1-0 to the Arsenal. We're through to the Champions League Final for the second time in our history and the first time in the Emirates era. PSG await in Budapest. But before we get too carried away. West Ham away on Sunday. Win that and the league title is more than one hand on the trophy. This is it. The final push.
Arsenal 1-0 Atletico Madrid: We're In The UCL Final
What an evening. 1-0 to the Arsenal. The Gunners are through to the Champions League Final for only the second time in their history and for the first time in the Emirates era. It was absolute bedlam in and around the Emirates Stadium after that final whistle. We now know PSG would be waiting on the other side of the ring in Budapest. What an absolute treat that final is going to be. We earned this. We absolutely earned this and no one, I mean no one can take any credit away from us. Not even the celebrations police who seem to pop up every time Arsenal fans dare to enjoy a moment. Go somewhere and relax please. Life is for living and these lads have suffered, battled, and at times struggled through poor form or injuries to get through this season thus far. So to be in this position, closing in on the Premier League title (touch wood) and now in a Champions League Final? That deserves to be celebrated. Look, its a final right, We may Win it, We may Lose It but for now, lets just celebrate this!
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| Image Cred: Arsenal.com |
Now, we are not getting ahead of ourselves or counting chickens that are not hatched. Not at all. The lads have to forget about the wild night at the Emirates, put the premature jubilations aside — according to the celebrations police anyway — and do the needful. REFOCUS. We have a game at the London Stadium to hammer out with West Ham on Sunday. Win that and the league is more than one hand on the trophy, affording us serious breathing room with just two games to go after that. But let me take you back to Tuesday night first.
Arsenal came into the second leg of the Champions League Semi Final against Atletico Madrid with the bit between their teeth. The atmosphere was absolutely rocking. The players could not have asked for more. The Red Army put on a proper show, pulling out all the stops for the occasion. The tifo was absolutely beautiful. The pyrotechnics. The flares. The songs echoing around the ground. Victoria Concordia Crescit -Victory Comes Through Harmony. It was magical. These fans made the players feel on top of the world and the players delivered by winning in classic Arsenal style. Not free-flowing, swashbuckling attacking football, but professional. Disciplined. Clinical when it mattered.
MLS put in a disciplined display in midfield. He knew this opposition was a different level to Fulham and he made sure to keep things tidy, taking no unnecessary risks with his time on the ball. Rice gave a near man-of-the-match performance making blocks, running, harrying, not allowing too many dangerous Atletico transitions. Absolutely immense when we needed him to be.
Victor Gyokeres? Oh my word. He was an absolute beast with his running, his pressing, just making himself a constant nuisance to the Atletico defence. He was colossal in attack which helped the whole team defend from the front when out of possession. It was never going to be a goal fest like the PSG-Bayern first leg, their second leg ended 1-1 by the way and I do not think anyone was under any such illusions. But it was not a borefest either. It was a tactical game that had the robustness and physicality you would expect. Any Diego Simeone team you face will give you a proper fight nine times out of ten. The good thing is, our Gunners were absolutely up for it.
Ben White deserves some credit here. He has been the weak link in our backline for several games now, but he rolled back the years on Tuesday night with a composed performance to complement arguably one of the best centre-back pairings in world football today, Big Gabby and Saliba. Those two were absolutely imperious. Calafiori brought his forward-thinking chaos as usual, but apart from that moment where he caught Griezmann in the penalty box with a stamp on his foot, which thankfully VAR waved off , he was assured in possession, gave us an outlet from the back and was generally safe until Hincapié came on for him as he started to tire.
Back to the attack. Starboy Saka continued to influence games by scoring yet another crucial goal to win us the tie. He prodded home from close range in the 45th minute after Oblak spilled a shot from Trossard. Kudos to Gyokeres on the hold-up play and the ensuing cross to Leo that created the chance in the first place. Gyok worked his absolute socks off for the cause. He also should have buried that chance from Hincapié's whipped cross in the second half. Hincapié has a wicked delivery on the ball, I wonder why Mikel does not tell him to do it more often. 1-0 to the Arsenal on the night. It could or should have been more, but we won it 2-1 on aggregate. Cue the celebrations after the full-time whistle. I would take that result every single day of the week and twice on Sundays. Simeone, for all his antics on the touchline during the game, was very calm and serene in his post-match interview. He said they lost to a much better side. Class from him. Respect where it is due. Now, on to the final. #COYG
The Run-In: City Close The Gap But We're Still In Control
The two best teams in the land continue to go at it. City won their GW35 game, spanking Brentford 3-0 in the second half at the Etihad. City still appear vulnerable at the back — especially after losing to Everton in midweek — so Pep made sure his team came out swinging in that second half against the Bees. The points gap is now closed to just two and the goal difference is down to +1 in Arsenal's favour.
Over to you, Arsenal, to respond at the Hammers on Sunday. There is very little room for any kind of error now. It is squeaky bum time in the truest sense of the phrase. But here is the thing. We are still in control. We are still top of the league. We still have our destiny in our own hands. City can win every single game they have left and it will not matter if Arsenal do the same. That is the position we have earned by being top of this league for the better part of the entire season. Now we have to close it out. Simple as that.
Three games left. Win them all and the title is ours. No ifs, buts or maybes. Squeaky bum time. #COYG
West Ham Preview:
The Gunners rock up to the London Stadium this Sunday knowing they have a job to do. Win at the Hammers. Quite literally hammer away at West Ham. City drawing at Everton meant the momentum had swung things back our way. We can say thanks to the Toffees for that and now we have to make it count. No more slips. Not now. Not this close to the finish line.
West Ham will likely be in a mood though. Having lost to Brentford last week and then watching Spurs beat Villa away in GW34 would have stung. They are fighting to stay up and they will be up for a scrap. Well, we have to be up for a bigger scrap if we want to be Premier League champions. This league is for those who show mettle and character. No one is going to hand it over to you on a platter. Definitely not City. Definitely not West Ham either, even if they are fighting relegation. Remember what Declan Rice said after the City loss at the Etihad? "It's not done yet." Most pundits were having a proper laugh at his optimism, thinking City would now cruise their way to the title. They were wrong. Rice was right. And the lads need to take that reminder to themselves as well. Until it is mathematically won, we have not done it yet. So pack the wild celebrations for now, go out there on Sunday and get the job done. Get the three points and Arsenal will have a firm hand on that trophy.
This is a test of our mettle. West Ham want to survive relegation. Arsenal want to win a title. Who wants it more? That will be decided on the pitch at the London Stadium. My expectation is simple. Professional performance. No lapses. No gifts. Control the tempo. Win the duels. Take our chances when they come. Havertz, Gyokeres and Saka have to be sharp. Rice and Norgaar have to dominate the midfield. The backline has to be rock solid. Raya cannot afford any mistakes. It is that straightforward. Win on Sunday and the title is ours to lose. Lose or draw and suddenly ManCity are right back in it with the psychological advantage. There is no middle ground here. This is a must-win game in every sense of the phrase. Let's go and do what needs to be done. Let's go and take another massive step towards that Premier League trophy. Let's remind everyone why we have been top of this league all season long. Come on you Gunners. Three more wins. That is all it takes. Let's start with West Ham.
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| #WHUARS |
That's it from us here at #Anaijagunner HQ. Drop your predictions and starting XI in the comments below. Like and share the post. Enjoy the game wherever you are.....#COYG
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