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Ryan's avatar

It’s natural we all wanna talk about those rice free kicks, especially the second which was a straight 10/10 postage stamp, but again merino deserves his flowers

His goal was also gorgeous. His contributions up front have by now justified our outlay on him. It’s weird because at CM he’s not represented value but at CF, clearly (somehow) he is lol

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Mystic Leaves's avatar

Merino has earned his wages at CF. Who would have thunk!

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Ryan's avatar
6dEdited

Does anyone know any place where I can watch the full game??? It’s bad enough that I missed it live but I wanna go back and see. Make sure this is not a weird fever dream

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Northbanker's avatar

Arsenal.com likely

to show most

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Mystic Leaves's avatar

Let it be known that I believed once I saw the draw. I FUCKING BELIEVED. COYG

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Pedro's avatar

FUCKING HELL PEOPLE WHAT A RESULT

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Guns of SF's avatar

yayayayaya

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Ichele Aki's avatar

What a result indeed Pedro! Incroyable!! Beautiful day for Arsenal fans.

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JW1's avatar

Tell us you didn't oversleep...

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Olumide's avatar

The first goal is one reason you shouldn't over coach players.

Jover was telling Rice to cross in, but he saw an opportunity. If Saka wasn't there telling him to go for it, we would have another cross with no goal.

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izzo's avatar

Declan Beckham had some fabulous free kicks tonight, eh? Part of me is mad we haven't seen more of those in PL football. At least he has announced himself as the best at the club. Don't want to see Odegaard anywhere near those free kicks. LOL

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Benjamin's avatar

Now rest Saka, Timber, Rice, Saliba and Partey in Brentford game.

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Ryan's avatar

Tie isn’t quite over yet, but ofc the advantage here is huge.

Madrid are not the team that you write off in CL second legs under any circumstance. Have to savor this result and find a way to get through the second leg in one piece and then you can start to dare to dream in this comp

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Chris's avatar

I’ll take one of those dull as dishwater 0-0s in the 2nd leg thank you very much.

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izzo's avatar

The tie is done. They have nothing in defense. They may score, but so will we. We can at least defend. Can you say the same for Real?

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Habesha Gooner's avatar

It is rarely done with a tie at the bernabeu remaining. All they need is to score early and the crowd will be on us.

We just have to survive the first 45 minutes without conceding.

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Chris's avatar

I’d venture we have to survive the first 90 mins without conceding. I still remember what happened to City at the Bernabeu in 2022.

All bets are off. It’s Real Madrid in the champions league. They can kill anyone.

I’m giddy as fuck about this result but we should be aware this is far from over.

To reiterate, yes I am ecstatic 😎😀 (before I’m accused of being a party pooper!)

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JW1's avatar
6dEdited

Apparently, others here think Arteta is going into the second leg telling his XI

'not to worry' and 'it's done and dusted'!

Mikel adding: 'Don't play too hard' and 'they can't possibly win now'!

Obviously-- some idjit will think this.

Another idjit might even post it here a half-dozen times.

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izzo's avatar

You're so scared. Real's defence is leaky and we will score at least one goal there and its over. Maybe get real and in this type of tie, having a strong defence works in your favor with a 3-goal advantage.

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JW1's avatar

No, I've played several sports at a high enough level to know better.

I'm not a fool. Please, proceed.

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izzo's avatar

We are good enough not to concede 4 goals. You believe we won't score there? That's fair, but no way are we conceding 4 without reply/replies. They will commit and we will punish them at the back. They're not the business defending. This tie was done the moment they conceded that 3rd goal tonight.

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Habesha Gooner's avatar

I am not saying we won't go through. I believe we will. But it won't be easy cruising. We will have to suffer and be nervous at times.

