ARSENAL, CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINALISTS!
We haven’t had many great moments together over the 19 years this blog site has existed. Have we had fun? Yes. Have I made incredible lifelong friends because of the words on here? Yes. Have we bonded deeply over the banter? Absolutely. Have we cried? Too many times. But have we had really great sporting moments… not many. Arsenal vs Atleti felt like a really special moment to be an Arsenal fan. Especially potent, because I remember the last Atleti semi-final was Wenger’s last season… we thought the players would do something special, and they failed him.
Arsenal are on a stage we thought we’d never return to. It’s taken 6 years for Arteta to get there. In his first job as a coach, he took over a bag of sh*t, and beat it up every season, adding quality, new ideas, and belief… now we’re in a Champions League final at the third time of asking. Just incredible work, really. I can’t tell you the pride I have that Arteta, an ex-captain, who saw the bad times, has given his all to remake us in an image we can all connect with. This Arsenal team is technical, powerful, fast, aggressive, and extremely intelligent. We are the first of the new. This team sets new standards. It was built from the back. It is immense on every single level. Arsenal win a lot, now, it looks like we might be close to earning trophy rewards.
The Arsenal, Champions League finalists 2026.
Best defence in the competition. Unbeaten. We’re not where we are because we fluked our way through the back door. Arteta and the boys are where they are because they have consistently shown that they are one of the best teams in Europe this season. We’re also doing this while trying to bring home our first Premier League title in 22 years. We’re also doing it on a low-wage base compared to the big juggernauts of Europe. We’re also organically run, no state money, and we play by the rules.
There was so much to love about that game. A friend pinging this to me before the game, telling me they’re getting all emotional.
Arsenal fans, the prawn sandwich kings, welcoming the teams like N5 was a district of Istanbul? Are you kidding me? Just awesome. Everyone is so dialed into the mission right now.
Then you had the starting 11.
Mikel, you absolute madman! What were you thinking here?!
“I went to some of the players and told them, ‘I’m sorry, but I’ll be picking the same lineup.’
They said to me: ‘Boss! We’re here whenever you need us,’ and then they hugged me.”
The allegations have been strong all season… Arteta is a risk-averse control freak who worships at handbrake corner. Against Atleti, he lost his mind, he put out the toys that’d give him some edge. Myles, of all the picks, was the most audacious. This is a kid who was on the outs two weeks ago, now he’s benching Zubimendi in the second leg of the Champions League semi against one of the nastiest, sneakiest, most conniving teams ever to have graced the shores of Europe.
Madness.
But, it worked. Arteta chose form over status. He went with gut feel over logic. The man in the dugout has been prone to galaxy-brain in the past, but this felt like raw instinct rather than trying to be Emile-Smith-Rowe-as-a-false-nine tactico famous.
The idea was simple… stick with what works.
Work, it did. The players came out to a giant tifo built by Red Action and it set the tone and the standards for the evening.
The fans were at it, the players were at it, and Simeone and Arteta were also behaving like a couple of brothers set loose from the haramball dungeon.
The plan seemed pretty clear from Atleti. They were going to adopt a very structured mid-to-deep block, then try and kill us on the counter. Lookman, Griezmann, and Álvarez were the outlets. Koke was pulling midfield strings. Hancko was a release valve.
They weren’t banking on the viciousness of the Arsenal defenders. Ben White completely brutalised Lookman. Yeah, should call him No-Lookman, you hear what I’m saying? Watching Big Gabi follow players deep into their own half like a T. rex chasing Ford Explorers was my kind of blockbuster defending.
Myles had a few shaky moments early on, but he had this incredible moment inside their 6-yard box where he turned their full back inside out, and cut a pass across the 6-yard box that deserved a man on the end of it. He dropped a 90% pass completion rate in midfield. Just sensational for someone who is 18.
