Any Win Would Lift The Spirits Around The Arsenal
Mar 6th, 2017 by 'holic
I can remember Sunday 15th May 2016 as if it were yesterday. We needed to take a point at home to already-relegated Aston Villa to clinch third place and the neighbours needed a point at already-relegated Newcastle to become Premier League runners-up. I went through every single emotion that day. Football pulls me out of some dark places and that afternoon it most certainly did.
The drubbing we handed out that afternoon was only part of what caused so many people to depart the stadium smiling and laughing. The regular cheers that broke out as people following Tottenham’s humiliation on their mobiles brought immense happiness to all in the ground. “It’s happened again” indeed. The Champions League berth made secure. Most were so happy we would have the opportunity to play on the big stage again.
Ten months on and we’re going to get to see Bayern Munich in the flesh again and the spirits are once more at rock bottom. The atmosphere surrounding this match is far from ideal. Rumours of training ground bust-ups denied and yet we go into the match without Mesut Ozil, fit enough to train but still recovering from an illness all last week (whilst he was well enough to go tenpin bowling with some of his teammates). Arsene Wenger also avoided a question about Alexis starting by saying he would probably pick his team tomorrow morning.
I’m sure most admire the manager for defending his players on a public platform and respect his wish to keep disciplinary matters confidential. It is a shame that we have these distractions ahead of a match in which we will have to produce the greatest comeback in Champions League history to progress. Of course that is unlikely but we saw four years ago that Bayern can switch off in the second leg when we won 2-0, requiring a third goal to go through in Munich.
Frankly any margin of victory would lift a lot of the pressure off players and manager ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final, but an early goal or two might just put doubts into Munich minds. Rose-tinted, you say? I plead guilty. It’s what supporters do, dream of the impossible. It’s why I’m going. Even though I don’t really expect it I couldn’t bear the thought of missing the miraculous should it somehow happen.
What will be the starting eleven, disciplinary measures aside? I have seen it suggested that Per Mertesacker might make his first appearance of the season. That would be a big call, but understandable. Without digging out individuals the back four has slipped from the standards it was setting earlier in the season and was pulled apart when Laurent Koscielny went off in Munich. If we really are going for it we may also see Keiran Gibbs recalled.
I wonder if, without Ozil, Arsene might take a leaf out of George Graham’s book and play three at the back and two wing backs? Hector Bellerin and Gibbs would suit that approach. Or will he stick with a conventional four and play three in midfield, perhaps Granit Xhaka, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Francis Coquelin? The attacking trio will depend on Danny Wellbeck’s state of readiness. Ideally he would start with Alexis and either Theo Walcott or Lucas. The latter must be hungry to show what he can do at the highest level, and hunger is a quality we have lackedย lately.
The ‘holic pound
Simple really. We need only to throw everything, including the kitchen sink, at one of the best teams in Europe whilst not conceding to stand any chance of getting through. Fancy the miracle? You can get 110/1 against 4-0. That obviously won’t be the selection but I’m having a little bit of that for fun.
Arsenal to win in ninety minutes can be grabbed at a generous 5/2. The bookies are convinced Bayern will complete the double over the Gunners. I suspect they may be happy to sit and hold on to their advantage and we could nick a 1-0 under such circumstances. Both teams would be happy with that, I suspect. A modest punt on that won’t cover the cost of the evening, but it would add to the pleasure if it were to be successful.
Those who are going tomorrow will I’m sure get behind the team on another big European night. Whatever else is happening right now can be put to one side for ninety minutes, surely? Those who will be exercising their right to protest pre-match will, I am sure, take up their seats and roar the boys on once they have made their point peacefully, and with respect.
Have a good one, ‘holics.
156 Responses to “Any Win Would Lift The Spirits Around The Arsenal”
First drink!
Listened to Arsecast Extra today but had to switch it off. Pair of negative nellies ๐
Philosophical question.
If you see a dead fly, is it still a fly?
By definition it no longer does, because it’s dead, so it can’t BE a fly.
That’ll keep you awake all night.
You’re a proper supporter Holic. I just can’t bear the thought of being there tomorrow. I’ve only twice deliberately not been to a game when I could. One was the game in 1966 after we lost 3-0 to Leeds in front of just over 4,000 .
