Arsenal vs Paris St Germain - 29.04.2025 - KO 20:00 GMT

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Originally Posted by Letters

I don't entirely disagree with that. It's always annoying to concede a late equaliser. But it was from an individual mistake, I don't think there's any way you can legislate for that.
I just don't think it's as big a factor as some are supposing. Possible it's not completely irrelevant either.
I just think we lost to a better side. It happens, especially at this level. Even then we had our chances - so did they of course but as you say there are fine margins in football and it could have been a better result on Tuesday, or a worse one. I still think with Partey back in the second leg the tie is not completely dead.

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I think the problem people have is I don’t think they take issue with it being said that PSG were the better side on the night, but the better side overall.

Donnarumma is better than Raya but I don’t think there’s that much in it

Dembele is better than whoever we play up front.

I don’t think Doue nor the Georgian lad are better than Saka or Martinelli

I could go on.


The problem is we played into their hands and didn’t show. Partey was a miss but it shouldn’t have been that big a miss.


Odegaard was horrible, Saka was slow, Rice was embarrassing, Merino is so poor that we all arguing that he’s much better off playing up front rather than his natural position.

Timber let himself down.

That wasn’t acceptable by the standards we’ve set for ourselves. A 105 million pound midfielder shouldn’t be shown up in terms of courage and sleeve rolling by an 18 year old Hale end graduate.

Our Captain shouldn’t be so terrified of even trying anything but the most basic of passes


We had to beat them, we didn’t come close and as far as I’m concerned in the last twenty minutes the players looked satisfied with a 1-0 defeat

I’ve seen someone suggest that for the second leg (yes I still think we are fucked and that it’s over, but doesn’t mean you can’t try for a Hail Mary pass) that Odegaard is dropped (that’s not the revelatory opinion, I think everyone bar Arteta seemingly wants this) but to play Saka in the middle and he can play interchangeably with Nwaneri wide right.

I think we should have tried this when Odegaard was injured last year, let alone now

I absolutely would go for this

I remember seeing Owen interviewed and he was saying how after his injuries he never quite trusted his knee again, and that always affected how he played after that.
Could be similar with Odegaard, or he's not properly recovered and has been rushed back due to other injuries. Dunno, but he's definitely not the player he was.

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Originally Posted by Letters

I remember seeing Owen interviewed and he was saying how after his injuries he never quite trusted his knee again, and that always affected how he played after that.
Could be similar with Odegaard, or he's not properly recovered and has been rushed back due to other injuries. Dunno, but he's definitely not the player he was.

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The thing is for a few weeks after he came back, playing well I thought…but just around December he faded and he’s never come close to recovering. Which makes me think it’s more psychological than anything.

Needs a couple of sessions with this chap


https://youtu.be/OJ5gAbXOOdQ?si=9mDj3UA2GSBgTyZM

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Originally Posted by HCZ_Reborn

I’ve seen someone suggest that for the second leg (yes I still think we are fucked and that it’s over, but doesn’t mean you can’t try for a Hail Mary pass) that Odegaard is dropped (that’s not the revelatory opinion, I think everyone bar Arteta seemingly wants this) but to play Saka in the middle and he can play interchangeably with Nwaneri wide right.

I think we should have tried this when Odegaard was injured last year, let alone now

I absolutely would go for this

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Well you'd be wrong because Saka does all his damage when he's wide.

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Originally Posted by Niall_Quinn

Well you'd be wrong because Saka does all his damage when he's wide.

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He’s also struggling for pace and actually was far better on Tuesday when he cut into the middle

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Originally Posted by Letters

I remember seeing Owen interviewed and he was saying how after his injuries he never quite trusted his knee again, and that always affected how he played after that.
Could be similar with Odegaard, or he's not properly recovered and has been rushed back due to other injuries. Dunno, but he's definitely not the player he was.

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I'm not sure it's the injury, for me Odegaard's problems lie in his decision making, it's not whether he's running or going into tackles, it's more what he does.with FKs and in the final third - who he passes to etc - that's what seems so off for me

I’ve said for ages that Odegaard’s problem is confidence, and whilst with free kicks I’ve never understood why he was the unquestioned free kick taker as he has only ever scored once from a direct fk and that was pretty much at the beginning of his Arsenal career….i think what you rightly point to as his decision making in the final third in terms of passing, decision making is confidence related.
Maybe what used to be second nature to him before his injury is something he struggles with now, that might not be directly related to his injury but it might be indirectly related….overthinks…is worried that he will fluff the perfectly weighted passes that were his trademark.

On top of that I do think he looks worried about getting injured again and is more hesitant when going to try and win possession. But I do agree with you (for once) that the main problem is the over cautious decision making in the final third

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Originally Posted by HCZ_Reborn

He’s also struggling for pace and actually was far better on Tuesday when he cut into the middle

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He wasn't though - nowhere near as good as he was against Madrid. In fact every time Timber had the ball out wide I kept thinking, that should be Saka. Whatever changes Arteta made there didn't work at all.

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Originally Posted by HCZ_Reborn

I’ve said for ages that Odegaard’s problem is confidence, and whilst with free kicks I’ve never understood why he was the unquestioned free kick taker as he has only ever scored once from a direct fk and that was pretty much at the beginning of his Arsenal career….i think what you rightly point to as his decision making in the final third in terms of passing, decision making is confidence related.
Maybe what used to be second nature to him before his injury is something he struggles with now, that might not be directly related to his injury but it might be indirectly related….overthinks…is worried that he will fluff the perfectly weighted passes that were his trademark.

On top of that I do think he looks worried about getting injured again and is more hesitant when going to try and win possession. But I do agree with you (for once) that the main problem is the over cautious decision making in the final third

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I hope that's not the case, about not wanting to be injured again. Or being hesitant. No player wants to be injured, but they play. If he's playing below his level because he's made the decision to play below his level, he needs to move to a team at his level and free up the space in our team for somebody to come in and play at the required level. Imagine if we'd have stuck with Sterling no matter what, just because he had a big rep? It could have prevented players like MLS or Ethan coming through. Can't carry anyone when you are climbing for the peak.