Arsenal’s misfiring in early duels might be enough to hand Champions League final spot to Paris Saint-Germain

London – For the past two years, the determining characteristic of the Arsenal of Mikel Arteta has been clear to anyone who has given them the most fleeting look. They will absolutely in the duels that are the most important. That memorable Berating Arteta gave his side in the winter of 2022, brought his way deep into the subconscious mind of Arsenal. When his players lose a duel, Arteta is Van Streek. Woe wage with those who do not promote their manager.

In almost every match since the arrival of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber-three of the large one-on-one scrappers from this team of Arsenal, their outdoor possession plan for a tee. In the middle of the field they turn out to be too large, strong and agile for their opponents. Then the ball goes to the flanks and their fullbacks apply the Chokehold. This was proven at the highest level: Arsenal has just locked Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe.

For a quarter of the first half of this draw, one of the most powerful parties outside the possession in the Champions League lost the run of itself. There is a reason why Arsenal talks about the wooden penitentiary. When their right is locked this season, nobody escapes. The best left wings in Europe would have more success that gets himself from Alcatraz.

Maybe Khvicha Kvartskhelia is just better than all. It would not really be a reach to claim so much. In those opening fairs there was no stopping of the beautiful Georgian. Wood could not faint him before he put the ball back to Ousmane Dembele for the opener. The young Dutchman was lucky that Slavko Vincic was not by calls for a punishment when he had his arms about PSG’s no. 7.

It would have been one thing if this was just Kvaratskhelia who blew through his husband. Arsenal was overwhelmed everywhere on the field. The movement of Dembele confused the back line. Vitinha had on Monday at the suggestion that PSG did not have the muscle that suits their hosts. If there is a glass jaw in this midfield, it doesn’t matter when the trio glides with such precision and power.

Every attempt to play from PSG pressure brought four or five backward steps before a tormenting, through the skin of their teeth. Arsenal’s own press was a step too slow, so Nuno Mendes could glide a ball through midfield to Dembele, so that the Parisians were set on course for the only purpose of the game.

During the first 23 minutes, the hosts had won only 26 percent of their duels. Arteta was not upset. He, his team, a crowd that had delivered the atmosphere of them and something, all, were all shellshocked. You could see why he had asked the Emirates stage to bring their shirts, shorts and boots. Perhaps with another 57,000 options on the flanks, they could have played their way in the PSG press.

It would not stay that way. The side of Luis Enrique was not able to make Harry with the same intensity, and anyway, Arsenal possibly refused to make that. Take it for a long time, win the second balls, build from within the PSG half. Perhaps there was more going on. Arteta acknowledged that “one problem was that we corrected after 15, 20 minutes.” Repairing the game turned around, he said. He would not explain what the change was.

“Not much [was going wrong]”Arteta lasted.” I tell you that it was very specific but very important, especially the way we play. We corrected it. It is not easy to constantly correct it, but we did it and we were much better. “

Whatever he did, it really worked, and a large part of the hour that followed, this was a completely even game. The header of Mikel Merino from a Declan Rice Free Kick was perhaps offside – just like two Gabriel Martinelli openings that just found it completely – but Leandro Trossard came close to the beating of Gianluigi Donnarumma. A few more lucky bounces and they might have received their equalizer, although they were certainly lucky that the refusal of Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos to make excellent shots on their weaker feet costs PSG a second.

Come on the second stage, it is fair to assume that wood will not be roasted as if it were in the early stock exchanges. Of his first eight duels, seven were won by the opposition. Of the next five, all ended with the overcome of wood. William Saliba also grew in authority, an incredible tackle at the hour that a rare PSG -arrow denies in the box. Add Thomas Partey to this side and the road through the PSG press may not be that dangerous. This also causes Merino to go at the top and some right ugly on the eye, easy on the built long ball football. It can work.

In the 67 minutes that followed those early Beatdowns, Arsenal won 55 percent of their duels. Aerials, 72 percent. You may not like it, but this is how Peak Arsenal performance looks like.

When all that clicks together, Arsenal is a match for PSG. These two look like they will deliver a semi -final that consistently absorbs and is nice in balance. However, the problem is that we all know how these types of ties are decided. Tickets for the final are routinely torn away from the team that has that one bad series of moments. At that time where their determining feature was nowhere to be seen, it feels like Arsenal might have had theirs.