This season has really killed my enthusiasm and the thought of Wenger soldiering on is utterly depressing. It seems highly likely he will and we are left in the invidious position of wishing our beloved club ill if we are to see the change we need. We really will rue the day Kroenke took over.
Wenger needs David Dein to tap him on the shoulder and advise him not to tarnish his legacy significantly further.
I see no prospect of us getting a result tomorrow. Bayern are at least two classes better and what will determine the result is how hard they try to win. I wish all those going a much happier evening than I’m envisaging. Miracles can happen but not to a team with the attitude and abilities of ours.
Cynic in the last drinks you mentioned that most of the work is done by the time the players turn 14, after that it is upto the players themselves as a counter to Wenger being a good at developing young players. If that’s the case then I wonder why you get so angry at Wenger instead of the players themselves!! Oh wait – that must be the first step in your theory as to how the invincibles managed themselves to the title and not Wenger!!
And I did not shift goal posts – the ‘problem’ players that you were championing were all rookie youngsters when they came to the club before they became players who trophy winning rich clubs coveted was what I clearly mentioned. But pity Arsene did not manage our academy to convince you. Also what you’re saying basically means that no senior team manager can contribute to the development of a young player because they’re on a divine autopilot from the age of 15. Amusing.
Can we try and resist the urge to pop at each other. I know we’re all upset at how things are in our own way. It’s the crazy mix of lunatics this place attracts that makes it what it is.
Differ by all means, it’s human nature, but with a degree of respect.
Maybe they are right?
That’s not what I am saying at all.
You claimed he was the greatest coach for youth players, I merely pointed out that we have not produced one in all his time at the club.
‘They’ are never right, ‘holic, everyone knows that.
I also said it is largely up to players at 16, 17 and 18 to go on and make their own way, if you accept the argument put forward by coaches that players should have developed their technical ability by the time they’re 14 or so. It’s not hard to understand the point I was making is it?
I also said I’m not blaming him for all the players we’ve had as “prospects” who have done nothing at the required level.
I say that because, being consistent, I cannot blame him for not making the most of players who were elsewhere during that crucial development period.
@designer gooner, with all your arguments ala Wenger we might as well give him a 5 year contract extension. Lets get rid of Alexi but yea Wenger deserves a contract extension. What has he done the past 3-4 years to deserve any extension. If he loves Arsenal like he claims then he needs to respectfully resign and go enjoy or coach somewhere else.
And what I am saying is that it is not his job to coach them from ages 8 to 14 thereby it is not his fault that those players did not make it. What I am also saying is that a teenager even after he is picked for the first team needs to be taught a lot which he has done for several young players. More than any other manager in the past 20 years.
If I really wanted to put the cat amongst the pigeons, I would ask if he got as much as he should have done out of a squad filled with world class players, when we only had one team to fight with.
Because I know the players themselves don’t think they achieved what they should have.
But I won’t ๐
No worries, desi, it’s all good for a discussion.
Better than talking about Munich anyway ๐
All out attack has to be the tactic, there’s no point sitting back and hoping to counter FOUR times. They might wake up to that…
Maybe a day for Rambo to finally deliver, in the รzil role. He could hardly do worse anyway. Xhakaboom and El Niรฑo together, Theo and Danny with Alexis up front. OG and Lucas as Plan B.
And salmonella in Bayern’s lunch-time Schweinshaxn. That should do it.
Sanantonio I did not mention anything about a contract at all. Infact after the Bayern game I mentioned that Wenger should leave at the end of the season. But unlike some, I don’t discredit him of the good work he has done in the past. I don’t think the two things are difficult to distinguish.
As far as Alexis is concerned, I just mentioned that he is neither the best player in the team nor is he faultless. I don’t think he will be happy with the next manager either. He is going at the end of the season. He seems a three years max at a club kind of guy anyway.
Yup Cynic @12, and we can discuss Bayern after thumping them 4-0 anyway ๐
And Cynic @11, no he didn’t get enough out of that squad and that is precisely why he should leave.
