{"id":13333,"date":"2026-04-30T11:46:03","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T10:46:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=13333"},"modified":"2026-05-02T02:47:34","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T01:47:34","slug":"double-dutch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/?p=13333","title":{"rendered":"Double Dutch"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
The villain of the piece (on the left – Koke, on the right, is another villain)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

After last night\u2019s festival of football (if not of defending), all eyes turned tonight towards Madrid and the Wanda Metropolitano. The Arsenal squad contained Eze, taken off on Saturday, and the returning Calafiori, both welcome returns given the expected attritional nature of the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal started:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raya<\/p>\n\n\n\n

White Saliba Gabriel Hincapie<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Odegaard Zubimendi Rice<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madueke Gyokeres Martinelli<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a bit disappointing not to see Saka start but the manager has far more information to hand than we do so I imagine it was a well-considered decision. The same stood for Eze, also on the bench, and Calafiori too. We need these players to be available for the rest of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the players came out, the ground was engulfed in a tsunami of noise and an Argentina \u201878 style ticker tape welcome flooded down, adding to the spectacle. The Madrid fans were going to be well up for this and our players would need cool heads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atletico started fast but after 5 minutes, and some excellent work on the right, Madueke, who took out two defenders with a masterful jink towards the touchline, saw his cross just evade Martinelli at the back post, giving the onrushing Hincapi\u00e9 the tightest of angles to hit his shot narrowly past the post.  This was just the repost we needed to show Atletico that we were not here to make up the numbers, as well as give the crowd something to think about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, this seemed to slow Atletico down and it was noticeable how they were reluctant to press us as we built from the back, not at all the blood and thunder approach we had been led to believe Simeone\u2019s latest team would bring. In turn, the crowd began to lower the noise a little and the 3,000 travelling Arsenal fans \u2013 who had borne ludicrous flight prices (they put me off going) as well as the remnants of police tear gas aimed at the home fans earlier in the afternoon – began to be heard. On 14 minutes, the dangerous Alvarez received the ball with his back to goal in the penalty area \u201cD\u201d, Gabriel moved to close him really well, preventing him from taking the shot early. But Alvarez manipulated the ball beautifully onto his right, and, despite Gabriel making an amazing recovery from his first move, hit a stinging right foot shot towards the bottom left of Raya\u2019s goal. Raya made a very good save and the danger passed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immediately, we made the kind of response we would want, when Gy\u00f6keres picked up the ball in our half and steamed away from his defender up towards the goal.  He then laid the ball back for the oncoming \u00d8degaard who might have been better taking a first time shot. As it was he took a couple of touches and the danger was snuffed out. It was the kind of run from Gy\u00f6keres which we all want to see more of. He looked strong, fast and showed good technique. More of this, please Gy\u00f6keres, and Arsenal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal continued to exert pressure then, on 17 minutes, Madueke again got the better of his defender, and his cross from the right was met by Hincapi\u00e9 but a foul on the Spanish defender was awarded. This was really good stuff, and Hincapi\u00e9 was playing magnificently, defending strongly, marauding down the left and appearing in midfield to add numbers as well. Good stuff!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The crowd were now noticeably quieter, with Arsenal exhibiting calmness and control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 30 minutes, Arsenal won the ball back on the right-hand side pf the opponent\u2019s half from an Atletico throw. \u00d8degaard played a well-timed and weighted pass into the path of Madueke who steamed past the hapless defender and shot just wide of the right post from 30 yards. The Madrid plan, such as it was, was in tatters at this point as they didn\u2019t seem to know when or indeed whether to press Arsenal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, 3 minutes before half time, after an extended period of Arsenal control and possession, we finally breached their goal. Zubimendi controlled a high ball very well and passed to \u00d8degaard, who returned the favour, for Zubimendi to pass delightfully into Gy\u00f6keres, who allowed the ball to roll in front of him, ensuring the defender was now behind him. Said defender decided simply to career into the Swede\u2019s back, leaving the referee with no option but to call a penalty, despite the ludicrous protestations of the defence. After the inevitable, and frankly performative, VAR check, Gy\u00f6keres stepped up and blasted the ball past Oblak, who went the right way but was beaten by the power of Gy\u00f6keres\u2019 strike. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atletico 0 Arsenal 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal played out the rest of the half in the same calm, controlled manner and the end of the period was called. