Maybe this time it won’t happen

We all watched the same game yesterday, we all felt the same frustration again and again and again.

Yes we have actually done it before, and with fashion actually, but the team we watched yesterday, and against Barcelona and against Valencia isn’t capable of doing this unless a major shift happens.

It’s been weeks now with Vini, he tries to dribble, gets blocked, he tries to run, loses the ball, he tries to send a crucial pass, intercepted. Him losing last year’s Ballon d’or and realising that this year it’s also lost since Mbappe has become the star, has gotten to him. And to be honest, who wouldn’t feel the same were we in his shoes?

I’m all for Ancelotti out but not now. At the end of the season we let him go and hopefully get Xabi Alonso. Yesterday’s tactic was horrible to say the least, we played shit throughout the game and then when it became 2-0 we started the subs? Alaba was beaten left and right, why not sub him after the first goal? Why not at the start of the second half? We played a very bad first half and we all hoped “Well no way we would play that bad in the second half!”. But we felt it, Ancelotti must’ve felt it. Why keep him for so late and your team is getting pounded with missed chances?

Why not sub Brahim early on? The team clearly had a bad attacking first half, Bellingham was trying to make runs from the inside but it was impossible to get the ball to him. Why not sub in a player with technical skills and has played the EPL early on? Why keep Vini for so long on the pitch?

Yes Mbappe tried to create some chances but rarely did we get to the goal.

What about defence? We are so lucky to have Ascensio and Courtois (A great successor for the Saint) protecting us from near goal situations. And yes, the game could’ve held more goals for Arsenal had it not been for those 2. No comment on Valverde, the guy has been giving blood every game of the season. Rudiger was good also. Maybe defence was ironically the best piece from yesterday. Yes, the freekicks were beautiful yesterday but just as Courtois said, given unnecessarily.

The same people whom we need to carry us (not just play well) next week are the same ones who let us down yesterday and have been letting us down for the past few games for whatever reason are expected to do a 180 in the second leg and bring out the best performance of the past 2-3 years, a feat, which -although has happened before- seems a bit too hopeful. Maybe we won’t need a complete team performance, maybe Rodrigo plays a superb game and carries us, but we have to end the game with at least a 3 goals difference. Meaning we HAVE to try our best not to concede a goal. And watching yesterday’s game, while ignoring the 2 freekicks, I can’t see it too impossible for Arsenal to score, especially since we will be on our toes the whole 90 mins and with some spaces in the back. Add to the mix Ancelotti trying the same tactics or maybe coming up with a crazy stupid plan for the second leg, would make me not so hopeful for the next game.

I have been a fan for the past 18 years, I have witnessed the greatest comebacks in football being achieved by our guys, and I hope like all of us to watch a game that would remind the world who is Real Madrid in the UCL in case someone forgot, but this time I am not seeing it.