Viktor Gyokeres was so good he had me Bane Masking on the podcast after. What he lacks in finesse, he makes up for with a relentless work rate. Not the sort at the start of the season where he was bouncing off players, losing duels, putting his touch into the concourse. This had some real purpose to it, he was beating defenders for pace. He was using his giant backside to create space. He was a genuine threat and made Atleti think about pushing up against him.
It was his quick run that created space out wide for him. When he saw he didn’t have Saka to pass to, you felt like the move was over, but he chipped to the back post, found Trossard, who lashed across Oblak, the save was pushed into the path of Saka who tapped home. Gyok the Creator? Mad. Mad I tells yah.
Arsenal. 1-0 up. 45 minutes. Simeone was rocked.
The second half did see a mini repeat of the first leg, they took a bit of control. There were two scary moments, one where Saliba headed into the path of Simeone’s boy, the manager’s son rounded Raya, but was tracked by Gabriel… both ended up on the floor, it was a nailed-on Jarred Gillett penalty… but the Euro ref waved it off. Just like he did the Trossard shout in the first half when Griezmann took him down.
Did you wonder if the dark arts of Arteta shouting down the performance of last week’s ref had an impact? The crew last night wanted nothing to do with marginal calls. They wanted the football to do the talking.
Sørloth certainly did not let his football do the talking. He had a ball cut across the box, it looked like it was harder to not hit the target… but instead, he smashed the ball against himself. A diabolical f*ck up for the ex-Palace player.
Arteta’s subs were Madueke, Odegaard, and Martinelli. The true captain was exceptional. He took control of the ground. Reasserted the press. Allowed Arsenal to dominate and control Atleti in their own half. It was a top-tier cameo, and we really did need it. Martinelli also asked questions on the left. He used his pace really well, he shone, in a comp he loves. It’s not the night to go in on anyone… but Madueke really should not be coming on in those games. It’s time to just own the reality that Max Dowman is more secure, better on the ball, and more of a threat. I’m also not sure Max would have bottled that 50/50 on 80 minutes that led to a counter.
The final 5 minutes really didn’t feel as dangerous as you might have expected. The fully rotated team of Atleti brought on worse attacking players. They seemed to be more leggy than the Arsenal players. The body language read ‘defeated.’
… and defeated they were. Arsenal were winners. We go through to our first Champions League final in 20 years.
What a moment. Arsenal fans, we f*cking deserve this. We have been through it. A genuine banter era club that has risen from the ashes of foofty, dench, and £40m and £1… to legitimately be classed as one of the best teams in the world.
Mikel Arteta told us all that he would win a Champions League, right after he signed Willian. He might have got the timing wrong, but he’s showing he had the minerals for it. Always remember, Arsène Wenger said he believed Arsenal could go Invincible well before we did, and he was laughed at, they put it on t-shirts at Spurs.
Now we’re one game away from history… quite incredible, really. I’m shocked. Not because I didn’t believe we could do it, more because I have had a deep belief in this project from day one, and the nice things have just never landed. They still haven’t, but there’s a better chance, right at this second, than there has been in a very long time.
Just look at those players on the pitch. You can’t doubt a single one of them. We’re where we are because those players, who people said weren’t technical, lacked character, were bottlers, decided to show the world they were ready.
Bukayo Saka isn’t fit right now, but he’s popping up to do the big moments as we close out the season. Thierry said he has an achilles issue, but told him he needed to be there at the weekend, and needed to be there last night.
Declan Rice mouthed ‘it’s not over’ after Man City, and he has stayed true to his word. He is EVERYWHERE, quite literally refusing to let the season fall away.
Gabi and Willy Saliba. Not enough is said about these two freaks of nature marauding the pitch like lions prowling the Okavango Delta for Pumba and Timon. Never injured. Always at the peak of their game. Capable of proper English blocking, Italian dark arts, and Brazilian flair, French technicianing, Alan Shearering from corners… they are wildly complete defenders, and the best part? They love the job. They love each other. They love Arsenal.
