Atleti The Roadblock En Route To Lyon
Apr 25th, 2018 by 'holic
I have just seen some shots of Atletico Madrid training at The Grove. It’s a powerful reminder that on Thursday evening we will be watching our first European semi-final since the Champions League meeting with Manchester United in 2009. To reach the Final we will have to knock out the 5/4 favourites for the competition. These are the big games in Europe we want to see more of.
It’s unfortunate that we have lost Mohamed Elneny for both legs and Hernrykh Mkhitaryan for at least the first leg. If you have listened to this week’s ABW podcast (embedded below) you will know I would favour us reverting to a back three to compensate. Arsene Wenger certainly has decisions to make. As he himself said today not winning the Europa League would be an anti-climax in his farewell season.
Petr Cech, Jack Wilshere, and Mesut Ozil are fit to return. Cech may get the nod to start this critical tie ahead of David Ospina. Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi could be joined by either Calum Chambers or Rob Holding. The latter will remember his last appearance against Diego Costa in last season’s FA Cup Final with fondness. Costa, originally ruled out with a hamstring problem is, surprise surprise, training with the Atleti squad as I type.
Hector Bellerin and Nacho Monreal should start as wing-backs. A midfield trio of Granit Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey, and Mesut Ozil could operate behind Danny Welbeck in a floating role and Alexandre Lacazette leading the line. Should Arsene decide to persist with a back four then the likeliest option would see Ainsley Maitland-Niles accompany Xhaka in the holding roles.
Atleti dropped out of the Champions League after the group stage and knocked out FC Copenhagen, Lokomotiv Moscow and Sporting Lisbon to reach the semi-final. If Costa is fully recovered he will presumably dispute a starting berth with Kevin Gameiro and Fernando Torres alongside Antoine Griezmann. Not a bad quartet of options up front for the 2012 winners of this competition. Behind them will be a miserly defence and a busy, fast breaking midfield.
More than anything I’m hoping the home crowd can recreate the atmosphere that lasted all too briefly in that Manchester United semi-final. A repeat of that could have rather more of an impact on the travelling Spaniards than it did on Christiano Ronaldo et al nine years ago. Red Action have asked everyone to take their seats ahead of the teams walking out to make a full display of free-issue flags.
The ‘holic pound
I don’t mind admitting the options have been going through my mind. They are the toughest opponents we could have met in Europe this season and how often have we lost knock-out encounters against Europe’s leading clubs. We will have to show the utmost patience against a team that will sit deep, deny spaces in between their back three, and attempt to brake fast. Those are the tactics used so successfully against us by Manchester United and Chelsea teams in years past.
I’ve also had visions of Ozil and Ramsey finally producing the balls between defenders for Lacazette to feast on. Not for the first time I will say this really could be anything. I’m sticking with the bullish 3-1 I tipped in the ABW podcast. Shop around to get 22/1 if you are mad enough to follow my tip.
I will hopefully see some of you there pre-match and hope everyone can enjoy a committed Gunners performance whether live or on television. Please find below the ABW podcast hosted this week by someone you may recognise.
178 Responses to “Atleti The Roadblock En Route To Lyon”
Get in!
Nice preview Guvna.
I would prefer a clean sheet myself even if it’s only 1-0 or 2-0. I don’t know if it should be 3 or 4 at the back, I just know we need the CBs to have an error free game. We certainly also need Laca and Rambo to start the match as effectively as they finished on Sunday.
Hope to see you before the flag waving opportunity.
COYGs
Enjoy the pre-match munchies sir. I wish I could be there too. Lovely little place and friendly people.
I wouldn’t call them Atleti. It makes them sound young and cute or something.
No idea how this one will pan out?
I think Ozil will be key to unlocking their defence and the other midfielders will need to put a shift in to help the defence out.
I’m going for 3-1 Arsenal. And 1-1 next week!
4-3-2-1 with Jack deeper and Welbeck and Ozil and Ramsey playing ahead of Laca is my view of the formation. If we need three at the back Nacho should be in the back three.
I’m going for 2-0 to the Gunners. I think we have the ability but do we have the will? Do it for Arsène !
