Jude Bellingham all 'hype' and 'arrogance' as Arsenal triumph needs asterisk

How was Jude Bellingham not booked for his petulance and sh*thousery v Arsenal? Plus, does any Champions League triumph need an asterisk?

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No Partey, no party?

Hi guys it feels cliched yet apt to say that I am a very long time reader (my dad put me on to the website as an 11 year old when Arsenal signed Cazorla) and a first time writer (sender) unsure which is correct.

As an Arsenal fan, the last week has been incredible and I would love to pour over how great it’s been but with 15 or so minutes left on the clock tonight my heart sunk when Partey was booked for a small retaliation which I did not get to see again, against Rudiger for a blatant or at least seemingly intentional head but on Merino.

Now I’m not making excuses for Partey as it was a stupid thing to even risk getting yourself a yellow but what of the Real Madrid players carrying yellows into tonight’’s game who from the off set dragged tripped and threw Arsenal players to the ground unpunished.

In particular Bellingham who for all his hype, really just showcased his level of arrogance (eyeballing the referee one minute into the game after an obvious foul). The transgression that really frustrated me was his horse collar throw down of Timber after a ball went out of play after numerous other fouls went without booking, that was surely a yellow card offence which in the unlikely event of Madrid progressing would have had him suspended.

Rudiger was no different throughout the match before finally losing his head in that challenge on Merino and his stamp on Skelllllyyyyy may have been accidental, but based on the way he carried himself throughout the game I’m leaning towards a certain degree of shithousery and intent in that one. The fact is these players would have escaped suspension for the semi final despite constant cynical and petulant fouls but Partey was booked for what seemed innocuous enough. The ref was very good on the night but it did appear that Madrid were escaping just punishment throughout.

Partey being suspended will be a massive miss for Arsenal, a player I think has been severely underrated for his contributions for a long time especially in his ability to turn defence into attack and his range of passing is often overlooked but that’s for another mail in when he inevitably leaves Arsenal this summer.

On a whole tonight was quite special and as an Arsenal fan who never got to enjoy the early noughties my, earliest memory being the 2006 UCL final in Paris I don’t think I’ve watched two Arsenal matches as intensely and nervously as these two ties. Bring on the semi finals and bring on the quite hilarious proposition of Arteta winning a UCL in spite of the angry social media multisphere.

Dave, Enfield (in Meath, Ireland) and not a Rice hater, Arsenal

PS. Swore that if I ever wrote in It wouldn’t be about the ref (quite ashamed of it all now really).

READ: Arsenal reminded that ‘5-1 over Madrid isn’t a trophy’ as Bellingham exposed

Raging at Macca

Can someone explain to me, why on one of Arsenal’s biggest footballing nights, we had to suffer the absolute misery that was Rio Ferdinand and Steve McManaman as cohosts? Steve particularly boiled my p**s, in what should have been an absolute celebration where an English team demolished over 2 legs the 15 time champions and current CL holders, we had to listen to a bitter squeaky, leaking balloon of a scouser p***ing on our chips and how we’d achieved nothing.

I’m sorry, but beating Real Madrid 5-1 over 2 legs, their only goal being a gift from us, and without a No 9, our 1st choice centre-back and an 18 year old left back was not nothing. I’m sure he was annoyed as an ex Madrista, but to watch the post match highlights and basically have all our joy dampened seemed like the sourest grapes.

I didn’t want the post match analysis to be a hagiography, and I’m sure Mikel would be the first to say we’ve achieved nothing yet, but even he was like ‘we should enjoy the moment’. So let the celebration police come and lock me up, because I screamed Martinelli’s goal so loud I’m sure God heard me. Can’t wait till the summer, get some cover for Martinelli, someone up top, MLS and Nwaneri a year older and wiser, we’re on our way!

