For 15 minutes it looked as though The Beast may triumph, but Beauty saw Arsenal off and we’re once again left wondering ‘what might have been?’ for Mikel Arteta’s team, in a game in which we found out exactly what they were missing in Thomas Partey (not good things, mostly) and their “arrogant” star was humbled.
Perhaps more in hope than in expectation based on the reality of the first leg, Partey’s return from suspension was tipped by anyone offering up an optimistic angle on Arsenal’s limp display at the Emirates as a major boost ahead of this away clash.
The Ghanaian was key to the quarter-final win over Real Madrid, as much because of the license he granted Declan Rice to get forward as his own individual quality in plugging gaps in midfield, though we did expect an improvement in preventing those quick breaks from PSG.
We didn’t get that improvement. PSG frequently broke on Arsenal and Partey was typically nowhere to be seen. What we did get from Partey was a couple of costly mistakes and six long throw-ins in the first 15 minutes after Mikel Arteta, or perhaps set-piece extraordinaire Nicolas Jover, instructed the Gunners to bully the opposition in a joyous example of a Premier League team reverting to type on the continent.
Martin Keown had urged his former side to make the most of their “physicality” before the game, and that clear advantage was manifested through the most aggressive and effective pressing we’ve ever seen from Mikel Arteta’s side, and just as notably, far more charmingly, by them getting it hoyed into the box at any given opportunity.
PSG really didn’t like it. Unfortunately for Arsenal, we suspect Gianluigi Donnarumma really did, as the Italian goalkeeper was handed a couple of early opportunities to display his outstanding shot-stopping ability once again having been excellent in the first leg.
He was in the right place at the right time as one of Partey’s throws dropped onto Martinelli’s knee and forced him into a stop, but after he dropped to his left and pushed Martin Odegaard’s shot wide we questioned whether we had ever seen a better save.
We probably have, but we have no idea how someone can a) react that quickly to a shot hit as sweetly as that, b) see it through at least three sets of legs, c) use all of his 6ft 5in frame to get down to it, and d) have the strength in his wrists after all that to push it round the post.
It was utterly brilliant and it felt in that moment, despite Arsenal’s dominance (or perhaps because of it), that the visitors would soon be regretting their failure to take advantage of their ascendency.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia curled a sublime effort onto the post to snap a rattled PSG out of their funk and from there it was an even game in which Arsenal’s lack of attacking cutting edge cost them, while their penchant for unnecessary risks allowed PSG to create decent chances.
Fabian Ruiz’s goal wasn’t in keeping with the general PSG threat, as he chested the ball to his left on the edge of the box after a poor clearance from Partey before smashing the ball past David Raya via a slight deflection.
Most of their menace came courtesy of the unrivalled counter-attacking quality and speed of their forwards, encouraged by Arsenal and – we hate to say it – chief culprit Myles Lewis-Skelly.
Like we are, Jamie Carragher is a big fan of the teenager’s “football arrogance”. But it was problem here on a night when he was humbled.
Not by the handball, which is a nonsense that needs to be stamped out immediately. Imagine if that was what cost Arsenal a place in the final – ridiculous. It’s his aversion to simplicity that was found out.
Bradley Barcola was denied brilliantly by Declan Rice in the first half after Lewis-Skelly played an aimless pass forward we can’t imagine any other full-back playing in his position. And there were four separate examples of him trying to use his body to turn an opposition player and losing possession rather than playing a simple pass, the last of which resulted in a caution after a completely unnecessary wrestle he lost with Barcola.
He’s 18 FFS, we get it. He’ll learn and be even better. Partey can’t use inexperience as his excuse. David Raya had just pulled off an excellent penalty save from a slow run-up and wait penalty from Vitinha that the Arsenal goalkeeper has struggled with in recent weeks, only for Partey to try some half-arsed bit of skill on the edge of his box which Achraf Hakimi took full advantage of to give PSG a 3-0 aggregate lead.
Bukayo Saka pulled a scrappy one back and then missed a gilt-edged chance to make things interesting against a side which has lived and mainly died by nervy ends to European games for the last decade.
But in truth it never really felt like a comeback was on. It’s just not really who Arsenal are. They are stuck as the club which leaves you wondering ‘what might have been?’
What might have been had Partey not been absent for the first leg? What might have been had they been as bold in their pressing in first leg as they were here? What might have been had they scored once or even twice in that first 15 minutes of total dominance?
It just doesn’t happen for them, to the point where there will once again be people questioning what might happen if they sack Arteta? We could be about to find out. It’s on, folks.
His tactics were great here, but there’s nothing he can do that will stop those querying his ability to stay the course and win that elusive majorly major trophy other than actually winning either the Premier League or the Champions League.
And weirdly, despite this clear improvement in Europe, it still feels as though they’re as far away as ever. Because this is Arsenal, and they find a way not to win.
