Arsenal’s Struggles May Be the Key to Success | Barney Ronay

The audience was tense, and players were either absent or not in form, yet they have still made it to the Champions League semi-finals.

And now I find myself turned into a meme. Near the end of the match, having already received a caution for standing at the edge of the pitch with his arms spinning in a ballet-like, precisely groomed pose of horror, resembling an oversized wedding cake ornament at the world’s worst wedding, Mikel Arteta was seen pulling his jumper over his eyes to block out the scene before him. Not so quickly, Mikel. We’re all in this together.

When the final whistle blew, securing a controlled, mission-accomplished 0-0 result, Arteta was visible leading the post-match line of Arsenal players, energizing the crowd, a determined, compact, dark-haired figure who, from afar, bore a slight resemblance to a business-casual Tom Cruise.