Arsenal vs Paris Saint-Germain
This is an interesting match for Arsenal coach Unai Emery. The ICC 2018 draw between Arsenal and PSG might take him back to his younger days if he ever brought a girlfriend to meet one of his exes.
The team that once followed his attractive, possession-based football to the letter will be facing off with a squad that is trying to burn his philosophies to their memory. It will be an interesting match to spectate for the neutral fan.
The Gunners have shown Singapore glimpses of quality during their penalty-shootout loss to Atletico Madrid. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect more of the same thing from them as they try to further improve their form before another tough challenge in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, PSG are also trying to tweak things over with new gaffer Thomas Tuchel. The former Borussia Dortmund man is hard-pressed to replicate Emery’s success and overcome his failure to deliver the Champions League trophy back to Paris.
It will be an interesting night for Emery, and he hopes that his Gunners would be the ones laughing in the end!
Talking Points
The two clubs have been linked together for a pair of PSG talents. The first player in the Arsenal-PSG transfer saga is a young Portugal midfielder in Goncalo Guedes. There are reports that Emery’s new home is keen on acquiring the 21-year-old, but he is allegedly not interested in playing for anyone other than Valencia.
The other player Emery hopes to lure away from the City of Love to London is young defending talent Stanley Nsoki. The centre-back, who could also play as a left-back and a holding midfielder, would be a perfect fit for Emery’s system moving forward at Arsenal. The two sides are reportedly in talks after Nsoki declined a professional contract with Les Parisiens.
On the field, many of Emery’s former wards should be able to better guard the ball against Arsenal’s high pressing compared to Atletico Madrid. It has only been months since they last played a football game under the Spaniard’s tutelage, and it wouldn’t be difficult for them to predict how the flow of the match will go.
They will employ a similar tactic to what Atletico Madrid did and fire long passes in an attempt to catch the Arsenal backline off-guard. With the Gunners still trying to learn how Emery wants his football done, there is a good chance that they will get what they want.
However, it’s not like PGS are in a good spot themselves. They made the ICC 2018 news for the wrong reasons when they were beaten by a half-strength Bayern Munich in their first game of the competition. Nico Kovac outclassed the former Borussia Dortmund boss in the friendly. Bayern were so good that even Renato Sanches, the forgettable Swansea loanee, managed to get one in.
While it is understandable that the absence of their World Cup stars is part of the reason for the loss, it is expected out of them to give a decent fight and not concede three goals in 18 minutes.
Arsenal also won’t likely field their strongest team, and everyone will be given a fair chance to impress their respective bosses.
This match will also be an interesting test for both of the side’s new keepers. Gianluigi Buffon and Bernd Leno both conceded goals in their first outings with their new clubs and will be determined to not let one pass them again.
History
These two have a proud history of being among Europe’s elite, but they have curiously not played each other frequently.
The first match the two giants played was a 1994 European Cup Winners Cup match, where they drew 1-1. Arsenal won the rematch two weeks later, courtesy of a Kevin Campbell goal. Their next meetings were in the group stage of the 2016 Champions League, where both teams fought out to a draw.
If we look at their last five games, it’s pretty obvious that PSG had a rockier run of form. Their last win was a Coupe de France victory against then-National 2 side Les Herbiers. In the domestic front, they lost to Rennes and drew with mid-table squads Amiens SC and Caen.
Meanwhile, Arsenal did everything they can to give Arsene Wenger a fitting farewell. They won 5-0 to Burnley, shockingly lost to Leicester, and ended the Frenchman’s stint at the Emirates with a 1-0 victory against Huddersfield.
What are the odds?
Given the run of form Arsenal have showcased during their first ICC melee, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to look at the 1X2 market of the ICC 2018 odds at SBOBET.
I think both teams will play out to a draw: PSG are still struggling to get things together under Tuchel while the Gunners are still adjusting their football to suit the more attack-oriented tastes of their gaffer. A draw has 1X2 odds of 3.60.
However, if you are supremely confident of Arsenal winning over the Parisians by a single goal, then the Asian Handicap market is here for you. A -0.75 pre-game ditch for the Gunners is on offer at 2.13. PSG have +0.50 for 2.06.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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