PSG H Big lugs Semi final first leg Tues 29th April KO 8pm

[xgtdec]

Im saying nothing, i got it wrong against Madrid and i figure if you can turn madrid over twice in as many weeks you can do it to any team on your day.

Anything further risks a jinx........

[Kingralph]

Shitting it today. I got it wrong versus Real but I can’t shake the feeling that it’ll all go bad tonight. I really hope not, but my nerves are shot!

[Retro Gunner]

There was a sense of euphoria after the RM game, but I'm back to where I usually am before any game, against any opposition, in any competition...namely, I haven't a fucking clue what to expect. Will it be another Madrid style performance, or a Palace style one that we saw at the weekend. Let's be honest, the RM performances are the exceptions, not just since Christmas, but pretty much all season.

In an effort to be positive, at least the Madrid games showed that we do have something in the locker and while I've only really seen the PSG games against Villa, it does seem that that they will employ an attacking, flowing style even away from home and we are always at our best when there's space on the pitch. We all know that we struggle like mad against team that sit deep.

It isn't the day to be negative, but I'd be a lot happier if we had the striker we all know we badly need. Look at the difference Mateta and Saar made for Palace when they came on against us and in their SF against Villa. Still, we can't change it, it is what it is for tonight.

I'll be at the game and hoping for the type of atmosphere there was against Franco's boys.

Up The Gunners.

[Thynker]

I think we're headed for a final against Barca which we'll lose in controversial circumstances

[the playing mantis]

Do I watch or not lads?

Didn't watch RM home but watched away.

Feel if I watch may jinx

Actually a bit nervous for a game for first time in an age bar NLD. As we have a proper chance now.

[Gunner Rob]

I keep coming back to the fact that we were actually struggling to break Real Madrid down as we entered the 2nd half of the 1st leg.
It took a set piece goal to get us going and it might be similar tonight.

Where both teams tonight have been good in the competition has been away from home, so a draw wouldn’t be the worst result.

[augie]

I get that we are only in semi final first leg yet, but I cant help feeling a bit of the old "after the lord mayor's show" about tonight's game - the euphoria after madrid games was so high that there was always going to be a drop off afterwards, and maybe if I had of watched the palace game THAT would have been my lull game, but because I didnt see that game tonight's has that drop off feeling and it shouldnt and I know that

I too am worried about tonight's performance, and given the amount of poor performances this team has churned out lately, I think that is perfectly natural. I dont go along with the notion that our team is more suited to european football than premiier league football - I do believe that real madrid are more suited to what we play domestically than most european teams in that they seem to be a team built around speed at the top end of the pitch, but english football is the fastest pace in the world so our players are well used to that. The madrid midfield in particular had no guile or creativity and that is the type of football that can undo us, and a team like barca has that in spades.

Personally I think dembele is over-rated, BUT he is enjoying a big season for them and his confidence will be high - ordinarily I would want to move lewis-skelly into partey's position tonight, but because dembele will be on their right wing I would prefer to leave lewis-skelly at left full instead of calafiori, and play jorginho in defensive midfield.

I absolutely HATE reading stories the day before a game suggesting that we are targeting an opposition player cos we view him as the weak link - talk about giving a guy extra motivation Yesterday there were reports suggesting that we see donnaruma as their weak link (yes that is the same guy that gave worldie performances against the victims and villa ) - I look at the complete opposite of what happened last week when the palace manager said AFTER THE GAME that they targeted raya cos they seen him as a weakness, and I wonder why we cant keep our thoughts to ourselves until after we play psg too, cos if donnaruma has another worldie and they knock us out, we will look like complete gobshites again

[DB10GOONER]

Do I watch or not lads?

Didn't watch RM home but watched away.

Feel if I watch may jinx

Actually a bit nervous for a game for first time in an age bar NLD. As we have a proper chance now.

DO NOT WATCH THE HOME LEG!!!

Then watch the away leg and we'll win the tie!

[SteveO 35]

The hyping up of the Farmers League Champions continues and long may it continue. Thicko Rio can't see beyond PSG in the final and let's hope they all call it that way. A team torn apart by a Man U loanee and saved a 6-2 drubbing at Villa's hands by their keepwr has obviously gone unnoticed!

Pipe and slippers for the second leg....