Benny Blanco… after a rough few weeks, continues to give it his all. The defending last night was focused and aggressive. The stuff he was doing in the final third was back to his best, with his buddy Saka. This man put his body on the line for Arsenal and wrecked it by 28, I’m so glad he’s had the chance to be important again.
Viktor Gyokeres… well, well, well. I want to apologise for absolutely nothing. We’re not seeing same old same old. This is a different monster… I mean, it’s actually a monster. Not a baby lamb bouncing into a bear den. He’s fighting with defenders and winning. Beating players for pace. Doing the basics to a decent level. It’s still unrefined, but the chemistry between the others is improving, and he’s playing a consequential role. No longer just a meat sack with nice hair. That was a top class performance last night, keep playing like that, and you might see me Bane Masking more often. What is it the freaks call this pivot… we’re Gyok-curious? That’s me.
Also, if you won’t have it from me that this is an improvement, go to 3 minutes 30, and listen to the greatest to ever do it.
‘I’m old school, show me what you can do, and I will say what I think. If you’re not showing it, I’m not going to lie. For a very long time, the jury was out on Gyokeres.’
My final two shoutouts are two players that’ll go without the big headlines because they don’t have aggressive fan clubs like some of the other players. But Léo Trossard was imperious. Word has it that he’s been going through some stuff behind the scenes. Well, something clicked this week. He was outrageously good against Atlético. A total monster. Control, flair, and one of the two shots that hit the target all evening. Best £25m we’ve ever spent? Hard to argue.
David Raya only made a couple of saves, but he is always one of the most active players on the pitch. Totally focused. A machine. He dominates his box and beyond like no other keeper I can remember. He catches nearly everything that goes into his box, he doesn’t cower as the game gets more tense, he is, without doubt, the best keeper on the planet. 13 CL games, 9 clean sheets, what is going on here? This interview for Peter S was great.
What a night. It was a party in North London. Family sending me videos like this gives me life.
This is what it’s all about.
How do you think Man City feel about seeing that? Good? No way. They can feel inevitability happening. They will have doubt in their minds. Brentford are going to ask questions of them they might not have the guts to answer. You think a team that shipped 2.72 xG to Everton is going to turn into peak Maldini-AC-Milan overnight? No chance. Brentford have power, fast, technical forwards who will beat them to second balls and go long. That Saturday game they have is going to be beastly for them.
I also have an eye on Villa this week. Emery might have thought Spurs smacking up his own team and catching Forest in the league would put pressure on Forest against Chelsea. But that was a bad call, because Forest killed Chelsea with a reserve team. Now Forest can go all out against Villa on Thursday and not worry about Newcastle at home at the weekend. GOOD. I hope Emery's calculations crumble Villa's UCL bid and see him exited from Europa. I am team Forest.
Arsenal have to deal with West Ham on Sunday, we’ll talk more about that later, but outside the emotionally draining aspect of last night… you’d be hard pressed to convince me that the fumes of good vibes won’t power more momentum against a West Ham struggling for life. That is not an easy game, but if we win it, the league is nearly there. This could prove to be one of the best weeks of the last 20 years. 5 days to prep. Let’s hope Arteta gives the players time to recover. Then we’ll go again.
What a special, special feeling. Can’t believe where we are. Still work to do, but f*ck man, enjoy this feeling, it won’t happen often. You deserve to have a little moment. Go on, I know it’s 8am, but crack a cheeky Peroni, tell them Pedro told you to do it, when they ask who that is, tell them I’m your AI overlord, and I have given you other missions. They’ll be real worried about Arsenal psychosis and this little morning Peroni incident most certainly won’t make it to HR.
PSG vs Bayern? Don’t care who we get. We can take either down. Would prefer the German team because they have humiliated us so many times over the years, it would feel great to wallop them. But, we’ll take whatever happens.
Only question now, to Budapest, or not to Budapest? Think I’m gonna do it. If you have any connections on tickets, let’s chat! x
Get the members On The Whistle in your veins. Champions League deal for a year. Little glimpse.