An exciting night out is in prospect. Starts around 1.00PM with lunch with my son in Farringdon ahead of a leisurely wander up Holloway Road to tip-toe through the tapas at an Iberian hostelry of some repute and a new experience for me. A pre-match sherbet at the Tolly may also be on the cards. Lots of goals in their net and none in ours would do me nicely.
I of course meant Laca playing ahead of Ramsey, Ozil and Welbeck. Too much Irish Whiskey is my excuse!
I shall see you later then, iBtM. ?
Thanks Guvnor.
I’d go with 3 at the back as well
but I doubt AW will. Nacho as CB
if we do, Kola in front of him.
We must be patient and Laca has
to be the man today, 2-0.
However, I’d take a draw as I can
see us winning at their place too.
Arsene’s fav setup has always been 4.4.2. and that’s what I expect to see. Me I’d prefer 4.2.3.1. with Danny playing wide rather than cluttering up Laca’s workspace in the centre.
On our very very best form this season we could win this tie … just. On the form we’ve seen more often than not, no chance.
Fingers and toes crossed behind the sofa…
Got a survey from the dot com this
morning. Clicked on hoping
it was an Everton style one and I
could joyfully eviscerate the board
for their puling cowardice – no such
luck.
I hope it wasn’t some Nigerian with difficulty accessing his billions. Or yours…
Worse, it was about my awareness of
The Arsenal’s brand partners.
I took the tour of the secrets of the Wanda Metropolitano, Atletico’s new stadium, that you can find here:
http://www.atleticodemadrid.com/noticias/descubre-todos-los-secretos-del-wanda-metropolitano
Odd, I didn’t see any patatas bravas stands. Not even any calamares fritos bars. Secrets, my arse.
still, you had a good wanda round
bt8?
Memo Rev Al: Re GRAVY (last drinks) … To avoid lumps when adding flour the trick is to first dissolve the flour in a little cold water.
careful al – sounds like a ruse
What’s wrong with lumps in gravy? Where I come from they’re called dough balls.
Just girding my loins for the journey up to face the dreaded Simeone and his horde of Visigoths. A couple of dough balls would be useful ballast.
It would be a wonderful thing if we could gain a handsome lead and a clean sheet in Arsene’s last home European game at the Emirates. (I know, I know)
COYG
well now bath
be having just those very fellows on sunday
with the high stool riders
who sound like you
ponsy since its sunday – beef not mince
fill the slow cooker
bar for 11
KO 12 – the real game 4
could get messy
dinner ready
.
UP THE ARSENAL
UP THE HOOPS
Cheers Holic !
It won’t matter what formation we play in if the attitude isn’t spot on from the start. That, honestly, is my main worry with this team – you can tell from the first couple of minutes what sort of performance we are going to get. Attitude and care with the ball will be essential, and some proper defending from our central midfield.
I remember only too well the flag waving against Man United, which proved to be a red rag to a Ronaldo. Loud, loud noise over flags for me but, this time, I will be unable to influence that from in front of the TV screen.
If we are really at it, we can do it.
Everything crossed here for a great performance, an excellent result and something very, very unpleasant for the sneaky rat that goes by the name of Diego Costa. A sore hamstring doesn’t even begin to fit the bill.
3-1 sounds great – fingers crossed for you too, Sir !
Bath, cba,
If your lumps are confined to your gravy, you’re doing ok ! ?
cba @20, “could get messy”
No we can’t – he’s cup tied and far too expensive ?
His legs are probably quite lumpy too ?
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, tips & hints from various parts of our emerald archipelago & another from that other one on the other side of the ol’ planet E, too – ta.
I love a good cultural exchange, I do, and a gravy based one is right up my rue. So ta again, gents (i think, of the 3 of yer it’s only the mighty Bath what’s ever looked in me in the eye and bought me a drink. But I’m always well willing to right that particular wrong), may your tatties (with or without the G. stuff) taste good for eternity, and may the mighties muller second-rate madrid 2nite.
UTA!
Flour in gravy?
Just get the Bisto out and have at it.
Oi you, you u grateful Reverend !
