Let's Pick Ourselves Up and Go Ahead as PSG vs Arsenal looms large

Gavin Garthwaite hopes Arsenal can respond to another difficult day at the Emirates by beating PSG next week 

You could sense it was coming.

Arsenal one-nil up but with Bournemouth absorbing the pressure and hitting us on the counter attack…you could see the equaliser was on the cards.

But why?

The first 11 Arteta put out was more capable to win any game of football.

Experienced, powerful, talent in abundance…and with the home support behind them.

Why oh why is there always a glimmer of hope for teams like Bournemouth, coming to the Emirates, giving opponents the feeling that the game is never over, that there is always a chance for them.

And when I say Teams like Bournemouth, I mean that as no disrespect, as Bournemouth have Champions League qualification in their sights.

But similar to Aston Villa, they seem to have us worked out.

I actually preferred that we had PSG in the Champions League semi-final rather than Villa, as I felt this would suit us better.

The match was full of errors. Rushed kicks from David Raya, hospital balls played into Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard, while the former gave the ball away unnecessarily at times.

Decision making from Gabi Marteinelli not opting for first time finishes, when he has the ability to do so.

With Odegaard not regaining any sort of form from returning from injury and Ben White looking very rusty at right, back- the game turned very flat and the supporters tried to lift the team as much as possible, but like Tuesday- the synergy could not be found it appeared.

The season now has the look of fizzling out witha whimper, but it’s a season that promised so much.

Finish above Manchester City and the title is surely ours, was the feeling.

You can blame injuries, suspensions and daft refereeing decisions this season, but you can see that the manager has no real options from the bench, no real match winners (Ethan Nwaneri aside, but he’s still raw) and there is no trust for the substitutes - for the manager to consider earlier changes.

The recruitment strategy has to be blamed this term, where the Arteta/Edu combo has rarely failed before.

I really hope we go to PSG on Wednesday and put on a show and dig out a performance that takes us through the final- I want that to happen so bad and we have the capability.

But on yesterday’s evidence, we have to pick ourselves back up quickly and come out of the block with real purpose.

With the new sporting director, Andrea Berta, now at the helm now, this summer will be one of the most important in the club’s history.

Get two or three signings right, and I can see us kicking on with the final step needed and once that first trophy lands…the rest will follow.

Up the Arsenal

@garthwaite14