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| Date | Player | Team | Opponent | Round |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 2000 | Rivaldo | Barcelona | AC Milan | Group stage |
| 15 Sept 2009 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | FC Zurich | Group stage |
| 3 Oct 2018 | Neymar | Paris St-Germain | Red Star Belgrade | Group stage |
| 29 Nov 2023 | Hakim Ziyech | Galatasaray | Manchester United | Group stage |
| 08 Apr 2025 | Declan Rice | Arsenal | Real Madrid | Quarter-finals |
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Yeah I’m not reading that lolI’ve had the added benefit of consuming as much Arsenal content today as possible. Every interview, post match reaction etc as possible. I’ve watched the full match twice, along with the mini match twice with my sons. So I have lots and lots of thoughts.
Firstly, great to see this thread so active again, after the last month or so since Arsenal’s league season has faltered. Lately I feel it’s mostly me just talking to myself haha
So, I’ll try and condense it down as succinctly as possible. Noting everything here is under the disclaimer that a) nothing is won yet b) anything can still happen at the Bernabéu and c) until Arsenal win a major trophy, I understand much of this can be easily dismissed.
So here we go:
- Arsenal have been building up for great European nights for a long long time. Remember Ivan Gazidis a decade proclaiming that it won’t be long until Arsenal compete at the same level as Bayern Munich across Europe? Well that never came to fruition for a host of reasons. Many a false dawn at Arsenal since. And only until Arteta made the long term decision, backed by KSE, Tim Lewis and Edu and Vinai, to gut the squad, reinvest in under 23 players and build a squad to bring us back to the top table has this vision finally been able to gather the momentum needed.
- Arteta deserves an enormous amount of credit here. It’s his energy, belief and passion that has kept the players focused when there’s been so much external noise and distraction. Whilst an insufficient transfer window last summer, baffling refereeing decisions and bad luck with injuries has derailed the league campaign, he has quietly overseen a very strong and effective European campaign.
- Arsenal have not conceded at home in the CL all season during the group stage. This is the foundation of a trophy winning journey. We only conceded against PSV in the second leg which, let be honest, was heavily predicted on the fact we killed the tie off in the first leg so you can’t read too much into the second. We are incredibly difficult to defeat. This doesn’t automatically mean we will win games, and we all know we need a killer at the other end of the pitch.
- But Arsenal are very very hard to defeat in its current iteration. Defensively, the system is outstanding. We give very little in terms of xG against. Backed by a world class goal keeper and two wonderful centre halves. However, my key point is this. The system.
- For years, Arteta has been working towards a City esque plug and play system. Handpicking players that match the correct data points to be able to step in and step out as needed. Sure, no one can “replace” Gabriel. He’s a monster. And has had the better season than his great mate Saliba. But hear me out. This system is so well coached and drilled, that we can now mitigate (as much as possible) the absence of a key component of that system.
- Case in point. 2 years ago this stage, we lost Saliba and then Tomiyasu in the same EL match. From there, next man up was Rob Holding. Now; this is not a Holding pile on. Nothing against at all. The reality is, he was a legacy player and not matching the aforementioned characteristics to step into the system and meet the same tempo and requirements.
- Meaning, and we saw it straight away, the glaring flaw in our system was exposed for all to see. Partey himself dropped 6-8 metres on average deeper. He was almost the middle centre half of a back 3 even when trying to play the usual 4-4-3. It just didn’t work. We were pressed in. Couldn’t break the lines. Lost our shape being so deep and the system didn’t work.
- Fast forward to now. 2 years later, more mature, more experienced, more professional. Arsenal have embedded the system that allows for these transitions to happen almost seamlessly. It was noticeable against Everton straight away. Raya had no issue playing the ball to Kiwior just as he would Gabriel. Jorginho comes deep to collect, knocks it to Kiwior, and then back, and we’re off. You wouldn’t know 5 changes were made in the line up - because the style and nature of our shape and press was undisturbed.
- For this, Arteta deserves immense credit. We haven’t capitulated even under the injuries and other issues. Look at other clubs who have dealt with setback this season, and the way they’ve crumbled. Yet somehow we’re still 2nd in the league and now in a commanding position in the CL quarter final. This is a tremendous reflection on the belief of the players that has been instilled from the manager.
