Overview of The Athletic FC: PSG pip Arsenal on penalties, as Liverpool sack Slot
This episode of the Totally Football Show is dominated by Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League final win over Arsenal on penalties, plus the surprise lunchtime bombshell that Liverpool are changing direction after the Arne Slot era. The panel also looks back on the defining moments of the club season and tees up the upcoming World Cup coverage.
PSG vs Arsenal: how the Champions League final was decided
The match in a nutshell
- PSG beat Arsenal in a tight final that went all the way to penalties.
- Arsenal scored early through Kai Havertz, but PSG gradually controlled the game through possession and territory.
- The panel felt Arsenal’s game plan was understandable and, in context, probably the right one — especially against a PSG side that had been so devastating in the knockout rounds.
- PSG were judged deserved winners overall, even if they were not at their most flamboyant.
Why Arsenal fell just short
- Arsenal’s early goal changed the game state and forced them into a more reactive shape.
- They defended well for long stretches, but struggled to keep enough of the ball to relieve pressure.
- The biggest tactical criticism was that Arsenal did not get enough out of their attacking players, especially Bukayo Saka, who was heavily marked and starved of service.
- Noni Madueke was praised for making a positive impact after coming on.
- Myles Lewis-Skelly earned strong praise for his performance and was highlighted as a possible long-term central midfield option.
The penalty shootout and Gabriel’s miss
- The decisive miss came from Gabriel, who was criticized for being chosen as the fifth penalty taker.
- The panel debated whether Mikel Arteta should have put Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, or even defenders ahead of him.
- They agreed there was no blame to attach in human terms — the pressure was immense — but that the choice of taker mattered.
- There was also discussion of a possible Arsenal penalty appeal for a handball on Bucayo Saka; the panel felt it was the kind of call that often goes PSG’s way in UEFA competition.
PSG’s evolution and Luis Enrique’s legacy
What makes this PSG different
- PSG were described as a more complete, more resilient team than the stereotype that has followed them in previous years.
- They have combined attacking talent with real street smarts, control, and defensive maturity.
- The panel stressed that this is no longer just a team of star forwards — they are balanced, disciplined, and capable of winning in different ways.
Luis Enrique’s influence
- Luis Enrique was hailed as one of the elite coaches of his era.
- The discussion framed his PSG side as tactically significant because they lean into:
- possession and control,
- positional interchange,
- freedom for players to rotate,
- and a style that contrasts with the more physical, direct trend in much of modern football.
- His ability to retain the same squad and improve it without major additions was described as remarkable.
- PSG’s back-to-back European titles were treated as a major historical achievement.
Liverpool and the Arne Slot change
The bombshell
- Liverpool’s statement about a “change of direction” was treated as effectively the end of the Arne Slot project.
- The panel joked that the statement itself was awkwardly worded, but the message was clear: Slot is out.
Why it happened
- The consensus was that Slot had run out of answers in year two.
- Liverpool’s season was described as poor, stodgy, and far below the club’s standards.
- One stat summed it up: Liverpool lost far too many matches, and that alone made a change inevitable.
The likely replacement
- The speculation strongly pointed toward Andoni Iraola.
- The panel thought he would be a strong fit because:
- he coaches high-intensity, high-tempo football,
- his teams press aggressively,
- and he has experience getting excellent results from a mid-ranking Premier League squad.
- There was also talk that Mo Salah’s outgoing message may have signaled the style of football Liverpool players wanted to move toward.
What Arsenal need next
The broader lesson
- The panel agreed Arsenal were good enough to reach the final and deserved to be there.
- But they also felt the team may need a more dangerous, more complete attacking unit to win at this level.
- The key issue is not defensive structure — Arsenal are already elite without the ball — but whether they can control top-level games better and produce more in the final third.
Squad-building thoughts
- The summer arrivals — Zubimendi, Madueke, Viktor Gyökeres, and Eberechi Eze — were discussed as useful contributors, but not yet locked-in starters.
- That doesn’t make them failures; it just suggests Arsenal still need a clearer attacking hierarchy and more firepower in the starting XI.
Club season reflections and memorable moments
Standout moments mentioned
- Chelsea’s bizarre centre-circle huddle.
- Spurs cycling through managers and chaos around Thomas Frank and Van de Ven/Jed Spence.
- The Morgan Gibbs-White transfer saga.
- The Premier League season’s hair-pulling controversies.
- The rise of young talents like Max Dowman.
- A dramatic title-race run-in involving Arsenal, Manchester City, and key late-season moments.
General verdict on the season
- The panel felt the Premier League was low in attacking quality but high in drama and tension.
- The division’s depth was praised, with more teams able to upset top sides than in previous years.
World Cup plans and what comes next
The show’s upcoming coverage
- The hosts previewed their World Cup plans, with special preview pods starting soon.
- Tom Williams and Daniel Storey discussed their travel plans for the tournament, including:
- Tom heading to Los Angeles,
- Daniel doing a long solo road trip across the United States,
- and both contributing daily coverage.
Final note
- The episode closes by looking ahead to the next phase of the football calendar, with club season now over and the World Cup looming.