[DB10GOONER]

I get that we are only in semi final first leg yet, but I cant help feeling a bit of the old "after the lord mayor's show" about tonight's game - the euphoria after madrid games was so high that there was always going to be a drop off afterwards, and maybe if I had of watched the palace game THAT would have been my lull game, but because I didnt see that game tonight's has that drop off feeling and it shouldnt and I know that

I too am worried about tonight's performance, and given the amount of poor performances this team has churned out lately, I think that is perfectly natural. I dont go along with the notion that our team is more suited to european football than premiier league football - I do believe that real madrid are more suited to what we play domestically than most european teams in that they seem to be a team built around speed at the top end of the pitch, but english football is the fastest pace in the world so our players are well used to that. The madrid midfield in particular had no guile or creativity and that is the type of football that can undo us, and a team like barca has that in spades.

Personally I think dembele is over-rated, BUT he is enjoying a big season for them and his confidence will be high - ordinarily I would want to move lewis-skelly into partey's position tonight, but because dembele will be on their right wing I would prefer to leave lewis-skelly at left full instead of calafiori, and play jorginho in defensive midfield.

I absolutely HATE reading stories the day before a game suggesting that we are targeting an opposition player cos we view him as the weak link - talk about giving a guy extra motivation Yesterday there were reports suggesting that we see donnaruma as their weak link (yes that is the same guy that gave worldie performances against the victims and villa ) - I look at the complete opposite of what happened last week when the palace manager said AFTER THE GAME that they targeted raya cos they seen him as a weakness, and I wonder why we cant keep our thoughts to ourselves until after we play psg too, cos if donnaruma has another worldie and they knock us out, we will look like complete gobshites again

Who from Arsenal said that though? Or was it just the media making shit up?

[Perryashburtongroves]

I'm strangely relaxed. Don't know why. I think we'll be fine.

[augie]

I get that we are only in semi final first leg yet, but I cant help feeling a bit of the old "after the lord mayor's show" about tonight's game - the euphoria after madrid games was so high that there was always going to be a drop off afterwards, and maybe if I had of watched the palace game THAT would have been my lull game, but because I didnt see that game tonight's has that drop off feeling and it shouldnt and I know that

I too am worried about tonight's performance, and given the amount of poor performances this team has churned out lately, I think that is perfectly natural. I dont go along with the notion that our team is more suited to european football than premiier league football - I do believe that real madrid are more suited to what we play domestically than most european teams in that they seem to be a team built around speed at the top end of the pitch, but english football is the fastest pace in the world so our players are well used to that. The madrid midfield in particular had no guile or creativity and that is the type of football that can undo us, and a team like barca has that in spades.

Personally I think dembele is over-rated, BUT he is enjoying a big season for them and his confidence will be high - ordinarily I would want to move lewis-skelly into partey's position tonight, but because dembele will be on their right wing I would prefer to leave lewis-skelly at left full instead of calafiori, and play jorginho in defensive midfield.

I absolutely HATE reading stories the day before a game suggesting that we are targeting an opposition player cos we view him as the weak link - talk about giving a guy extra motivation Yesterday there were reports suggesting that we see donnaruma as their weak link (yes that is the same guy that gave worldie performances against the victims and villa ) - I look at the complete opposite of what happened last week when the palace manager said AFTER THE GAME that they targeted raya cos they seen him as a weakness, and I wonder why we cant keep our thoughts to ourselves until after we play psg too, cos if donnaruma has another worldie and they knock us out, we will look like complete gobshites again

Who from Arsenal said that though? Or was it just the media making shit up?

Twas in the metro so they usually champion all london clubs

[SteveO 35]

Lets not forget that with a couple of games left in the league phase this lot and City were looking at the distinct possibility of not qualifying

People have been blown away by them beating Liverpool on penalties - and it was an impressive performance - but they scraped through the league phase and over those 2 games against Liverpool scored one goal. They were very very fortunate to scrape past Villa, clinging on by their finger tips and as naive and wide open as it gets at times

Since then they have beaten Le Havre 2-1 at home (akin to us scraping past Ipswich), drew 1-1 with Nantes (the equivalent of Wolves), and lost 1-3 to Nice

People really overhype these teams. I'm sure some of their fans would look at how we dismantled Real and be shitting themselves but because we've seen the Brentford, Palace etc games we think differently. These guys haven't played well for a month and its arguable whether they are a very good team, or one that is the best in a shit league who happen to scrape past the Mickeys and Villa

Confidence is high which we all know is very unlike me! If we do paste them I hope Lefty comes back and reminds me afterwards like he always does when I predict we lose Of course, if we lose 1-3 he's perfectly entitled to call me an overly optimistic c.unt too

[Gunner Rob]

Sounds like you have started on the beers early Steveo

I agree we don’t have anything to fear from this lot - I just don’t think it will be an easy win tonight, but I can see us edging to victory.

[mcdowell42]

I'm going to do my usual reverse phycology angle on here ,by saying we're going to lose .