You know what happened. Neither team created much, and the 1-1 score after extra time was a fair reflection of the game. Arsenal had very little of the ball, but PSG's 77% possession did not result in an open play goal. The relentless pressure did give us plenty of chances to concede a penalty, either through a foul or handball, and Mosquera (who had an excellent game) was the victim. Raya saved a penalty in the shootout, but Safonov was spared having to make any saves due to two awful misses from Eze and Gabriel Magalhaes.
We lost, but I couldn't be prouder of the players. The fans were magnificent this season. Arteta has improved each season and has become a better tactician in the process. He's always been a consummate man manager, and he communicates extremely well to the public. I don't care that he's excitable on the touchline. He's no worse than Klopp and is better behaved than Simeone or Mourinho. What I love about Arteta is that he never criticizes his players, whatever the situation. He praised them when they were finishing 8th. If he doesn't think a player is going to help the team, that player will not get on the field. It hurts, but it seems they all understand and have the proper professional attitude. Norgaard played about 100 minutes in the league but never complained, for instance.
The stupid World Cup worries me. The expanded format means more games (i.e. more money for FIFA) and our players who are participating may go deep into this thing. Rice has played an insane amount of minutes and will surely start every England game. Saka is just recovering from whatever was keeping him out. I read that Saliba has a back problem. I hope Timber can get through without getting hurt again. At least Calafiori gets the summer off. Here's an SI article on the Arsenal players in the Cup.
Will Hincapie do this on the world stage? It went over big a few weeks ago.
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