Bradley Barcola is one of the most talented attackers in France and he was named on the Paris Saint-Germain bench on Tuesday night. Goncalo Ramos has hardly been a hit since his move from Benfica but still cost a fair bit and was also a substitute.
When Luis Enrique decided it was time to add fresh legs to his PSG side, these were the first two players he turned to. Barcola has scored 18 times in all competitions this season. Only three of those have come in the Champions League but for what is now a rotation winger, it is a good showing.
Only three Arsenal players have more than that, for comparison. Bukayo Saka is one, Declan Rice is another. Kai Havertz is the third and he has been out since February. The German won’t play again this season unless Arsenal reach the final. Even then he would have to return much sooner than was first anticipated.
Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli have played 12 and 13 matches in the Champions League and have only two goals a piece. Raheem Sterling has managed less than 350 minutes. Gabriel Jesus has fewer than 300. This is the difference in depth and quality that Mikel Arteta is working with.
Ramos isn’t called on that often from the start for Enrique but has scored seven times from 10 Ligue 1 starts with another three in the Champions League, where he has been on the bench in all but one game. He has a hat-trick in a World Cup.
Both Barcola and Ramos should have added to PSG’s early opener at the Emirates Stadium. Ramos, specifically, seemed to take his one-on-one with David Raya as if he thought he was offside. The strange toe-poke effort hit the crossbar when a more composed finish was available.
Barcola’s right-footed effort came on his weaker side but was still a massive opportunity to put clear daylight between the two sides. As it happens, the tie is still alive even if PSG have got a huge advantage with the second leg at home next week.
By that point, Arsenal will have Thomas Partey back from suspension. They dearly missed him here. It was not just his physicality and combination defending with Declan Rice that was absent.
Arsenal’s injury problems meant that Mikel Merino had to drop out of being a makeshift striker – where he has played for most of the last two months with surprisingly comfortable success – and into midfield. He had rarely looked at home on the left of Arteta’s trio when playing there in his first six months at the club.
The further knock-on was that Arsenal then had to replace Merino up front. Trossard was selected and has had a fine few weeks, but struggled to make things click against better opposition than Everton and Ipswich Town.
Telling someone 18 months ago that Havertz and Partey would be such big misses for Arsenal would have drawn a surprised reaction. Partey was flagging physically and looked past his best after peaking in the 2022/23 season. Havertz had become a striker having failed to stick it in midfield, a bit like Merino.
Neither were in form or adding much value. That has all changed now and Arsenal’s inability to find suitable alternatives, backup, or replacements in the transfer market over the past year has left them exposed to the fine margins of elite football. Suspensions and injuries happen and have hit Arteta extremely hard.
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It’s telling that both Partey and Havertz were pictured watching on with their head in their hands on Tuesday. Hunched over with their elbows on their knees, Partey and Havertz could do nothing to impact the game.
Partey had his left hand on his temple and expressed concern. Havertz locked his hands together and placed them over his mouth, such was the tension on a frustrating night for Arsenal where they were largely outplayed but weren’t left behind.
Between Partey and Havertz were their respective partners. Both took a much more laid-back stance, sitting with children wrapped around them, smiling and having a conversation.
At the same time, PSG were able to call on their reinforcements to try and add distance to the scoreline. If anything sums up the fight Arteta has on his hands then it is probably here.
Gabriel Magalhaes was also at N5 for the evening. All three players were pitchside by the end and two of them will be unable to do anything but cheer on their teammates in Paris next week. PSG, meanwhile, can afford to rest Desire Doue if they want, and he would probably start for Arsenal in three different positions right now.
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