I’ve had the misfortune of looking at you in the eye – and the pleasure of buying you a drink mere seconds thereafter.
Not one that’s likely to be repeated unless I get full and grovelling – not gravying – apologies.
Do Reverends grovel ?
They spend a lot of time on their knees – and not necessarily praying.
I’ve heard.
The boss keeps surprising – Ospina instead of Cech. The bench looks so weak. The team:
Ospina, Bellerin, Koscielny, Mustafi, Monreal, Xhaka, Ramsey, Wilshere, Welbeck, Ozil, Lacazette
Substitutes: Cech, Holding, Iwobi, Chambers, Maitland-Niles, Kolasinac, Nketiah
Squids onbthe grill yet?
COME OOOOOON!
Maybe they’ll get a silly first red.
Keep em out of our net, COYG.
Well that flag waving thing I usually hate in stadia but that was rather impressive and the place appears to be rocking.
come on you gooners!
nice, yellow for atletico.
i love nacho coming in on that far post canter.
oooh. thought welbeck should hae passed to özil, but laca hits the post.
estemos en fuego momentito!
atleti sees red!!! vrsaljko off!
second yellow, absolutely, left his foot on laca’s ankle without question.
i could end up with a red, too; given i could get to 100 without answer.
and now atletico is going to fucking dive. simeone calling the ref hijo de puta, and has been sent off. it’s all going crazy at the ems!
Come on you Gunners!!!
good to see you dexter. i hate to drink alone. have a drink, on me.
man, we’ve got to make this count…
great movement and passing, welbeck needs to hit that.
Cheers Scruz
Don’t mind if I do…
Yep we have to make the most of this opportunity
and to that, dex, kozzer…seriously? COME ON YOU REDS!
missing too many chances
Lacazette diving ffs
my thoughts, sancho.
Need a few goals before HT…
Before Someone will have 15 minutes of dark arts fuckery to imbue into his players!
Bt8 – You are Mystic Meg…
If we WERE thinking of offering the job to Simeone, I think he might have just blown the interview before he even had it.
On the basis of looking like an Argentine Lyle Lovett if for no other reason
our final ball is off.
great quick movement and some very sweet passing, though.
i’d be happy with one, to start, dexter.
godin doesn’t need halftime to exercise his dark arts knowledge.
True! Haha
Got to make our numerical advantage count. COYG.
Well logically if we keep at it they should get tired later…
*now* we start playing like crap? hopefully just a crappy 5 minutes.
Great save by Ospiiina.
not at ALL happy with ospina’s distribution, but decent save.
True, Dexter, they will tire as the match goes on, especially since they are pressing high up even with ten men.
Apologies Trev, i ‘ad no idea you’d entered the great gravy (resists boat & train puns in light of him with whom i’m placating to) debate – there’s your customary ‘alf on the bar for yer …
UTA! (psed we should be at least lots up alreadeeeeee, no?)
Griezman is diving all over the place.
Cheaty fuckers
44 minutes and no goal? no thank you (said in the inimitable style of sheriff gillespie from “in the heat of the night”).
Frustratingly toothless up front.
And Cynic, i’m sorry, but i’m a sweet-hearted romantic re gravy, and much else – so it’s a bit o’ heart & flour, flour, flour for me …
(for fuk’s sake Arsenal … score!!!!!! You useless C*NTZ!)
argh. let’s get a gee up at ht and take the next quarter hour with a couple or three goals.
It’ll all happen in the 2nd half….
Won’t it???
0-0 ht
stay patient, couple in the last
10 minutes will do
don’t give an away goal to 10 men
Got to take at least a two goal lead into the away leg.
Agreed Matt
Ksn
I want nay demand at least a 6 goal advantage!!
at least 2
we gotta kill em now
Griezmann is diving whenever someone touches him… it’s disgusting to see his theatrics after he goes down. Similar is the case with Correa. We should have scored in the first half, but definitely should in the second. They will get tired as the second half wears on and we must make our numerical advantage count.
I do miss me mum’s gravy, Rev, especially when it was lamb for the roasting tin. There was something magical about a lamb based gravy with minty spuds.