@designer gooner I hear you. He is just getting too arrogant for my liking. As much as he has been good to the club, AFC has been really great for him too. He acts like the club is his charity and he doesn’t get paid for his job. Talking about he built the club, so what.. does that give him the right to destroy it too? Am not buying his bullshit anymore. Time to get the fuck out. ALEXI IN WENGER OUT.. rant over
Rambo, not Coq. Good call Chris. That is all-out. ๐
The Swiss statos who assess transfer fees for players for buying clubs have a performance index for players drawn from the playerโs Opta stats and based on their most recent 1,000 minutes of play in league games. It is a score out of 100 and weights the various performance measures depending on position (scoring goals matters less for a goalkeeperโs rating than it does for a striker, to take an obvious case in point). Ronaldo gets a 94 overall and Messi a 92, for example, which give you an idea of where the bar lies.. The scores for our squad make interesting readin. Oh! Santi Cazorla.
Cazorla 89
Sanchez 89
Ozil 87
Xhaka 86
Ramsey 86
Ospina 85
Coquelin 85
Elneny 85
Iwobi 84
Mustafi 82
Gibbs 81
Oxlade-Chamberlain 81
Koscielny 80
Giroud 80
Welbeck 80
Perez 77
Monreal 77
Walcott 77
Bellerin 76
Debuchy 75
Cech 75
Sanogo 73
Mertesacker 72
Gabriel 71
Jenkinson 59
Martinez N/R
Reine-Adelaide N/R
Holding N/R
Sanantonio – it is perhaps a testament to his consistency that one of the few times we look to be under threat of missing the top four under him is being seen as ‘destroyed’ by you!!
Greek side Olympiakos have dismissed former Portugal coach Paulo Bento, despite leading the Superleague by seven points.
Bento’s sacking after seven months in the job, came after Olympiakos’ third straight league defeat on Sunday opened the door for second-placed Panionios, who have a game in hand.
Now that’s the way to do it.
If you’re a harsh bastard.
110/1 odds too good to pass up. Glass of rosรฉ for me barman. Now to get my rose-tinted glasses.
Re: NBN @19. Why is Hector only one point higher than Debuchy?
Those same stats suggest to me that it may be time for a new goalkeeper?
UTA.
Why is he below Gibbs and Monreal, bt8?
Fine preview Guvna. If I was a betting man I would have a punt on 4-0 at those odds. bt8, let’s get a bottle of rosรฉ.
Let’s get juiced on Mateus and just hang loose, bath.
@designer goner.. I wasn’t talking about this season by the way. You call it consistency, some people might call it been stuck/stalled. No moving forward or backed.
Backward
@19 north bank ned respectfully, how does Sonogo get a 73 ?
btb@24 @ NZG@32: the score is based on the past 1,000 league minutes played so it will include games on loan at Charlton in Sanogo’s case, or may be games played some time back, as with Debuchy, or Santi come to that. A 1,000 minutes is only a dozen games so it is also a form guide. Bellerin scores highly on the attacking aspects of being a full back, as you would expect, but not on some of the defensive ones such as tactical awareness, positioning and physical tackling, again what you would expect from a young player still learning their trade, and we have certainly seen that in recent games. Debuchy’s scores show the reverse pattern.
It is worth noting, too, that Bellerin has played in a defence that has conceded 18 goals in its last dozen games, compared to 11 in Debuchy’s last 12.
Marvellous.
Anthony Taylor is our referee on Saturday.
Wonderful.
Not really looking forward to tonight!
I think people should go to the game and this protest hasn’t got a leg to stand on, also it might be our last for some time now.
Cynic,
Here we go again ๐
Seems that the last time there was a CL match at the Emirates with the home side looking at a four goal deficit to make up, those Gunners took a 3-0 lead into the interval and just missed out on a fourth in the second half before running out of steam. And the place was rocking!
Let’s hope for a repeat and one better, COYG!
I still feel enormous guilt about not going tonight . This has been offset by the fact that Ticket Exchange have ( yet again) not found a buyer for my seat and I have to pay ยฃ90 to Mr. Kroenke not to see a game.
I wish all of those going tonight a great evening. I hope I end up with a ton of egg on my face as the Gunners achieve the impossible. I then wake up
I have heard an interesting conversation today that Josh Kroenke effectively calls the shots at Arsenal as Stan has bigger fish to fry in the US.?
Josh has become very close to Thierry and apparently wants him to succeed Wenger. While this has appeared in the press the man who told me has very good contacts at Arsenal and says that the next manager at Arsenal may well be Thierry who will get his full licence this summer. It would be a brave call but as I get increasingly depressed one I would support if it shakes the club up. A Kroenke who cares is much better than a Kroenke who looks at capital appreciation and if young Josh has got the Arsenal bug it might represent a silver lining for us all. Thierry is his own man but would require a strong lieutenant . Something to ponder for those travelling back tonight.