John (also, anyone who thinks Saka is anything other than one of the best players on the planet needs to give their head a wobble) Matrix AFC

Arsenal, Spurs and friendship

I am in quite the ethical dilemma. I support Spurs, my best friend supports Arsenal. He’s been out in Madrid tonight and I obviously wanted him to have a memorable experience whilst at the same time ready to enjoy Arsenal going trophyless again. I think is know as cognitive dissonance? Anyway, I remembered he dated my little sister for a couple of years a while ago and soon disabused myself of any notion of good will. I hope his train is delayed or something. That’ll feel like a win.

Jon (Ange to go, trophy or not), Lincoln

READ: Arteta will lead Arsenal to Champions League glory if he and they do that three more times

Supporting Real Madrid is not like supporting a real team

Watching Madrid is like an one night stand, a moment of pleasure but miserable otherwise.

Watching proper football teams like City, PSG, Atletico, Inter is proper romance reaching a crescendo.

The era of one night stands is so over. It is the era of families and loyalty to build back societies.

Madrid fan (Unhappily married to Madrid since 1999)

Asterisks everywhere

Zero presence from Real Madrid, who barely reached the knock outs and were again extremely limited. City didn’t even bother. Bayern were poor. Liverpool, either through fatigue or idiocy utterly stacked it. Chelsea, Newcastle and the usual big guns not even involved at all. Atletico were terrible. PSG barely got past a mid-table Villa.

This really is a poor quality tournament. Anyone enjoying it is deluded. Any title would have an asterisk.

That’s how it works right?

Well done Arsenal though. Great performance. Always risky showing Real Madrid who your good players are though. Don’t be surprised if they come knocking in the summer.

Tom G

,,,I know we aren’t there yet but with half a chance of Prem sides going on and winning all three European trophies this year just checking if were still saying everyone in the Prem is still shit or if the rest of Europe are just REALLY shit. Do we need to apply an asterisk to all of the cups?

Adam (Leeds)

Come in Carlo…

For the love of God! Ancelotti to United, surely?

Jimmy

Man Utd glass half full

I have just realised that if United win all their remaining games, and every other team loose all theirs, United will finish 5th. And qualify for the Champions League in place of City.

I know football doesn’t work like that, and this isn’t possible. But it is still more likely than qualifying by winning the Europa League.

And I need something to hang on to.

Davey

READ: Why we want Manchester United to win the Europa League (SPOILER: It’s funny)

What happens when a Liverpool obsessive tries to write about Arsenal

Well done Arsenal, I hope you win the damn thing, no matter how cringe your manager is, no matter how horrible your fans are, (they are horrendous). To beat Real in both legs is the stuff of Champions. None of us gave you a chance, yet here you are, with a Saka who is just back from injury, with Merino as a striker for a big chunk of the competition, with Gabriel missing. The team is pulling together, it is still very young and will be challenging for the next 5-10 years at the very least. And unlike your fans, I am gracious enough to wish that you finally land old Big Ears.

At the end of the day, investments are the hygiene factor of cups and trophies. The past 10 years were dominated by Abramovich’s Chelsea and City, and it seems like Arsenal is finally coming to the table.

The gate crashers, the one club that doesn’t belong in that upper echelon, is Liverpool. For far too long, we have had no investments but relied on smarts, and while others see that as a boast, I see it as an embarrassment.

I have no idea why a club that is constantly in the Champions League, that has one of the most fans in the world, that is in constant Top 2 – 4, with the riches of the Premier League, cannot afford proper funding for players. No other big club went a full season with ZERO new players. No other big club can hardly afford to extend the contract of a potential Balon d’Or great who is breaking records. Other clubs have 300k/week bench players and while I am not saying we should follow suit, to not be able to afford that for a historical player is nuts.

Other fans are getting owners like Kronke, Glasers, INEOS, Todd Boehly out of their clubs, but guess what? They spend a shitload more than FSG. In the history of crap owners, they are right up there. It means more? Well next season’s slogan should be ‘We deserve more!’

The fans continue to be the best in the world, no protests, no marches, we always create the best atmosphere in Anfield. Then there are the global fans who stay up all night to watch the team, paying ludicrous amounts of streaming fees. This math boffin and numbers analytics is FSG-speak for “we keeping that money.” F off FSG, we need better owners.

Vinnie Pee

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