Morning from a very rainy Dublin.
We don’t play until tomorrow so there’s not a massive amount going on with the men today. First though, we should wish Arsenal Women all the best as they get ready to face Lyon in their Champions League semi-final first leg at the Emirates early this afternoon (12.30). In the previous round, they beat Real Madrid 3-0, and the men duly followed their lead. Hopefully today they can put French opposition to the sword, and we can do likewise in our semi-final.
I enjoyed how Renee Slegers spoke about the unity at the club as the two teams prepare for big European games, saying:
I really feel like since I’ve come to the club that it’s one club. I’ve naturally been in contact with the assistant coach on the men’s side, because he’s Dutch. But after we won against Madrid, I got messages from everyone across the club, including Mikel, and he said it was inspirational, and if you look at what they now did against Madrid, I think it’s so strong.
There was just some media here at the club and Jurrien Timber is sitting there and he says, ‘Renée, good luck for tomorrow’. So the guys also know what we are doing, and we know what they are doing, and we support each other, so it’s great.
Stepping back just a bit from our midweek Real Madrid exploits, it’s fantastic that both women and men are where they are in the Champions League this season. Renee has done a fantastic job since taking over from Jonas Eidevall, and while Lyon are obviously very challenging opposition, that’s what you expect at this level. I don’t know if any club has done the Men/Women Champions League double, so there’s potentially something very special on the cards.
Now that I think about it, I should ask Tim. Hang on, while I fire up WhatsApp.
So there you go. For more on today’s game, Tim has a full preview on Arseblog News, and we’ll have all the post-game stuff on there for you. Come on Arsenal!
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta was asked about our European form this season and how he prepared his players for some of the big games and difficult opposition we faced to this point:
The fact that in our league we compete against the best teams in the world every single week. So that’s the best preparation for Europe, I think.
So sometimes when we say, if we go to Europe, now are we able to do it in Europe? And I keep telling them, I said ‘You’ve done it three days ago against one of the best teams in Europe away, so don’t think out of the box!’
The financial might of the Premier League means that the level of everything has gone up, not just in terms of players but also the coaches/managers. The tactical level has increased massively over the years (even if Gary Neville hates it because he doesn’t understand it anymore), and when you’re facing high calibre opposition week after week, even if they’re ‘mid-table’, it means every game is a challenge. Which is good, competitiveness is import. A rising tide of available cash lifts all boats, I guess.
That said, there is something distinct about European games, and as I wrote yesterday, your own club’s track record plays a part. There is no logical reason why Arsenal making a mess of a Champions League game 15 years ago should play any part in how we think about a game now, but in the minds of fans at least, it does. That’s what Mikel Arteta has spoken about of late when it comes to writing a new history. We’ve turned a relatively new page this season, there’s still a bit more to fill in obviously, so let’s keep everything crossed we can do that.
Finally for today, I enjoyed Amy’s piece in The Athletic (£) about the trip to Madrid, and the connections with people that football brings into your life:
It occurs to me how much these football memories are about friendships, about being part of something outside of our everyday lives which links us. You choose your club, or your club chooses you, and once those roots are established kinships grow.
It’s true online too, of course, but if you’re lucky enough to be at a big game where something special happens (whether it’s beating a Galactico club or winning a trophy for example), those things are heightened. The memories become indelible. I can barely remember what I had for breakfast yesterday, but I remember so much about the trip to the Bernabeu in 2006 when Thierry Henry scored that goal. Who I was with (Hi Bill, Chris!), where we went, even what we ate after the game.
Fingers crossed for more of those memories before this season is out. Right, I’ll leave it there for now. There’s an Ipswich preview podcast on Patreon right now, but full disclosure it’s pretty light on Ipswich and heavy on Real Madrid as Lewis and I discuss the two wins and what it means for this club right now.
Have a great Saturday folks.