It would be a completely stupid decision to give a man with no managerial experience the Arsenal job.
I’d rather Wenger stayed on than have Henry in charge.
It’s THAT bad a choice. ๐
I’m sorry but Thierry has no experience to manage the Arsenal. There was a reason why Giggs wasn’t offered the United job or the Swans role and you could argue he has done far more than Henry to gain experience.
The biggest Gooner in the whole wide world
piers morgan’s first preference is Thierry Henry
Ze Bayern at home. What an occassion. The boys will need all our help.
Appropriately enough, here are a few songs me and my Arsenal fan mates will treat the Emirates with (in between prolonged moments of silence/booing):
We want our Arsenal back!
Lets make Arsenal great again!
Wagner ahht (old favourite)
Lock him up!
Henry? Please you might as well give me the damn job. Are you fucking kidding me.. it must be a joke or a way for them to keep Wenger there.
And how much managerial experience did Guardiola have before he was given the job at Barcelona? Ditto Simeone at Atletico, and several others that come to mind.
Guardiola ran the Barcelona B team for a year and got them promoted.
Simeone managed a mere six clubs before he got the Atletico job.
What about Thierry with someone like Hiddink to lean on, learn from?
By the way the team tonight is as attacking as we could realistically make it. We may as well perish going for it than trying to nick a 1-0
I think Ian Wright must listen to the Arsecast Extra…
Just noticed Iwobi not involved at all. Is he injured?
No not with Hiddink or van gaal or anyone for me.
Welbeck fucked in the warm up.
Wellbeck injured in warm up Giroud steps up. You couldn’t make it up.
Half the crowd having epileptic fits thanks to the “light show”
Come on you Gunners!
He’s shit that Walcott ๐
Get in Walcott!!!!!!
One down 3 to go come on Arsenal
Bayern don’t need filth in midfield to break the game up, the fucking ref is doing it for them.
Hollywood Ramsey.
Fuck off.
Clear penalty. If the “assistant” can’t see that, two feet in front of him, why is he standing there?
I’ve never seen any penalty given by the assistant beside the goals. Never.
Needed another goal there to put them under real pressure.
Not a bad first half considering what we have been witnessing of late!
Why is it always when there is nothing to play for we actually start to play good football?
Best first half we’ve played at home since Basle . With a better ref it might be 2-0. Ox, Theo and Ramsey playing very well
that fuckin shitehawk souness
slurring his nonsense
all over me telly
We’ve got two ex Man U cunts and Ian Wrong.
Koscielny doing his best Koscielny impression.
The refs can do one.
This is bollocks!
Awful refereeing.
Definite penalty but how do you book someone and then go, “Oh fuck that. I’ll send him off” after showing a yellow?
Ref is a C…!
Cynic
If that’s a penalty then how come we didn’t get one on Walcott?
I have no idea, but theirs was a definite pen and rubbish defending by Kos.
Ref destroyed the game end off! It wasn’t a fucking red!
Referee not competent to ref a game like this. Bias aside he has been very poor.
Arsenal are 10/ to win the game with Skybet, which is ridiculous odds.
Fill yer boots.
10/1 I mean lol
I’d take Giroud off and push Theo or Sanchez up top
So let me get this straight, main ref gives him a yellow then the goal line ref changes the decision?
That’s what it looked like.
Fuck my 10/1 by the way.
Referees in the champions league have a glorious history of being shit…
What a fucking awful goal to give away
What is it with Bellerin just take it down the line for god sake!
And that was interfering with play hence offside however this is exactly what you get when you get humiliated 5:1 in the first leg!
It’s a blessing that this wasn’t a tight tie after this clusterfuck by the officials.
Goodnight
Spaniards while they play very crafty and attractive football, are real cunts when it comes to simulation, diving and complaining to referees. Javi Martinez, Rafinha and Xabi Alonso belong to the same category. And all the good ones like Nacho and Cazorla end up at Arsenal.
I know we play with ten men but come on!
This is excruciating. It could be anything.
Lessons are there in abundance but one is we need Koscielny.
Usual shambles really but hey I’m use to it ?
Ox has been pretty good though..!
