Morning all.
I’m not going to dissect the game, performance or penalties. But, as disappointed as I felt last night and still this morning, I cannot help but feel Arsenal were shortchanged. A great goal scored early by Kai Havertz gave us the perfect start but it seemed to me that defending the lead was the priority. We lacked zip in attack, understandable really as Bukayo Saka was back in defence as much as he was anywhere else on the pitch. As great as our defending was, and it was, it left us with very little in attack. The corner incident at the end of the first half was odd as no sooner has Bukayo Saka put the ball down, the referee blew for halftime.
I felt something changed in the way the game was officiated after that. The booking of Cristhian Mosquera for an alleged time wasting on a throw in.was ridiculous in my opinion. PSG players were dropping to the ground left right and centre with the referee falling for their theatrics time after time but when our own players were fouled, it was usually the linesman who identified it. PSG were awarded a penalty which Dembele converted but up the other end, when Noni Madueke was fouled in the box, nothing given. VAR checked it but there wasn’t enough evidence to warrant sending the referee to have another look. Unlike the one on Ebe Eze a few weeks ago which was overturned despite no evidence of a clear and obvious error. I’m not for one minute suggesting we lost the game because of it as we would have still needed to score from nine yards but my money would have been on Viktor Gyokeres burying the penalty had it been given. Maybe the referee thought he was evening things up after not awarding PSG a penalty for the Bukayo Saka handball…As if eh…
I think that’s what hurts me more, the fact that once again we are left wondering what might have been had the officials done their job better.
Arsenal prevented PSG from scoring in open play for 120 minutes, something I don’t believe happens to them much, if at all. Penalty shootouts are a lottery and the French club had the winning ticket in their pocket. Unlike a few of their players who are probably still trying to climb out of some of our players pockets.
Defensively, I thought we were excellent, something we’re used to seeing really but a special mention goes to Myles Lewis-Skelly who has not only played in midfield for a handful of games, played like he’d been doing it for years. Cristhian Mosquera had one his best performances since arriving last summer. The rest, well, they played in a way we are accustomed to seeing.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta speaking in his post-match press conference after the Champions League final:
> What I said to the players and the staff is that if I told them ‘thank you’ a million times, that wouldn’t be enough. And it’s not because we won the Premier League, it’s not because we played the League Cup final and it’s not because we played the Champions League final in the manner we have done. It’s because of the joy and the moments that we have lived together every single day and that’s above anything else.
Still, let’s not forget what Mikel Arteta, his staff and players have achieved this season. Premier League Champions and Champions League Finalists, beaten on penalties by who many believe is the best club in football worldwide. Everyone should be proud of what they have achieved this season because in case anyone has forgotten, Arsenal are Premier League Champions 2026.
Next season, we’ll come back even stronger because I am pretty sure that is exactly what Mikel Arteta will be thinking. He Andrea Berta and the rest of the transfer team will already be working hard on that, hopefully with a bit of creativity to our play in their mind. The transfer window officially opens on the 15th June.
Mikel Arteta and his plans over the next few days:
> First of all, I will take a few days with my family and then we will all start the process to review what we’ve done. We’ll start to make some very important decisions, we want to reach another level. We’re going to have to show that ambition because they are more than capable of doing it but it’s going to demand us to be very, very ambitious, very fast and very smart.
Early and quality signings incoming then.. Oh, and a parade later.
Guys, thank you for another season of your support here on Highbury House, the first which has seen us lift the Premier League trophy. Here’s to many more..