Atléti-No Way Should That Be Overturned!

Hello all, 

It is the eve of our next stress-filled nail-biting Premier League game against Fulham, and I am coming to you to provide some late reflections on the Atlético Madrid game, before previewing the league game tomorrow. 

For the majority of the first leg showdown in Madrid, I thought our performance level was raised just as the seeming pressure around the team was lowered, which is really strange considering it was a Champions League semi-final. I think there is just so much pressure on the Premier League that the Champions League has offered somewhat of a reprieve from it all. It's like our campaign in that competition has existed in a nice bubble where we never lose and our performance levels have a clear floor. 

Still, I thought we controlled large parts of the game and played well at a tough ground away from home. The shops in Madrid had their toilet paper raided faster than the pandemic times, which is ironic given most of what Atlético displayed on the pitch would normally require toilet paper. 

They key moments of this game were the penalty calls. Firstly, I think the Gyökeres penalty was clear, and boy did he make the most of it with another rocket that did well not to rip through the net, then the stand and out of the stadium, landing in some unsuspecting person's paella at a restaurant downtown. 

Next, the Ben White handball. On the one hand, the shot was going wide and it came off his own leg before touching his arm. On the other hand, it's the Champions League and there's no way they weren't going to give that. It is getting a bit annoying how White seems to be at the centre of most goals we concede these days, but I'll let him off because he wound up Simeone by walking on the Atlético crest at half time. 

Following heavy links with Arsenal this summer, Julián Alvarez smashed his penalty just as emphatically as his opposite number into the Arsenal goal. I'm torn on him, he has genuine quality that I think could really add to this team, but I can't get it out of my head that he has dry spells like the one he did towards the first half of this season, and Pep doesn't tend to let his best players go. I appreciate a certain Norwegian lamppost (yes I'm bitter) was standing in his way of the first team at Man City, but surely Pep makes it work if he is that high quality? Maybe I'm reading into that situation too much. Also, he will likely cost a bomb so I'd need him to be a near-on dead cert for finally being the centre forward solution we have craved for years. 

The final major incident, short of some decent Atlético chances including Griezmann hitting the bar with a sensational effort, was the Eze penalty decision that was overturned following a VAR review. Was there contact? Yes. Was it soft? Yes. Therefore I think if the ref gives it initially, you don't make him watch it 13 times whilst Simeone chews his hear off to force his hand and overturn it. This is not what VAR should be for. It was supposed to correct clear and obvious errors but now it seems to be a vehicle for trying to find reasons to overturn decisions, preventing the referees from, you know, actually refereeing the game. The ref had a clear view of the incident and felt it was a penalty in real time, end of. 

I think that last decision was major for the tie, because if we took a lead back to the Emirates I'm quite confident we progress to the final (wow I just got really excited thinking about that). Instead, I think it is still very much in the balance. Yes we have a slight home advantage, but I have seen us lose a couple of times at home this season now, and Atlético are more than capable of getting a result away from home. They have more pedigree than us (just) in this competition and have survived onslaughts from Barcelona more than once this season, both home and away. 

So, on to the Emirates on Tuesday next week to see if we can reach our first Champions League final in 20 years. I will be there and there are lots of things going on like a 'greeting' of the team bus at the roundabout before the game. I cannot wait!

To Fulham now - and this will not be straightforward. Not least because it is a Premier League game and we have seen enough by now to know that the team will play in a way that looks nervy, risk averse and sapped of energy. The game in Madrid will have taken it out of the boys, make no mistake about that. 

It will also be tricky because Fulham are a decent side who are playing with a bit of freedom lately. There is an outside chance they make Europe next season, but the likely outcome is they can finish a strong midtable and see out the season enjoying their football. Marco Silva is a decent manager too, linked with the likes of Chelsea, though why would he decide to have anything to do with that clown show these days? Oh, maybe because he can get a nice payday when they sack him after 5 minutes into his 80 year contract? Sounds about right. 

I am very intrigued to see who starts the game. Is some rotation in order to preserve energy for the remainder of the gruelling run-in? Will Ødegaard be fit to play? Will Saka finally start despite looking nowhere near fit when he came off the bench on Wednesday? These are the questions only the manager will be able to answer. Personally, I would only rotate someone who is really in the 'red-zone' or out of form. That might mean Madueke when it comes to the latter point. He was slightly better in midweek, but I still needed a lot more from him given how much he cost. Hopefully Eze is fit enough to come back in on the left, because both the other left wingers are offering nothing these days. The defence can stay apart from maybe swapping White for Mosquera for extra defensive solidity. 

I need the Arsenal B-team of Iwobi, Leno and Emile Smith-Rowe to do us a solid here. We need to make sure Man City have a 6 point gap to make up when they finally get around to playing their catch-up games against the very tricky Bournemouth and Everton away from home. We need to pile the pressure on them as much as we can and keep them honest right to the end as a minimum. Win all our games and who knows? Maybe we'll stumble over the line to the promised land. Maybe I will cry like a baby in front of all my friends and family. Fingers crossed people!

Once more into the breach...