๐
I predicted it would be awful and didn’t go . I was proud of the team but they have it in them to capitulate completely. And the last thirty minutes have been a nightmare. Wenger can still motivate them to an extent but they have no ability to batten down the hatches. Yet again Xhaka and Mustafi look miles off the pace. Wenger looks a broken man on that bench
We lost this round in the first leg.
Wow that was beyond embarrassing. Ref useless but so was the defending. Arsene let everyone know what you are doing as the team and fans don’t know what you are doing and it shows on the pitch. I cannot back this man one day longer. It’s a fucking shamballs going down to 10 men shouldn’t mean stop playing. I have also done with the Ozil Alexis bollocks as well, go !!!! Well done Ox, man of the match, so play him on the wing next game AW as that sums you up.
Thank God one doesn’t have to wait a full week for the next game. Need to get this one out of my system really quickly.
Just a reflection on that first half – Ramsey showed the physicality and burst of movement we miss with Ozil in the no:10 role. That is his best position and I would like to see Ozil being rotated with Ramsey. Ox has to be a nailed down starter in central midfield – he was terrific and has been ever since he has played there this season. Theo can be such a world beater if he turns up with that attitude in every single game.
I don’t mind loosing but yet again collapsing it’s not the Arsenal way to me. I don’t give a monkeys toss this is beyond taking the piss!
Alexis and Czech smiling when they were scoring summed it up for me!
Really decent first half in a long time but hey I know the ref fucked it for us but there is no excuse for a collapse!
Arsenal needs a new vision we need a change!
Desi I agree about Ox and Ramsey and Theo was good too. But it’s hard to focus on positives if you think it means Wenger and the Board will gloss over it. You can’t gloss over it , something fundamental needs to be done.
Wenger can stand down with honour or the atmosphere will be utterly toxic at home matches . I think he needs to do the honourable thing
I would like to see Ramsey in that role and Ozil on another team.
Santi in number 10 role, he was only moved when the lazy Ozil turned up. Sell him and give santi his position back !!!
Good luck Holic with your report!
what an awful game, them etthel mermans are cheating awful nasty horrid oiks and them foreign offeshals are just terrible.. no arshnal player would dive and cheat .. never ever, lots of love the Q, in the soup kitchen
Feels wrong to have a go at the officials after a drubbing like that but they were absolute cunts from start to finish.
Le fin.
Also, Bayern Munich are a classless bunch of cunts as a club and I hope whoever they get next absolutely fucks them a new one.
Send the refs and Ozil to Elba.
I fear that may have been the last Champions League game we see at the Ems for a good year or two.
Idris Elba?
He’s nails, to coin an old phrase…
Why are our shiny new signings, Xhaka and Mustafa, passing to the other team?
Because they’re not very good?
bt8
Cos they are useless that’s why!
Cynic
That way too kind in my opinion ?
https://twitter.com/RobHarris/status/839236617390944256
I mean… it is and it’s also a complete shambles.
I was really happy until the red card incident and then we just went to bits. We are a very weak team and it comes from the man in charge.
Who won the first down the tunnel race ? Fair play to Theo and ox as usual, nice of nacho to stand there talking to the the Bayern players and not applauding the fans he help humiliate.
“The people have spoken , the bastards”
– Dick Tuck (1966)
Cynic
I’m sorry to say but that’s a delusional statement unless he watched another game, going down to 10 men is one, completely collapsing is another I know he wants to protect his players but his comments don’t cut it any more!
Arsene at least be honest with yourself! If 2:10 on aggregate is being in a good shape, God help us all!
Spare yourself the embarrassment of a report, ‘holic, and pour yourself another Guinness. We will all understand.
https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/839226888446951425
Oh dear…. ๐
Precious little difference on my tv between the Kos pen and the Theo no-pen. 2-0 with Alonso sent off and it’s a different game altogether. But on such decisions can whole games rest.
On a subject of the CL Refs
This reminds me when Van Persie was sent off at Camp Nou for kicking the ball after he was judged offside, slightly different circumstances because he got another yellow for it. But you have to give it to the Refs….
They hate us!
Saturday come there is another monster of a ref coming to the Ems!
More game time and Theo could end up our top scorer. Just 3 behind Sanchez now.
Okay I know, but I’m trying to find positives!
Chris
At least you’re trying ๐ and after what we just watched we all need some that.