Morrie from Goodfellas has taken charge of Atletico, I see. Looking rough Morrie
C’mon boys let’s go
@77 Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, minty spuds (confess, sadly, that i’ve never ‘ad ’em, but i would).
Ahem:
Mary had a little lamb,
She had it with some mint sauce.
She had it for ‘er starter,
And she had it for ‘er main course.
(Quite sure that’s early – possibly unpublished – ol’ Billy Blake ‘imself.)
CoMon URedZZZZZZZZZZZZ!
Mary had a little lamb
It walked into a pylon
10,000 volts went up its arse
And turned it’s wool to nylon.
There’s one for you Rev.
Wenger out!!
Laca!!!!
That’s a great header. What a hang.
Laca!!!
Darke nicks my line! Is he lurking?
annnnnd there it is. just on 15 minutes since halftime. LACA!
Laca timed his jump and placed the ball far away from their keeper. Good goal.
let’s hope we get another quick and athletico have to push for something. then we’ll end them.
Got one let’s get two
They already look knackered. Need to get a few more.
Come on boys!
let’s get another now, lads. now’s the time, from this corner!
laca looking hungry for the second…
Jack is waiting for the ball to come to him and Athletic are still attacking the ball. Come on Jack and boys, speed up your pass and movement.
Bless you & all that sail within thee bruvvah Steve T (I’ll be nicking that one & reciting to some flock or other as though it were one o’ me own – but i’ll think kindly of thee when i do it)
We’s winning – some more’ll do though.
“it”
we’re telegraphing pass after pass.
come ON!
“piccolo”
time wasting. repeat as necessary.
Useless
Boring rubbish
Pants scabies
i’ll say anyfink for the ton (apologizes again)
time to bring in eddie.
That’s pathetic. Just whack it away
and maitland-niles for jack.
fuck fuck fuck.
Only we can concede in such a set up.
what a travesty.
truth, ksn.
Oh shit!!
Same ol same ol…
What a sucker punch. Now we have to score away to win.
kind of apt tho, aint it.
All Whimper and no bang!
Not meant to be
Come on, let’s be having a winner.
Can we please have someone on the left wing who has a decent left foot in the second leg?
Hope Mkhi is fit…
Terrible goal to give away
but we’re not out of it like
several of the CL games of
the last few years.
Bitterly disappointing but
have to pick ourselves up
and go for it in Spain
They think they are through already, which will make knocking the cunts out on their own pitch even sweeter.
Strong ref next game as well please.
No fear, go there, batter them, qualify.
time for this to be over
There were only 2 willing scorers on for us – Laca & Ramsey. Jack & Ozil just want to pass, pass.
Feels like a defeat. Not surprising they are celebrating. Kos and Mustafi have a few mistakes in them.
Can’t believe the score.
That hurt but the tie is not over as Madrid will maybe get caught in no mans land knowing a nil nil will get them through – Talk about a gift though every time you think it can’t happen again we find a more amusing way to do it again ! Oh well gotta do it the hard way now which will make it al the sweeter ?
Up The Arse,
I like Keown as a pundit but that stuff about feeling the tie is almost over is such balls and not what you expect from an Arsenal man, even allowing for the fact that this team is a pale shadow of what we’re used to.
A hatful of missed chances.
Massive domination of possession.
Take a lead.
No idea how to protect it with three minutes to go.
Give away a stupid goal.
All that remains is for someone to now say in the post match interview –
“We must learn from this………… ”
We won’t.
Well, we might do next season.
Hope you’re right, Chippy and Cynic.
It just all feels so familiar.
Unlucky on three counts with the goal we conceded. First Kos gets a firm foot on the overhead ball but it ricochets off Griezmann’s head on to his stride, then Ospina makes the save off Griezmann’s shot but it rebounds on to the path of Griezmann again and his eventual shot is almost blocked by Mustafi’s knee but deflects on to the roof of the net… Terrible.
