Over the past couple of years, a defining characteristic of Mikel Arteta`s Arsenal side has been their dominance in critical duels. It`s clear from their play how deeply Arteta`s focus on winning individual battles, emphasized since late 2022, has been ingrained. His displeasure when players fail to win a challenge is well-known.
With the addition of players like Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Jurrien Timber, all strong in one-on-one situations, Arsenal`s defensive strategy without possession has been executed nearly flawlessly in most matches. They typically overwhelm opponents physically and technically in midfield, and their fullbacks are effective at shutting down the flanks. This robust approach has proven successful against top-tier threats like Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe.
However, for roughly the first 20 minutes of this particular match, a team renowned for its defensive strength in the Champions League seemed to lose its composure. When Jurrien Timber is on form at right-back, few players get past him; it`s been said escaping his marking is harder than breaking out of Alcatraz for Europe`s top left-wingers.
Perhaps Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is simply in a class of his own. It wouldn`t be an exaggeration to suggest he was unstoppable in the early moments. Timber struggled to contain him before he set up Ousmane Dembele for the first goal. Timber was also fortunate not to concede a penalty after appearing to foul PSG`s attacker.
The issue wasn`t limited to Kvaratskhelia`s individual brilliance; Arsenal were generally overwhelmed across the field. Dembele`s movement created problems, and PSG`s midfield, despite suggestions they lacked physicality (a notion Vitinha disputed), showed impressive tackling precision and power.
Building play from the back under PSG`s pressure was difficult, often resulting in panicked backward passes before a narrow escape. Arsenal`s pressing was also a fraction too slow, highlighted when Nuno Mendes broke through midfield to find Dembele, leading to PSG`s winning goal.
In the initial 23 minutes, Arsenal won only 26 percent of duels. Arteta wasn`t just upset; he, his team, and the fully engaged home crowd were all visibly stunned. His pre-match call for supporters to bring their `shirts, shorts, and boots` now seemed darkly humorous; perhaps an extra 57,000 players might have helped navigate PSG`s press.
The pattern didn`t last. Luis Enrique`s side couldn`t maintain their initial high intensity, and Arsenal adjusted, often bypassing the press with longer passes to win second balls and build attacks in PSG`s territory. Arteta later stated they identified and corrected `one issue` around the 15-20 minute mark, claiming this tactical tweak significantly changed the game`s dynamic, though he didn`t specify the change.
Arteta insisted the initial problems weren`t widespread but stemmed from `something very specific but very important, especially for how we play.` He added, `We corrected it… It`s not easy to constantly correct it, but we did it and we were much better.`
Whatever the change was, it proved effective. For the subsequent hour, the match was evenly contested. Arsenal created chances; a header from a Declan Rice free kick was disallowed for offside (as were two Gabriel Martinelli opportunities), and Leandro Trossard came close against Gianluigi Donnarumma. A bit more luck might have brought an equalizer, although Arsenal were fortunate PSG didn`t capitalize on chances, notably when Bradley Barcola and Goncalo Ramos hesitated on their weaker feet.
Looking ahead to the second leg, it`s reasonable to expect Timber to perform better than in the initial phase; after winning only one of his first eight duels, he won all of his next five. William Saliba also improved, making a crucial tackle to stop a PSG attack. The potential return of Thomas Partey could make navigating PSG`s press less hazardous and might facilitate a more direct, long-ball approach, which could be effective.
In the 67 minutes following the initial struggles, Arsenal significantly improved, winning 55 percent of duels overall and an impressive 72 percent in the air. This period reflects Arsenal operating closer to their peak capabilities, even if the style isn`t always aesthetically pleasing.
When Arsenal play to their potential, they are clearly a match for PSG. This semi-final appears set to be a compelling and closely contested affair. However, progression in such tight ties often hinges on avoiding critical errors or poor spells. The early period of this match, where Arsenal failed to exhibit their trademark intensity and duel-winning ability, feels like the costly `bad run of moments` that could ultimately prevent them from reaching the final.
Adrian Whitmore