Arsenal legend Ian Wright revealed he was shocked by Mikel Arteta’s obvious tactic to allow Paris Saint-Germain to have so many balls early in Tuesday night’s Champions League semi-finals.
Gunners didn’t start well at all. Oousmane Dembele won what proved to be a PSG winner in the opening four minutes.
There’s still a second leg to play in Paris next week, but Wright admits he’s rather baffled that it appears Arteta has set the team in his first game.
Arsenal was expected to be at home and take the initiative in front of home fans, but it was all PSG.
Ian Wright hits tamed start against Arsenal’s PSG
Discussing the first leg and looking forward to the second leg, Wright talked about Arteta’s tactics in the latest episode of his Lightly House Podcast.
“I don’t want to be negative about the team, but I’m very surprised at the start of the game,” the former Arsenal striker said.
“I wasn’t expecting the beginning of that. I was honestly hoping for PSG to retreat, but that was the opposite. That was the opposite.”
He added:
“You can’t guess that a team like PSG will come to your place. Your tactic is to sit them down and they play it from behind and make it easier over the middle line.”
Will Arsenal still reach the Champions League final?
It’s not easy for Arsenal, but the one-goal deficit that enters second game means that this tie is not over.
He writes about it exclusively Catch off side Yesterday’s column, Arsenal writer Charles Watts gave insight into what he was expecting from Park de Princess’ return foot.
“The truth is, they (Arsenal) are still in that tie…” Watts said.
“They have been doing very difficult jobs in Paris next week, but if they can go to the Bernabeu and win, they can go to the Parc des Princess and do the same.
“They will make Thomas Party available, and that is really important.
“His absence was last night. I thought Declan Rice played well in the retention role, but Arsenal missed the energy and box crash run.
“So, looking at how Arsenal can change things next week, I think it’s crucial to get back in part and return to the eight roles on the left of Rice. Mikel Merino could also return to the role of striker.
“It’s going to be difficult for Arsenal now. There’s no doubt about that… But they have a chance. It’s not over. But, as Mikel Arteta said afterwards, they’ll have to do something very special in the French capital.”