In a way them going down to 10 men worked a bit against us because it just meant them setting their stall out to defend with 10 men behind the ball. We had no option but to get the ball wide and cross it. Lacazette had a fantastic game tonight but one couldn’t help but miss Giroud in a game of this nature. And what a fantastic save by Oblak off Ramsey’s header – world class. It will be difficult in the second leg but based on tonight’s evidence, we will get chances to score our own away goal but we will need to be far more clinical in front of goal. All to play for and it just wouldn’t be us if we ever did the easy or straightforward way…
It does, Trev, and I would love to have George Graham back for one last game for that away leg.
But you never know. It just feels all set up to me, with them hardly ever letting a goal in at home, to go there and win handily.
At the Tollie now having a pint ?
Seen this episode before springs to my mind, we were lethargic not committed enough to win this game! It amazes me how’s our full backs don’t even bother to run with the ball.
Tippy tappy doesn’t win you games!
i am just sick about the last 15 of that game. what a wasted opportunity.
Howdy, ‘Holics.
Are you not entertained?!!! It appears the gaffa’s gonna do it his way until the very end. Oh well.
Let’s play a strong team against the Mancs…and see if we can run counter to form in Madrid.
I hope you all have been well.
RMMBD
Oh, and I’ve had it up to the brim with Welbeck’s poor decision-making and Mustafi’s pantomimed exasperation after he has contributed to shipping the goal.
[I just had to get that off my chest.]
Drinks on the bar for the dispirited.
I don’t know why Keown was saying Welbeck had a good game, I thought he was poor all night, got so fed up with him NOT crossing the ball but then he’s not a winger so slack will be cut.
A bit.
The most depressing thing is how incredibly predictable it was. When was the last time we knocked out a top European team in the Champions league or Europa League? Milan in 2008? Pathetic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkURz6H0I0I
Seen it all before. The five teams above us in the league would NEVER concede a goal like that at the moment, and that is why were are where we are and the manager is sadly where he is.
Still you just knew an opposition team managed by Tom Waits – with able back up from Giant Haystacks – would somehow have a sucker punch in them.
“Closing Time” indeed.
i’ll have another stout
A really frustrating evening. Old’uns will remember us being kicked off the pitch by 10 man Juventus in 1980 in the ECWC semi and yet we won the second leg in Turin. This isn’t over and Chelsea beat them in Madrid this season . Arsenal never win anything easily except the 2014 Cup Final
COYG
And before their goal it was a foul on Welbeck
I’m more in the mood for this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iAYhQsQhSY
RMMBD
RMMBD?
AMMBD!!!
Lovely pics of Santi grinning from ear to ear in a light training session at the Ems this afternoon with Shad Forsyth, prior to the Athleti game.
Looked as fit as a fiddle.
After all he has been through,fingers crossed he could be back in Arsenal colors next season.
Cheers, ABP…it’s been a while.
AMMBD!
New direction is needed!
A stirring performance but that soft underbelly hurt us again. However we made lots of chances and should have been home and hosed.
It’s only half time and they have written us off.
Anfield ’89 spirit, fellas. And we don’t even need to win by two clear goals.
COYG
All sideways passing, zero penetration and no lack of urgency until they scored, Atleti’s back 8 must have been laughing inwardly all night.
Meanwhile, much as there is to admire about Laca, his lack of height for a CF meant he couldn’t reach a couple of chances Ollie G would have buried. Yes I know he’s the same height as Wrighty, but that’s where the similarity ends.
Perhaps if they’d scored first, as we usually allow the opposition to do in important games, we might have woken up earlier. As it was it was just business as usual. Another Wengerballsup.
Never did like Simeone’s theatrics, let’s hope he’s not under consideration.
and he didn’t even have to be on the bench…
As you say Bath.
A chance missed but all
to play for.
…to fuckin gloat
oh
hippies galore i see
here’s the tune for ya
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTA2buWlNyM
f…
..F
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu-DWUngjhk
Chris @150, I understand your disappointment, but that is not a far review of the game. We had pelanty of penetration, created loads of chances…what we needed was to realize that 1nil to the Arsenal was a decent result. Therefore, in the 82nd minute, park the bus, shut-up shop and get in the dressing room.
Someone has to shout at Mustafi and Kos and Nacho and Hector and get them organized. No balls over the top. Cut out the high line and get compact…
Someone has to tell Wellbeck not to dribble down a blind alley and gratuitously give away possession…
But no one did…and so we conceded. And it feels like a loss, because it was all so avoidable.
