So much, so good, except the big bit… [PSG 2 (3)- 1 (1) ARS]

‘So much, so good, except the big bit’

An Arsenal blog from a coach’s perspective

I’m not sure if I ever buy the idea that a team is ‘not ready to win ……….’

Listening to people ramble on about Arsenal needing this or that before they can win is understandable and partially true. I have seen teams win the big prizes in my lifetime without being close to the level that Arsenal are currently at. Arsenal are well known for being one of the best (if not the best) out of possession teams in world football. That is enough to win you a cup including the CL as it is such a pivotal piece of the modern game. A coach would tell you that it might actually be the most important, defensive organization. If you score three, you can still lose. If you don’t concede, you’ll never lose.

In order to find the balanced truth as to why this and why that, it’s vital to strip down football to point of the game. When you are young and developing it’s more about enjoyment and improvement. When it becomes your job it is about winning. On the field the game is as simple as trying to stop them scoring and scoring enough to win the game. As it proved, Arsenal were unlikely to get knocked out because we can’t defend. PSG had to produce a handful of worldies to get past us. At the other end we were capable of muddling through with our best player not 100% fit or sharp, a midfielder admirably playing striker, left wingers that are hit and miss and our primary attacking midfielder having a really tough period.

As I always say, the loud voices are dominant. The ones saying, “we aren’t good enough upfront to have gotten to the final,” or “we were never going to win the biggest trophies with no striker business in over a year.” Those statements aren’t true simply because they are extreme. The truth is wrapped up in the phrase, ‘less likely.’ Arsenal were less likely to win the PL and CL because of their attacker situation. Arsenal were less likely to win major honors with no natural striker and more goalscoring threat.

I love Guillem Balague because he is balanced and doesn’t have an agenda. He proves it here…

Some other truths are that the Semi-Final becomes level if Donnarumma doesn’t produce one of the best saves I’ve ever seen from.Odegaard’s shot. That is what actually happened. The other chances over the two games that added up to significantly better XG than PSG had were less likely to be goals because of the same reasons stated above. PSG had all of their players available and firing. Arsenal did not and so were less likely to score the goals needed.

Then the truth has to turn right and admit what I stated earlier. That one of the two main purposes of the sport is to score. All the training that goes into getting into more scoring positions than your opponent is done for the sole purpose of the recognition that ‘it’s all about goals.’ The fact that we are so good at;

• possession
• always having at least two passing options
• automatisms
• top players
• attacking structure
• ability to create from numerous situations
• ball winning ability
• individualism

etc………, is all to get you in position to score. The two teams in the Europa Final don’t have any reliability in any of the list above. They dream of having 9/10th’s of the game figured out and established. The final truth is that for anyone to get from 9 to 10/10 in life is the hardest step, but if you rarely win without getting there you have to put more value in it.

I sit here a day removed from the game and I feel so proud of Arteta and the players. So very thankful that we are challenging in every single game that we play and in every single competition. That is the 0-9 part of the journey. I also feel frustrated because as impressed as I am with how Arsenal have put themselves in this position, I feel that there should’ve been more focus on the last bit. We’ve had the 9/10 conquered for a while. Certainly sufficient to park the 9 and focus more January to May on giving ourselves a better chance of putting the ball in the net.

You never really know how a coach really feels because every time a camera is put in front of him he has to guard against saying something that could be misinterpreted by his players, fans or the media. It seemed back in January that Arteta didn’t want ‘a body’ to come in. Even a loan signing. I’m not sure that this is what he really felt. It made no sense. Much like the Sterling acquisition on deadline day, a body was rightly brought in on loan because it was better than not. Even though it hasn’t worked out for him, he gave much needed breaks fairly regularly to those that were needed. I totally understand why the club didn’t pay over the odds for Watkins as there may be better and younger options in June and if you sign Watkins then that option likely vanishes as you have Watkins and Havertz. I do however see no reason why a loan signing wasn’t brought in. I also think that striker/attacker was a bigger priority than Calafiori and Merino, even though I like both of them. Again, it could’ve been a player like Vlahovic on loan for a year, if the club weren’t sure.

I also think that we have neglected creation and finishing on the training ground. I just don’t see improvement in this area, but improvement everywhere else. We are still over complicated and often too predictable in an area where we need the opposite. I do wonder if the Ipad rules at our training ground. When I see Odegaard, Trossard and others not pulling the trigger, I’m not convinced that is their choice. I think that the staff have taught them to keep moving the ball to find a higher XG chance and so they second guess the shot. There is a part of this I admire. There is a part of this that concerns me.

Even though it looks like we will bring in six players in the summer, I think that if we only brought in the right striker that we could win one or both of the big prizes. There are needs elsewhere but Odegaard has proven that he can have a 25 goal/assist season and Martinelli likely has the same potential as whoever comes into challenge him.

Arsenal are really good. Arsenal are really close to being great.

I don’t unfortunately have time for a full blog but here are a few more thoughts…..

• It has been swept away but the penalty situation should be investigated. Saka was fouled in the box and then PSG get a penalty for Skelly leaving his fingers where God put them. The fans and players in the stadium, and everyone at home, were baffled by that moment. The fact that there was no replay of Saka being brought down is suspicious enough. This tweet (below) goes to the heart of what likely goes on behind the scenes. Goldbridge might be out of control when he’s watching United but I respect his opinion the morning after. He thinks that FIFA didn’t want Barcelona or Arsenal to win the CL because of how it would have looked if the CL winner wasn’t playing this summer in a tournament that they are desperate for fans to respect.

• I love reading Drew’s tweets. He is right and sums up our season in such few words.

• I’m choosing to remember our excellent Champions League run in a positive light. Nobody is entitled to win the biggest prize. If PSG win the CL, it doesn’t mean that Arsenal, City, Real, Barcelona, Bayern, Bayer Leverkusen, Liverpool and even Villa weren’t good enough. The sport insists on a winner. The others had some incredible memories like Rice vs Real Madrid. Fans don’t get the trophy or the medal. We get the memories. I refuse to only love memories that end in silverware. My memories don’t lie. They were brilliant.

Mike McDonald

Former Highbury regular. Moved to TN, USA in ’99. Married with 3 kids. Coached in UK and US for 27 years.
Mike McDonald Soccer Academy in Morristown TN, Olympic Development coach, Regional Premier League Champion.