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izzo's avatar
6dEdited

I know it won't be easy. We will for sure concede there. They will huff and puff, but it's a little too late. Silencing their crowd is what I expect us to do, and we have enough to score there. I don't care how loud their home is, we will score there because their defence is weak and not good enough to not concede and that's all we have to do. scoreline can be 3-1 and guess who goes to the semi final. we're not the type to cave in and if we lose I expect a narrow 2-1 or 1-0 loss. Like I said to another poster the damage was done the moment the third goal went in.

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Ryan's avatar

I like your confidence but Real Madrid and Liverpool in the CL have simply made too many impossible second leg comebacks over the years

Thise are the only two teams who are dead only when the coffin is 6 feet under with soil on top.

What I see right now is a corpse with 3 gunshot wounds, but this could yet be a zombie move.

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SST's avatar

99% confident myself

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SST's avatar

It’s the overconfidence in the semis that has me worried

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Ryan's avatar

Please no Villa

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JW1's avatar
6dEdited

Recall a couple seasons back in the CL semis,

when height-of-their-powers City led RM 3-0 at 76'--

and City lost on aggregate?

Don't take your boot off your opponents' collective neck. Ever.

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izzo's avatar

Different teams, mate. This current Real team just ain't it.

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JW1's avatar
6dEdited

It's a lifelong credo that works no matter who you're playing.

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izzo's avatar

Not this time. That credo has run out.

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izzo's avatar

Ehhh like I said we are just far better defensively. Real do not have it in them to keep a clean sheet and I cannot see us conceding 4 with no reply. The tie is done and its not a confidence thing. Its just reality of the situation.

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kofi's avatar

try to sleep for an hour now but so mich adrenaline in my blood :p

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EMIRATESSTROLLER's avatar

Arsenal demonstrated tonight that we have the players when everyone is match fit to win both

the Champions League and EPL.

Hopefully Saka, Saliba and Gabriel will now sign new contracts and allay the fear that they will

move on to pastures new.

Also that Arsenal will be able to convince the likes of Zubamendi, Williams and the striker of our choice to come and join our party. We have the makings of a great team.

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SST's avatar

Also showed the PGMOL is much more influential than imagined! Fuck them

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izzo's avatar

Look, Merino is a striker. You can't tell me nothing. He is deadly in the box and knows how to strike the ball cleanly and on target. Backup striker for next season for sure. The goals are proof enough for me that he should be nowhere near CM.

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Bob's avatar

Great player but too slow to be a CF

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Kpankulu's avatar

He's not too slow. Look at his record - no film tricks.

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Christian's avatar

They’ve shown stats that he’s one of the slowest players in the league.

That said, the lad can finish with the precision and coldness of a viper

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kofi's avatar

wouldn’t say too slow but he just have the nose - kane, mbappe, lewa would have scored a couple more tap ins for saka’s crosses

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SST's avatar

True. But a helluva backup CF tho, no?

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izzo's avatar

He is a different option when whoever we buy is having an off day. He can play CM in cup games but in the ones that matter. I want him in the box shooting punishing any mistakes.

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Bob's avatar

I feel like I'm tripping. What a fucking win!

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Mr Serge's avatar

We have battered every team that we play at home in Europe but even I did not think we would batter Madrid

I said 2- 0 before the game to us

This was just insane

So happy

Come on lads we all deserve this for what we have gone through this season.

I reckon we are gonna win our first CL ever

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KAYANA NKUNGA's avatar

Thomas Partey out here doing the best he can to win us trophies.

He is the glue to the system. Arteta has turned me to a believer...

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Sensei's avatar

I know he's not everyone's cup of tea, but my god, that was a class finish from Merino. First time, looked like he was leaning back a bit, caught it beautifully and placed it perfectly in the corner. Also massive defensive effort the whole game.

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Kpankulu's avatar

Don't forget the three saves he forced out of the outstanding Courtois! The guy had no preseason and was injured, and his performances since attaining full fitness are a big fuck you to his detractors.

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Sal Paradiso's avatar

What a moment, surreal night. Did that just happen?

Goddam right it did get the fuck in gents.

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