ARS 0-1 PSG: It Could Have Been Worse

 This game was carried on CBS, so I got to see my team in ECL.  I wish they'd have done better.  I think that on balance, PSG deserved to win, and Arsenal did enough to merit being down just one, the third minute strike by Dembele.  However, it should probably have been 2-0 after Timber grabbed their guy and impeded him in the penalty area.  The ref played on, and VAR didn't tell him to take another look.  Good thing, because every time I see it it looks more like a penalty.  The game was quite watchable, with nice passages of play throughout and some hotly contested duels.  The Gunners had the ball in their net via a Merino header off a free kick, but he was offside by maybe a foot.  Donnarumma made a great save on a shot by Martinelli.  PSG had a few good opportunities at the other end.  

PSG were the better squad on the night.  But I saw reasons to think we can beat the Parisians at their place next week, as the Arsenal women did to Lyon.

Lyon 1-4 Arsenal Women (3-5 agg) Champions' League semifinal

 Arsenal turned around the first leg deficit and then some, blowing away Lyon to book a date with Barcelona for the final in Lisbon.

ARS 2-2 CP: Not a Great Game

 Palace were the more dangerous side tonight, and if anything the draw was a lucky one for the Gunners.  Both teams had some nearly moments, both keepers made great saves, and there was some spectacle in this contest, but neither side looked especially sharp.  The managers picked strong teams, so that wasn't it.  Maybe both were focused on their upcoming season-defining semifinal games.  If Arsenal play like this on Tuesday, they'll be swept away by PSG; and if Palace play like this, Villa will beat them on Saturday.

Sterling showed once again what a mistake it was to get him on loan.  He did squat.  Odegaard was in poor form; it was down to him that we lacked incision.  Saliba made another error as bad as the one that Vinicius Jr punished a week ago, and it cost us two points when Mateta cashed in on the giveaway with a splendid chip over Raya, who once again was playing far out of goal.  Mateta is the Palace player I most covet, but I'd take Eze.  All the goals were nice, and some of the saves, blocks, and the disallowed goal featured sharp play that could have been rewarded.  But there were many stretches of play consisting of passes around the back leading nowhere, so it was more a case of frequently punctuated boredom.

IPS 0-4 ARS: Taking Care of Business

 After spending most of the season in second place, the last thing the Gunners want is to get pulled down into the scramble for Champions' League positions.  So it's important to beat the teams we should beat in the run-in to maintain the (depending on who plays first each week) approximately six to nine point cushion over the third through sixth place teams.  Ipswich Town is one of those teams we should beat, and boy did we on Sunday.  Arsenal had over 90% possession in the first ten minutes.  The Tractor Boys tried to press at first but quickly dropped that tactic and defended deep.  It didn't help.  constant pressure told, and we were cruising at 2-0 in the first half when Leif Davis made a very nasty challenge on Saka, and earned a red card for his naughtiness.  After that we stayed in second gear and scored just two more.  Saka is OK, but it could have been a season-ending tackle.

Next up is Crystal Palace tomorrow, who will be focused on their FA Cup semifinal against Villa at Wembley this weekend.  I hope they rest their stars.  This game is meaningless for them in the league; they're in 12th (they always seem to be in 12th by the end of the season) and can't be relegated or qualify for Europe unless they win the Cup.  Arteta has already indicated he will play a strong team to keep them sharp for their showdown in the ECL semis against PSG at the Emirates next Tuesday.

Footballer acting like a three year old

 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-14628067/Bizarre-moment-footballer-pulls-rivals-SHORTS-heated-exchange-Crystal-Palaces-0-0-draw-Bournemouth.html

Justin Kuivert of Bournemouth pulled down Sarr's shorts in the incident. Come on guys, let's act like adults   

Newcastle 5 CP 0

 Enough said

RMA 1-2 ARS (1-5 agg): Another Stellar Performance From the Gunners

 The game was quite watchable, but Madrid never really got going against Arsenal's well organized defense.  Saka missed a penalty (it was a dreadful effort) and Saliba gifted Vinicius a goal, but Saka finished beautifully for the first goal and Martinelli applied the finishing touch in added time.  The Gunners were not as dominant as in the first leg, but they deserved the win today.  Rice was once again MOTM, despite Merino's two assists.  He was magnificent.

Partey picked up a dumb yellow that rules him out for the first leg against PSG.  We're thin enough in midfield to make that a worry.  Jorginho might be fit, but he would not start if Partey were able to play.  Well, it's on to the semis.  A guy can dream.  Analysts are giving all four remaining teams a roughly equal chance to lift the trophy.

Life is harsh

 

ARS 3-0 RMA: An Emirates Night to Remember; and ARS 2-1 FUL and EVE 1-1 ARS

 With Liverpool out of sight and Arsenal out of the domestic cups, the Champions' League is our only chance for silverware this season.  Few Gunners fans were confident about the quarters vs Real Madrid, though we all knew we had a shot at beating them.  The odds got longer after Gabriel's hamstring went twang against Fulham, but Arteta did what he could to maintain form against league opposition and prepare for the first leg at home.  We did the business against Fulham, courtesy of a deflected shot from Merino and a nifty and emotional header from Saka on his return from hamstring surgery.  (Havertz and Gabriel got this surgery too, which I'd never heard of before.  I guess it's a new thing.)  Everton was gifted a penalty when Harrison dove in the box and VAR didn't have the stones to tell the ref to take a look on the monitor.  That's eleven points lost this year (at least) via dodgy decisions.  We rotated heavily to work our returning players back into form and keep them fresh.

It worked.  Arsenal was worth the 3-0 scoreline for its dominance.  Real could have scored had Mbappe been more clinical on a couple of occasions, but he wasn't.  We could have had a couple more off corners and the run of play, but Real bundled the ball off the line a couple times and Courtois made some good saves.  Declan Rice broke the deadlock in the second half with two of the best free kicks I have ever seen.  Check out the highlights.  A third was added by Merino with a lovely first time strike.  This tie is not over; the Bernabeu has broken the hearts of many visitors over the years who took leads there.  But three goals is a lot to overcome.  I'm not looking at the semis.  I am hoping we can keep up the suffocating pressure that throttled Real's potent offense.

Three red cards in one match?

Crystal Palace 2 Brighton 1  

red card count also 2-1 

crazy