Arsenal v Real Madrid: A Big Night for Now And the Future of Arteta’s Super Talented Team

TotalArsenal

A big night for club, manager, team and supporters: Real Madrid are in town and Arsenal need a game for the ages. There is tremendous potential in our team and manager, this we all know. This season should be our first league win in decades, but too many draws (11 already), injuries to key players, and Liverpool just being more consistent than us, will cost us the title. Nevertheless, I am proud of this team and believe that the most important thing for us is building a base from which the team can continue to perform at the highest level for many seasons to come. This is exactly what Arteta and Co have established, and I cannot see any of the other top teams having established such a strong base right now.

The one thing that is still missing is the much needed “over our dead body will we not win today” approach to games. I am missing the ruthless leadership required to win silverware. We are too systemic, too organised, too professional, too calculated far too often. Some how the boys do not go for the kill enough.

For example, not winning at Goodison Park, and at Old Trafford recently, are a direct consequence of this. How do we get this sort of mentality into the team? Is it a matter of experience, of growing up in a team? Or do Arsenal need to buy a few players with this sort of attitude? I like to think that Declan, Martin, Bukayo, Ben, Big Gab, Rayo, Tequila, MLS, Jurrien, etc all have this in them. Maybe Arteta needs to give these players a bit more freedom to express themselves rather than stuffing them up with too many tactical instructions? Maybe he needs to tell the likes of Declan, Martin and Will to go out there and lead the troops and die for the team on the pitch a bit more?

I don’t think we need to worry about this for tonight’s game, though. The boys are always at their best physically and mentally for the big ones. But maybe a win tonight will just give the team the confidence, the balls, the chutzpah to push on and start turning the many PL draws into wins, as well as creating the belief that they can eliminate the reigning CL champions over both legs.

Arsenal may, or may not, prevail against RM. There are many factors that decide such encounters, such as luck, the quality/fairness of refereeing, injuries, etc. If the team can come out of these two legs with the strong belief that they are as good or better than Real Madrid, then that for me would be the biggest bonus for our young, fast-developing and mega-talented team.

Come On You Rip Roaring Gunners!

By TotalArsenal.

30 thoughts on “Arsenal v Real Madrid: A Big Night for Now And the Future of Arteta’s Super Talented Team”

  • Arsenal: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Merino.
    Subs: Neto, Setford, Tierney, White, Zinchenko, Trossard, Jorginho, Butler-Oyedeji, Gower, Nwaneri.

    Real Madrid: Courtois, Valverde, Ascencio, Rudiger, Alaba, Modric, Camavinga, Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr, Mbappe.
    Subs: Gonzalez, Mestre, Vazquez, Lorenzo, F. Garcia, Vallejo, Jacobo, Andres, Guler, Diaz, Endrick, G. Garcia.

  • Good morning, gentlemen. Thanks Total. Your pen bleeds with the hope eternal which quickens your heart.
    Team much as we expected. MLS and Kiwior getting the nod, Bukuyu starting.

  • Blimey the Madrid forwards are like whippets, any inaccuracy in our passing and we’re in trouble…

  • Without wishing to be harsh, there is a difference in technique with Madrid looking slicker, especially in attack.

    The Madrid players look comfortable whilst ours are looking more edgy.

  • Strong last 7 minutes to the half by the lads, Courtois made two good saves that he’s really entitled to make but I was still shouting goal, Saka put one on a plate to our new striker but he’s not here yet and nobody else made the run, we do seem to have settled down a bit but I really don’t trust this referee and I’ve seen Arsenal mugged too many times before in europe to feel relaxed, just yet!

  • Why did I doubt MLS’s inclusion? He’s looks like he’s been in this environment for a decade. Bukuyu is on his game, let’s hope he has the legs for a similar second half. Gab is a greyhound to match those whippets, Kevski. It’s coming…

  • Real’s night in Islington …

    but … it ain’t over ’til it’s over, lads!!

  • Moyes was right. He is worth 150 million. Declan Banana Rice. I’ve never seen the like. Thunderbolts and lightening. Three finishes that even the astonishing Courtois couldn’t get near. Anywhere near.
    Thomas was impeccable, Martin superb, did you see his smile at the end of the game?
    O my giddy heart. Cyril, GN5, I hope you saw that from Heaven, mate.

  • Brilliant, LG. Is that the lovely Clara Bow?

    Man, I have never wept at the conclusion of an Arsenal win, got close to it after Anfield ’89. But kiwi eyes are wet this morning.

  • Nice comments Stu.

    I don’t know what Mikel said to the boys at half-time, maybe it was along the lines of ‘play the player, not the shirt’.

    A memorable night, probably the greatest ever seen at the Emirates to date.

    Real are a dangerous wounded animal and the Bernabeau is a bear pit so it’s not over, but if we score over thereit could be very interesting. 🤞

  • On a slightly different tack, a game like tonight’s makes players who we’re interested sit up and take notice, especially if we’re courting them for a summer move to the Emirates.

    Berta’s job suddenly became a tad easier…

  • Were it not for Courtois, truth is we’d have PSVed them.
    Rice pulled a 1998-Thuram-against-Croatia performance, one for the ages.
    An 18-y-o Denmark Hill/Hale End wonderkid cast Bellingham-Mbappé-Vini Jr in his shadow.
    etc., etc.
    Really,

  • The game was broadcasted by the tax evaders here in the UK, so I had to do with radio commentary. It was a total feast for the ear and mind; the boys did a tremendous commentary job. Especially those Courtois saves set the heart racing. Oh what a night.

  • Kev. Yessss that was great advertising for new recruits. Who wouldn’t want to come to us after that performance and atmosphere?!

  • He would have, indeed, Total. Who are the “tax invaders”? I do hope you get to see a replay?

  • Football continues to fleece the fans, we’ve seen how United are treating some of their season ticket holders, TV subscriptions are far far too expensive and counterfeit shirts are a booming industry.

    Football will eventually eat itself…

    Globalists, Davos types, disrupters, have eaten into so much of our way of life and culture as they outsource everything, even our souls if they could.

    Did they ask us? Do they ever listen to our concerns? You decide…

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