Pundit explains how Rice and Merino could have prevented Dembele’s goal

Paris Saint-Germain scored a goal that could have been avoided during their Champions League clash with Arsenal two nights ago. The Gunners had welcomed the French side to the Emirates with high expectations, buoyed by their earlier triumph over Real Madrid. Supporters and players alike hoped to replicate that success and take a decisive lead […] The post Pundit explains how Rice and Merino could have prevented Dembele’s goal appeared first on Just Arsenal News.

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Pundit explains how Rice and Merino could have prevented Dembele’s goal

Paris Saint-Germain scored a goal that could have been avoided during their Champions League clash with Arsenal two nights ago. The Gunners had welcomed the French side to the Emirates with high expectations, buoyed by their earlier triumph over Real Madrid. Supporters and players alike hoped to replicate that success and take a decisive lead in the first leg of the semi-final.

However, those ambitions were quickly dampened when PSG struck inside the opening four minutes. Ousmane Dembélé silenced the home crowd with a well-taken finish that ultimately proved decisive, as neither side managed to score again for the remainder of the match. The early setback leaves Arsenal with a challenging task ahead as they prepare for the second leg in Paris, where they will need a victory to book a place in the final.

Ousmane Dembele — (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Upon reviewing the match, it has become clear that the goal was the result of a lapse in defensive discipline that could have been avoided. Danny Murphy, writing in the Daily Mail, offered a detailed breakdown of the sequence that led to the goal, pointing out where Arsenal’s midfield failed to manage the threat. Murphy stated, “It was when the ball was then spread by Dembele to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the left that things went wonky.

“I can fully understand Rice’s desire to go over and help team-mate Jurrien Timber, such is ‘Kvaradona’s’ reputation, but he got it wrong on this occasion.

“He went over too far and left Dembele free in the middle. Merino was not blameless, either. He should have smelt the danger and got closer to the forward when Rice left him.

“All of a sudden, Dembele had space. He converted the chance and that spread doubt and nerves through the Arsenal ranks that lasted for half-an-hour.”

Murphy’s analysis underscores just how fine the margins are at this advanced stage of European competition. A brief moment of misjudgement or positional error can alter the course of a match and, potentially, an entire campaign. Arsenal must learn from this lapse and avoid similar moments of lost concentration in the second leg. The stakes are higher than ever, and only a disciplined, focused performance will give them a realistic chance of reaching the Champions League final.

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