A large triple glass of whatever you like s on the bar, sod it take the bottle or two if you wish…
๐
I have to say the ref changed the game end of he’s is and will be a complete cunt!
The players did not do themselves any favours though they just gave up and threw the towel in! That’s embarrassing to say the least!
Whilst I am, and have been for a few seasons now, in the AW out camp, I don’t think this was a Wenger Out night. We played quite well until the awful, simply awful and amateurish red card decision.
Faced with a (however unrealistic) four nil over 90 mins, or get 4 in 30 mins to force extra time, it’s no wonder the players heads went down.
Especially when you can’t trust a referee or his assistants to give you a fair shout.
So the final scoreline doesn’t really matter. No point in risking an injury on a match you can’t win by any stretch of the imagination.
I’ve said before and it still holds true. I can take defeat as long as the team appears to try, and try hard, and just get beaten by the better team on the day. That appeared to be the jist of the first 54 minutes tonight. From then on, Bayern just walked it into the net, as they played like professionals, and didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
Now, to lose to Lincoln on Saturday might be a different kettle lol ๐
If we had just realized it was game over, shored things up half an hour and lost 2-1 then the game would already be forgotten as a “plucky effort” now it’s another “humiliation” for the red tops and talk shite to wang on about all week long…
Would like to see AW win the FA cup one more time – hopefully wiping the Spuds smirks off their faces along the way – but then it really is time for a change.
Guys stop blaming the ref. We lost this round in the first leg. No one can justify losing a round by 10-2 aggregate regardless of the red card. No more excuses, we are who we are.. sorry bunch of losers. Chelsea won’t have lost that game by 5-1 even with a red card. We are not a disciplined team.. please we all need to stop making excuses.
It was a very sad night for us. We must stand by Arsene. We did play the way we used to in the first half. Unfortunately, has too in one-will-do-if-any-Giroud. He had a golden opportunity to make it 2 in the first half. We would have been rocking… and every chance of an upset. We had Bayern on the ropes… If Giroud is scoring his one then what good is he doing. Sanchez and Walcott were prolific before Giroud was reintroduced to the team. Giroud has brought down the team and Arsene. Also Arsene stop refusing to play Perez from the start; reason being fans demanded that a striker be bought in the summer. But the real problem has been Kroenke became main shareholder. Don’t take your anger at Arsene. We should try better someway to get Kroenke out of club. Give Arsene the next 2-4 years to winning ways… without Kroenke counting his money… even we are beat by so much. Arsenal is a great football club not a mediocre business… Arsene has done great things for our football club.
Just back from the game. Funny old night. Enjoyed the first half, second half not so much. But I didn’t expect to win, I just didn’t want to see Gooner fighting Gooner. And I didn’t. We all supported the team and relied on gallows humour.
There was even a smile. First half the loud guy two rows back was absolutely coating off Ozil. I turned round and gently informed him that Ozil wasn’t on the pitch but was on the bench. “Is he – Oh fuck”! says the guy. But he came back strong. “Well he’s a cunt for being on the bench then!”
Well it made me smile.
We’re gonna win the Cup.
So what difference would it have made San An G if we had ‘only’ lost 1 – 3? Or 1 -2?
Once the game was ‘proper’ lost there was no point in trying any more.
Going out 2 -7, or 2 -8, yadda da… it’s all the same.
I’m not blaming the ref and certainly not making excuses I’m merely pointing out the fact that he was a complete cluster fuck!
We are who we are and I will still be here on Saturday supporting our club! Whatever happens going forward will happen either way but a change is needed without a doubt!
Top man Countryman100 ๐
Just got home from a night in the west end. I had recorded the game. The plan was to enjoy a couple of beers and watch it all.
I’ve just hit the delete button. I don’t see any reason at all to put myself through that.
I’ve seen nothing of the match so really can’t comment. I agree with everyone that has said that the game was lost before tonight even got here.
What really concerns me is that we have lost Kos in the second half of both games. Without him we have then gone on to concede what is it? 9 times? To be honest I’ve lost count. Not only is that embarrassing but a very sad indictment on the rest.
Oh well. All aboard the happy train. World domination is just around the corner? Right?
up west steve
well , hello dolly
?
Just seen on Twitter
Have seen a few people saying we lost 10-2 on aggregate. This FAKE NEWS, people. Sad. We played beautiful & won. Make Arsenal Great Again.
