we take from this win? Well firstly, as I've already mentioned, they are superbly coached and organised, and even in the absence of Gabriel (and White and Calafiori) have a fabulous defence. Declan Rice was magnificent - again! - and rightfully received his second successive Player of the Match award, Of the others... well, let's go through them all:

• Raya - solid. Did everything he needed to do tidily; although I'm going to blame him just a little for playing Saliba into a bit of trouble for the equaliser
• Timber - another 9/10 performance. Saw Vinicius Junior off comfortably
• Saliba - despite the error, was outstanding once more. Took the brunt of the organisational pressure up on himself in the absence of Gabriel, and marshalled Kivior superbly
• Kivior - a really solid performance. Rarely under pressure, and rarely ruffled. He's slotted in seamlessly for Gabriel, and we're seeing the player that Arteta knew he was buying. A performance like this puts several million on his transfer fee, should Arsenal decide to sell him
• MLS - it's difficult to fathom that the kid is just 18. Another mature performance, both in defence and also with the guts and knowhow to feel happy to invert into midfield when he could. Superb
• Partey - an idiotic yellow card, yes; but otherwise did his job perfectly, Covered the space. Put his body on the line. Had 100% passing accuracy. Give him another year, Mikel
• Rice - what can anyone say? He was everywhere - snuffing out Madrid continually, and launching counter-attacks. A £105m bargain!
• Odegaard - a little off range with his passing - as he has been quite a lot this season - in the first half - but never stopped showing for the ball, and dovetailed well with Saka (as you'd expect). Covered more ground than any other player
• Saka - pretty much impeccable apart from the penalty miss. To think that he's still not fully fit! World class
• Martinelli - got the reward he deserved for his hard work with his goal. Right back to form now
• Merino - gloriously understated. Never stopped working, closing down and filling gaps. Got his just rewards with both assists, and is frankly doing a remarkable job in his new role

As for talk of a remontada (comeback) from Real - well, that was all it was; talk. They barely had a sniff. In truth, they're not a vintage Madrid side, and it's almost as if the acquisition of Mbappe - a fantastic footballer but not really a team player - has upset their applecart. Arsenal were playing history, and the aura of the stadium, as well as the 11 in front of them. They were largely unruffled by any of that, and fully deserved to go through.

And so we move on to PSG. Things don't get any easier, do they? But what do you expect - this is the Champions League! Still, we saw Viila demonstrate what can be done if you can get at them - they are not unbeatable; although I wouldn't draw too many conclusions from the fact that Arsenal have already beaten them comfortably in the Group stages of this competition, as they are playing considerably better now. But Arsenal can certainly overcome them.

I'd love to go to Paris. The second leg is scheduled for my 65th birthday! But with precisely zero away points my chances are low to zero. Still, if you hear anything...

Ipswich away next. Back to the grind of the Premier League. But Arsenal must keep going. Even with the three or four changes that I expect for Sunday, they should really have far too much for their soon-to-be-relegated hosts. In the meantime, bask in the glory. COYG!