Although so many Arsenal-hearts and spirits will already dream of a Champions League-Halvale against Paris Saint-Germain next week, Mikel Arteta knows that he cannot afford to watch Crystal Palace-and he doesn't want that either.
Victory will postpone the title celebrations of Liverpool, but above all, it gives Arteta a last chance to resolve to its heaviest selectionilemmas prior to the greatest evening in his management career and of the recent history of Arsenal.
Preparing for the Tegen Kings
Few parties are just as devastating on the counterattack as PSG. The French side only needed four steps in their second stage against Aston Villa to go from one penalty area to the other for the raging of Full-back Nuno Mendes to set the visitors the night 2-0.
Palace may not have the same glamor nor set up in the same system, but there are still similarities between the two for Arteta to use as a handy Jurkrun for the Netweek.
The side of Oliver Glasner is in the top six for which statistics Opta call this season 'Fast Breaks' in the Premier League and only Liverpool, Newcastle and Villa have had more pictures of them in a single than Glasner's side in February against Villa himself.
Arteta must find a way to cancel two teams that use width and runners from Diep to get five players in the attacking third. For Palace that comes from the wing backs Daniel Munoz and Tyrick Mitchell while Ebereechi Eze and Ismaili Sarr are bursting through the middle.
For PSG, the width comes through Wingers Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Done, with full-back Achraf Hakimi who even offers the right side. Their runners in the channels come from midfield or, as for their crucial third goal in the first stage, of the looting Mendes.
Arsenal is one of the best in the business world in defending teams that so freely attack – only Liverpool spent fewer goals from fast breaks this season and they have not lost almost two years from a traditional 'Big Six' team in the competition.
So much of this comes from an important area in which Arteta must now find a solution.
Merino again in midfield?
Declan Rice was furious when Thomas Partey Late Geel against Real Madrid ruled him through the suspension from the first leg. Without him, Arsenal loses their most important disruptor in midfield.
Partey was won more duels and more interceptions than any other Arsenal player in the competition this season, while Rice and William Saliba have recovered the possession more often.
Without him in front of the back line of the Arsenal, Arteta must find another way to suffocate PSG's attack, but while he is not suffocating his.
“We have to make certain adjustments, not because of PSG, but because of the situation we had with Thomas and a few other players,” said Arteta. “That's good because the team shows adaptability, versatility for certain players to play in different positions.”
Arteta gave it a swirl in Ipswich by moving rice to the base of midfield, something he rarely does because Rice is at his best when bringing the ball.
This meant the movement of improvised frontman Mikel Merino back in the engine room. Merino has been a revelation as a false nine in the absence of Kai Havertz, scored six and sets up another four, including both goals from Arsenal in their famous evening in the Bernabeu.
But Merino, a box-to-box midfielder when he is not as a striker, is a dual sample. He wins more per game than any other Arsenal player, even Parey. That will be vital against PSG.
With Merino there, rice can be more productive, even from the base of midfield, because of how deep he likes to fall.
Merino's average position against Real Madrid when playing as a striker was deeper than when he started in midfield against Ipswich. The quality of the 10-man opposition counts part of it, but in both games the average position of Rice was further for him. Rice had 94 touches against Ipswich, the second most he had in the competition all season.
Arteta was also able to start Leandro Trossard instead and he was able to stay high while Merino came in. His brace further suggested that he could lead against PSG with tonight another chance to prove his value against Palace.
Did White do enough?
The victory of Ipswich was the first time since November that Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Ben White together started a Premier League match – and you could see what they missed.
Until the injury of Saka in December, with White also for many of that time, almost half of the chances came to the right. In his absence it has been less than a third.
The Gunners bullying Ipswich that way while all three were extremely connected. Odegaard and White touched the ball more than anyone and in just one match against Leicester earlier in the season, two Arsenal players created more opportunities combined than the five of Odegaard and Saka succeeded in the weekend.
Trossard drove to that side to help Ippswich even more overload, but it was White's performance, often overlapping the right and finding Gabriel Martinelli with a raking Cross-Field Pass within five minutes to see how his attacking instincts add an extra dimension to Arsenal's game.
Arsenal's right will probably contain the key to PSG, just like Real Madrid. Saka will hope to give Mendes the same sleepless nights that he has done Madrid left back Daniel Alaba.
However, this is the balance that Arteta must weigh. Jurrien Timber has been a rock in the absence of White. He had one of the world's most dangerous attackers Vinicius JNR on Lockdown in the quarterfinals, who completed only one of his nine dribbling attempts over the two legs.
Wood has only been drunk nine times in more than 2,300 minutes of competition. Players passed 14 times in 854 minutes.
The sight of PSG wing player Kvaratskhelia who drives along Villas defense with the ball of his feet and beating in the upper corner will certainly be in Arteta.
Nobody has tried more dribbles for Palace than their left-wing-back Munoz, which will give a final test. This is the last chance of Arteta to ensure that he is doing well.