- Arteta knew exactly what he was doing in the build up here. His rallying calls to the fans was met with aplomb. I tuned in from 4.30am onwards wanting to see the pre match and it didn’t disappoint. The Emirates was something else entirely. A cauldron almost that I would usually associate with other great European stadiums. The atmosphere was incredible and it’s the first time I can recall not actually hearing the CL anthem. Seriously. Watch it if you can, I couldn’t hear the anthem as clearly as I normally would.
- Last season, we had all the momentum after scoring first against Bayern. We took our eye off the ball though, and perhaps got ahead of ourselves. That 15 minute patch, conceding two goals out of nowhere, that was the difference in the tie. That’s how cutthroat it is. 15 minutes across 180; and bang. You’re done.
- It’s no coincidence this time that between scoring our first to our third, only 17 minutes elapsed. As raucous as the celebrations were, they all knew nothing is done yet. Rice pointing to his temples. Arteta immediately shouting instructions to Raya from the sidelines, calling him over to issue something tactical. This was very different. We balanced it beautifully between putting our foot on their throat whilst not doing anything silly to give them a cheap goal.
- It was a new level of professionalism that isn’t usually associated with Arsenal. We were mature, composed and confident. 3 players were on a yellow at risk of missing next week. No dramas they navigated through just fine. No offsides at all, which is incredible. No silly free around the box to give Bellingham or Mbappe their moment to match Rice. We gave them ****ing nothing.
- Now, onto Rice. All those times I’ve bemoaned on this thread our lack of danger from direct free kicks. September 2021 was the last time from Odegaard against Burnley. Well the wait was worth it! I lost my ****ing mind when his first went in. Jumping around like a madman whilst wearing headphones. Thankfully my wife and sons woke up in time to come out in time to see his second. ****ing hell they were greeted to the sight of bloke screaming at the TV in joy. Those are 2 of the best you’ll ever see.
- Seriously watch them slower and slower each time. The way the ball bends on the first is a work of art. And the second, it hits the inside side netting. I’ve never seen that before. Inside side netting. ****ing phenomenal. Courtoius was outstanding today and the only reason the tie isnt killed off. But there’s no saving these two. Unbelievable. His transfer fee? ****ing bargain. Pay West Ham another £30m and we’ve still ripped them off haha.
- Mikel Merino. If we signed a forward in January who has put up his numbers since, we’d be lauding him as a what a signing. Seriously, full credit to him. Arsenal are blessed at the moment to have excellent professionals in the squad. By choice of course. Tierney. Jorginho. Kiwior. Merino and so on. You don’t hear shit from them. No crappy interviews or stuff leaking about their unhappiness through their agents or so on. Just professional players, ready. Fit. Available. Willing to come in and do a job for their teammates and manager. Merino is a prime example.
- Technically very sound, he has an excellent shot on him. I wish I had some statistics to measure conversion rates of shots to shots on target. For me, Merino lands a high percentage of his shots on target. Either working the keeper or scoring. This is an important aspect in itself. No blazing over the bar or so on. But getting on target. He consistently shows he can time a volley nicely. This again was no luck. He moved back just before the cutback from MLS. Showed him where he wanted it on his left foot and the whip he generated was everything. You don’t have to blast it to score. He struck it sweetly and 3 nil.
- Speaking of MLS, holy shit. This was akin to Wilshere bossing Barcelona at such a young age. Lewis-Skelly is 18 yet if not for Rice would be arguably MOTM. Time and again you can’t knock him down. Lower body strength he uses so well, he shields the ball and is so hard to dispossess. What a season from him. Out of nowhere to now one of the first selected. He deserves it.
- Bukayo Saka, holy moly isn’t it lovely to have him back. He makes everything tick. Alaba probably the most relieved man in the stadium when he was subbed out, probably more precautionary than anything else. Saka had him on toast. Watching it again, I’m convinced Saka has taken on the double team, and decided where he’d like them to foul him. Seriously, he’s glided through and into those central areas, dragging them across, drawing the contact where he wanted it. Both Rice worldies came via Bukayo runs that drew the foul. With so much focus on Vini Jnr and Mpabbe, it was Saka, in his own house, 4 months since his last start, that stole the spotlight.
I’ve got a tonne more to add. But I did say this is the condensed version haha. What I’ll finish with (before watching the match again!) is that there’s absolutely no reason why Arsenal cannot win next week and go on to give this competition a genuine shake. Almost all of the key ingredients are there. Most palpable though, is a hunger and willingness from the manager to the players. Enjoy this moment as it doesn’t come too often. I’ve relished it so much and it was beyond even my own expectations. Now to relive it!