Plenty of penetration, Lonestar? The only player I saw taking the ball forward into Atleti’s 8-man defence in a way that would draw a defender and hence open up a channel was Nacho. The rest passed the ball sideways (most of the time) or tippy-tapped it one to another and back again, or lumped it across to a winger to start the process again, or lobbed it speculatively into the middle where our shortie CF scored one, but couldn’t get high enough for several others, heading over.
We had chances, yes, but with such a slow build-up there were always defenders in place to block them. With Laca and Rambo both having poor games, and Ozil lacking his usual genius moments we were bereft of class finishing. Time and again Atleti scrambled well in defence, as did we on the rare occasions defence was needed. Until we were, inevitably, caught out.
Parking the bus at 1-0 would have been better in hindsight, but 1-0 at home isn’t nearly safe enough to win the tie and going for more was the right decison, imo.
We were handed the match on a plate after 10 minutes, but chose to nibble at it like hors d’oeuvres for 85 minutes rather than attack it like red meat.
I’ve only seen the highlights but from what I have seen I would say there is more than a little hope for the return leg.
No penetration? 72% possessions and 20 shots would tend to suggest something different. If we play like that over there then I can’t see why we can’t score.
Same old frailties I’m afraid. The defending for their goal was abject. Nacho and Mustafi sleeping to play him on side in the first place. Kos should know better. Ospina? Stand up. Mustafi? Stand up. Their goal was just awful to watch.
Wrap Lacazette up in cotton wool and don’t even think of taking him to Manchester.
Chins up people. This is still well and truly alive.
“We will do our own analysis on their goal and make sure it doesn’t happen again.” says Danny Welbeck, in a quote I have only just seen.
Errrm
How many times have we heard that sort of thing this season?
Probably never cynic. Perhaps if we had then we might have learnt by now???
Chris, mate, you and I obviously didn’t watch the same game.
The last thing Welbeck needs be doing is talking to the meedja. Think, son…think.
AMMBD
We were gifted 76% possession by a team playing for a draw or minimal loss from the tenth minute after losing a player early, Steve. And it was 28 shots, if you can call them that, with only 6 on target. For the record Atleti had 5 shots on target from just 6 attempts.
In short we had all the ball but did nothing with it.
There’s always hope of course, but we’ll probably have to score 3 or 4 away to win the tie and that’s a pipe dream without Aubameyang. I hope I’m wrong, but we just don’t have that sort of form.
Ooops, we got 8 shots on target, mea culpa.
when you quote statistics
you make a stat out of is and tics
harsh but true
.
.
morning all
the sun is out
the sky is blue
it’s beautiful
and so are you
.
?
8ball 31
?
the boys gifted
i say , gifted
Chins up fellas. It’s half time. Drop the wimps. Believe or leave.
and bath shall be speaking into a radio mic headset
at a motivational rally near you soon
ladies and gentlemen
you can always trust a scot
to lift the spirits
.
sláinte
anyhoo
gotta go
got ground to dig and worms to scratch
It takes a lot of settin’, gettin’ chicks to hatch
cheerio
Chins up, Gooners.
We can do this.
A link posted on the arses by rareoptimist:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=atlrtico+madrid+chelsda&oq=atlrtico+madrid+chelsda&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.6241j1j4&client=ms-android-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#sie=m;/g/11f4qbn7gd;2;/m/0c1q0;dt;fp;1
Heads up reminder for those interested that the U18s are live on ITV 4 tonight (7.45pm KO) with the second leg of the final also live, on ITV 4 on Monday night, same KO time.
TinyURL is your friend, bath
Sorry. I just copied and pasted his link.
forget flags
bath , you should be left on every seat
good man yerself
UP THE ARSENAL
(I shall inform you how my Sunday dough balls fare)
A couple people noticed my drink @31 one minute before kickoff that they might get a silly first red. Please help me quell the rumors about the phone call from Infantino. On the other hand, if I have any predictions before the second leg I will let you all know. 😉
Better late than never! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>