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Half time: Atletico 0 Arsenal 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TV flicked to an external shot of the ground, which showed a gathering lightning storm approaching the Wanda Metropolitano. Ominous! Simeone must have read his team the riot act as they came out a different side. Le Normand replaced Simeone Minor, Simeone Major sacrificing his son in the manner of the Mafia don he so often looks like while prowling the edge of the pitch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immediately the difference was clear. On 49 minutes, Alvarez took a free kick from the edge of the box which he curled round the wall and fortunately past the angle of post and crossbar. Atletico had now noticeably upped the speed and pressing and were all the better for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 52 minutes, Lookman had a break but hit the ball straight at Raya, the ball bounced out and Griezman looked odds on the score, but Gabriel threw his body at the ball and managed to deflect it wide for a corner. The pressure was beginning to build and Atletico had a number of consecutive corners, the last of which resulted in Lorente mishitting a shot into the ground and was clearly going yards wide but it bounced off White\u2019s shin and onto his hand. For the second night in a row, we were about to see a quite ridiculous decision! A penalty was given – but not in real time, only after VAR review – and despatched by Alvarez. Sheer common-sense dictates that neither of the pens given for handball this week ought to have been given. I also question whether this would have been given had it been for the away team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atletico 1 Arsenal 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Atletico were now on top and Arteta responded, to my mind excellently, by taking a slightly below par \u00d8degaard off for Eze on 57 minutes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pressure was not stemmed however until on 68 minutes he made a triple substitution, putting on Trossard, Saka and Jes\u00f9s for Martinelli, Madueke and Gy\u00f6keres. No opprobrium to the players taken off, all of whom had done their jobs but we needed new energy and taking off the entire front line would be likely to give the home team something completely different to think about. The pendulum began to swing back a little in Arsenal\u2019s favour, Jes\u00f9s dropped deeper to add another body as well as holding the ball up once or twice. Eze did his thing, holding on to the ball well, retaining possession while pressured before playing the out ball. Saka seemed a little hesitant but still managed to give his full back a few torrid moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lookman had another chance of a goal but fluffed his lines. A player who flatters to deceive as far as I am concerned. Then on 77 minutes, the dangerous, wily, Alvarez- who appeared to have taken a knock \u2013 was taken off for Baena. This seemed to further reduce the threat from the home team and Arsenal took back full control of the game from this point. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immediately there followed an even more contentious refereeing decision than the Atletico penalty, when Eze went down under what has been shown to be a boot landing on top of his left foot as he drove through the penalty area. The well-placed referee immediately gave the pen. Then was summoned to VAR and required view after view of the event, before finally deciding it wasn\u2019t a penalty, overturning his former decision under pressure from a hysterical Simeone only yards away on the touch line, overacting like a 6th former trying out for the school play. One expects it from Simeone, a man for whom sportsmanship is something that only happens to other people. But what is the excuse for the referee and VAR?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full Time: Atletico 1 Arsenal 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the game, Arteta was apoplectic at the referee, stating that what happened was against the rules. Frankly, I don\u2019t know what the rules are anymore, beyond that they seemed to be infinitely flexible, at the behest of increasingly incompetent referees and footballing authorities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Coming into this game I was thinking about the changes in situation since October of last year when we royally rolled over Atletico.  Then it felt as though we were building a real head of steam in all competitions, even if the level of all our performances hadn\u2019t hit the heights. Today\u2019s first half somewhat dispelled those negative thoughts as, away from home, we gave a masterclass in control and calm. The first 25\/30 minutes of the second half were more nervy but we ended on the same note. <\/li>
  2. It\u2019s like UEFA have seen the utter nause-up PGMOL have made of refereeing in the Premier Leage and have decided to try to out compete them..<\/li>
  3. With a full Emirates and only 3000 away supporters, there is every reason to be optimistic in the 2nd leg. We have to ensure that the referee is pressured as much as possible by the crowd. Clearly it works. <\/li>
  4. On a night where we had no Havertz, Merino or Timber, where Saka only made a brief cameo and Calafiori remained on the bench, this was an impressive performance, away from home, in an intimidating atmosphere.<\/li>
  5. The stunning aural and visual welcome to the teams last night needs to be replicated next Tuesday. The Emirates needs to bring the noise. Spectators are not welcome. Only participants. <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    We can do this!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    After last night\u2019s festival of football (if not of defending), all eyes turned tonight towards Madrid and the Wanda Metropolitano. The Arsenal squad contained Eze, taken off on Saturday, and the returning Calafiori, both welcome returns given the expected attritional nature of the game. Arsenal started: Raya White Saliba Gabriel Hincapie Odegaard Zubimendi Rice Madueke […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13333"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13333"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13333\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13343,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13333\/revisions\/13343"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.goonerholicsforever.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}