Steve T
You have done the right thing…
@Mark the spark… my point exactly. We lost this round in the first leg. Is it the refs fault in the first leg losing a game by 5-1. This match could have ended 1-1, 2-2. We beat them 3-1 or 3-2. Fact is we lost the fucking first leg by 5-1. What difference did it make? So we need to stop blaming the ref. Yea he messed up, so we decided to fuck it all up. Do you know how demoralizing it is to lose a game twice by the same score line to a team we were suppose to be competing with. They have knocked us out in every round we faced them.
When everything else appeared to be heading South CBA
But … Had we been awarded a pen and Alonso sent off, who is to say what effect it might have had on Bayern? Yes, they were playing within themselves up to that point, but pressure can do strange things to a team. No, they never looked in any real trouble, but what if we’d scored a third after getting the pen?
Ifs and buts won’t change the 2-10 result, but I’m reminded of that RvP red card against Barca which someone mentioned. Had RvP not been sent off and had he, not Bendtner, had the relatively easy chance late on (that TGSTEL stuffed) we’d have beaten Barca on away goals that year.
We don’t seem to get the best of luck in the CL sometimes.
…not to mention having our keeper sent off after 15 minutes of that 2006 final, and still leading up till the final minutes.
@112 – He wasn’t laughing. If ever a picture told a lie it is that one. Don’t fall for the bollocks.
http://i.giphy.com/xUPGczDiTpTleN4b3G.gif
There’s no way that’s a laugh.
Steve T – You should have watched the first 54 minutes, we were more than a match. Then the ref fucked us.
That doesn’t excuse the shambolic way we fell apart in any way, and as I said earlier when you’ve lost like that it seems daft to talk about the ref, but we were good tonight until we went down to ten men. Unjustly.
Chris.. I get all your points. I guess am just exhausted from the whole thing. We are just not a disciplined team. If we had lost the first leg 3-1, and the ref fucked up like that then I really would have been pissed off and blamed him.. but there is no way Bayern wouldn’t have scored a goal or two today. I just feel we can’t keep blaming refs for all our fuck up.. this same team have knocked us out at least three times. That’s not a coincidence. Sometimes we have to make our own luck and am sorry the last time we challenged in the CL was probably 5 yrs ago..
Unreal — I thought we were great first half.
Walcott, Ramsey and Xhaka played realy well – the Ox too.
Still trying to figure out how the second period went so wrong -officials not withstanding.
Still, if we get a better ref, weve got a real chance against Lincoln.
Cant blame it all on the ref I guess – perhaps he owns a taverna on Ios that gets repeatedly trashed by English tourists…..
We should send cba round to have a word….Belfast style (1970’s)
Given up now…….
Still too early for a drink here in NZ……Fuck.
The players just folded tonight, and let everybody down after a great first half.
Although why he didn’t make some sort of tactical switch immediately after the red card is beyond me. Taking Giroud off, pushing someone with pace up the middle and sitting and hitting was the only way to play the rest of that game IMO, but what do I know.
Apart from those two European finals, three Champions League quarter finals and a semi final, plus getting into the Champions League or UEFA Cup every single season he’s been at Arsenal, he has no pedigree at all in Europe.
Spot on.
*sigh*
Come on Holics
We have a game to look forward to on Saturday! ๐
Cheer up for Gods sake!
Sanantonio, Chris, ATG…I totally agree Yesterdays game was a damage limitation exercise and we failed again. This is reminiscent of mother of batterings against ManU, Chelsea etc…… when you are loosing anyway, try and change the style. Go compact. Hit on the break but no we have to stay fully open and invite the opposition to ridicule us.
The fact that we keep saying thats against our benchmark best ie the invincible etc, a man down meant we were even more difficult to beat, and thats not the case seems purely due to how you allow leaders in your team to dictate. Everytime a coach has come in and tried to instill some defensive solidity in our team has been banished. So it does come down to the dictator. Sorry I wont call him a manager anymore. He is not!
Pruned!
New blog imminent…
Fumigation complete.
Holic is too upset to write the next page ๐
Although now me reply to zippy’s pruned “no European pedigree at all” post looks like out of the blue ranting.
So what else is new ๐
I didn’t post last night because I wanted to sleep on what I had seen after I got home from the game. The first 55 minutes were amongst our best team performances in a long time. We had a balanced midfield that moved through the gears nicely (unlike at Liverpool where we appeared to have no midfield whatsoever). We took the game to Bayern and really should have been 2-0 up at HT. I don’t include the possible pen for Feo as it was at the other end and I couldn’t see it properly but on TV it looks as much a pen as the one they were so swiftly awarded. Their only dangerous moment in the first half was when Lewandowski got clean through and misplaced a chip over our defence past the post (he didn’t go to ground because there was no-one near him I presume). Bayern were definitely getting edgy as the half game to an end.
Giroud really should have buried that header early in the second half to make it 2-0. We might well have seen a remarkable second half had that gone in. Instead we were treated to a shambles as a result of:
Charalambos Kalogeropoulos
I have never seen a third official influence a decision before nor a referee change a yellow to a red. Why exactly was it a red? Does Charalambos Kalogeropoulos not know the rules were changed?
When Kos went off the game was over. When the pen was scored, I think we should have subbed Feo with Gilberto immediately (better still Holding if he had been an option) and gone for damage limitation. The fact that the team were still in ‘go for it’ mode against a top team that used the extra man to lethal advantage resulted in the final embarrassing score. That we were still ‘going for it’ in the last 5 minutes at 3-1 after giving them two easy goals was nonsense but there we are, that’s the man’s philosophy which at other times has reaped dividends and given us very attractive football that, I for one, regard it as a huge privilege to have watched regularly.
It’s a desperate shame that it’s all ending so miserably.
Meanwhile Charalambos Kalogeropoulos will always be an extreme vulgarity in my book.
*Gabriel not Gilberto.
Charalambos Kalogeropoulos will always be an extreme vulgarity in my book.
You have the Greek dictionary that translates his name to “Elephant felching arse muncher” as well do you? ๐
You’ve got the Greek Euphemism Dictionary there, Cynic. The real meaning is far, far worse and even with us being used to the ‘industrial language’ occasionally used in this bar, I couldn’t possibly put it in writing.
bath Gooner @147
Absolutely spot on.
It’s unfortunate that a game is not played for just 50 minutes, or we would have been deserved winners.
There was a level of gumption in the first half that hasn’t been on display in a long while. Unfortunately, we lack the character and confidence to sustain it, talk more of putting anybody to the sword.
Alexis Sanchez went missing, Mustaphi gets shown up again, and Arsene Wenger crowned what was a completely abject tactical showing with even more embarrassing responses to questions posed at the post match press conference.
I sincerely hope that things don’t get any worse than this.
Testing times indeed.
Sanchez was poor and clearly out of sorts but he didn’t just give up and stroll about, although his defending was weak all game.
I genuinely believe he wants to stay, and that’s at the root of his unhappiness rather than a trouble making push for a transfer, but he sees no real point and I think he is waiting, like the rest of us, to see what the manager does.
If Wenger goes, Sanchez will stay IMO.
The evening started out in fine style, I met up with 2 Cambridge Gooner friends and we went for a pre-match Italian.
No one expected us to recover the tie but we all hoped for a performance which is what we got until the fateful 54th minute. I have looked at the recording and do feel it was the harshest decision to brandish the red card.
From then on it was downhill all the way. Why we didn’t shore things up at the back and come out of the match with some dignity is hard to accept. After Kos left the scene there was no one capable on the pitch of making that judgement and Arsene sat on his hands watching the team fall apart.
I admit leaving the stadium after the 3rd goal, it was too painful to watch. I am now worried how the team will react for the Cup match, the media are having a field day and it can only get worse. Confidence is rock bottom and with 9k Lincoln fans in full voice it’s going to be a tricky tie. Apathy reigns at the Ems, the fans need to be up for it on Saturday let’s hope the players on view rise to the challenge and at least give us a day out at Wembley.
I can’t think any moves will be made to rectify the current malaise until May. Can we expect a” Leicester announcement” giving full support to the manager. I doubt it, the board are gutless!
COYRs
My 10 year old daughter went to bed at half time last night after watching us play a great half of football and scoring a great goal
My parting words to her were “we probaly won’t win the tie, but we are putting in a great effort and there will be nothing to be embarrassed about at school tommorow….”
Poor kid’s face when I told her the result this morning.
Also psot #128. Brilliant…that made me spit my tea out laughing…
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