Baku Or Bust – Go For It Gunners
May 8th, 2019 by 'holic
Heart pounding? Getting nervous yet. Valencia away is a little over 24 hours away as I type. 3-1 up from the first leg, what could possibly go wrong? Our away record, you say? Yes, our last two aways have seen us ship three goals to Wolves and Leicester, but you may prefer to think of the matches at Napoli and Watford prior to those. One nil to The Arsenal indeed.
I’m encouraged by the way Unai Emery seems to have prepared our team for the bigger matches. We have looked competitive with all but Manchester City. It is the lesser lights who have taken advantage of our inconsistency. Unai Emery repeated what most have said in the last week about the need for an away goal.
“Tomorrow is going to be very difficult. Our idea is to play the match thinking to win. To win you need to score. They are an organised team, strong defensively but they need to score. They have attacking players with big quality.”
It is unfortunate we will miss Aaron Ramsey but Emery has a decent squad to choose from. Petr Cech is likely to start behind a back three of Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Laurent Koscielny, and Nacho Monreal (or Shkodran Mustafi?). Ainsley Maitland-Niles should return alongside Granit Xhaka (no booing please), Lucas Torreira, and Sead Kolasinac.
The front two surely pick themselves in a game of this magnitude, but who to provide the bullets away from home on such a night? It really should be Mesut Ozil, but does Emery want someone more defensively minded? Henrikh Mkhitaryan has blown hot and cold but there is no doubting his willingness to get back and assist the back line. The only other name likely to be in the frame is Alex Iwobi but he is unlikely to last 90 minutes of box to box action and may be better utilised as a substitute running at a tiring defence with fresh legs.
Valencia reporter Graham Hunter shared his thoughts on uefa.com and it doesn’t make comforting reading for us.
“Valencia’s experiment with a new formation didn’t go to plan in London. Expect Marcelino to return to his favoured 4-4-2 set-up, which he deployed in the 6-2 weekend win at Huesca. Arsenal will face a much more robust Valencia. Mestalla is a daunting place, and while the Gunners’ lead makes them slight favourites, a fightback and either extra time or a famous victory isn’t out of the question.”
Both clubs are going in search of their first European Final since the noughties. Valencia won the 2004 UEFA Cup, when they beat Marseille 2-0 under Rafael Benitez. We of course came within 13 minutes of lifting the 2006 Champions League with ten men before Manuel Almunia lost all awareness of where his near post was. Bitter? You bet I am!
The ‘holic pound
I have to believe that the team will once more have been galvanised ahead of this, the biggest match of the season to date. Winning the Europa League is our only realistic opportunity of returning to the Champions League next season. A third consecutive season of Thursday and Sunday football is depressing.
We do have a wonderful record of scoring away from home this season. We have done so in 21 of our 25 games on the road. I can see an epic match erupting and I am favouring once more the draw in an away European tie. 2-2 looks a possibility with the hosts committed to attack, and our ability to counter-attack rapidly, possible features. I am on 2-2 at 12/1 and pray that it doesn’t get to 2-0 first. My poor old ticker couldn’t take it.
The ABW Preview
Discussing Valencia with Danny tonight is the Evening Standard’s excellent Simon Collings. I hope you are enjoying the additional content.
That’s the preview done then. To those who are out in Spain let me wish you the best of nights. In fact that gos for all of you. Keep the dream alive you rip-roaring, free-scoring Gunners!
Have a great one, ‘holics.
109 Responses to “Baku Or Bust – Go For It Gunners”
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Biggest game.of our season so far, I’m feeling the nerves already.
If any team can blow a decent advantage after a first leg where they could have lost, but should have won much more comfortably than they did, it’s us.
Oh and Barthelona 🙂
Obviously want to win but I just can’t care about these players. I feel, and have felt for a while, the way Gary Neville does about ManYoo thesedays. I want to win obviously, but I want some players who are worthy of the shirt as well.
But ne’er mind.
I enjoyed your preview Holic and hope I enjoy the game just as much. 2-2 is a bold forecast but entirely possible. Graham Hunter is an utter bullshitter and I take little notice of him,
Lim a bit like Cynic. I don’t trust these players but they are- at the moment – Arsenal and they have my backing if not my trust. Even Xhaka ?
We should be good enough to get through if we can play like we did in Naples. That was a very mature performance. The first goal is vital. If we get it , great. If we don’t all bets are off.
Who can we sign from Ajax? de Ligt?
Good positive stuff, Holic. I refuse to build up my hopes.
Manuel Almunia and Champions League – four words that should never find there way into a single sentence.
Wow, 2 awesome football games in the last 2 days. Compete boys!!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OMG!!!!
Can you believe that???????? Priceless!!!
Football can fuck off, I’m a rugby league man now.
I hate them with a poisonous dislike but Tottenham deserved this. Ajax fell to pieces under a route one barrage . It was obvious from the start of the second half that Spurs were tearing Ajax apart .
Never mind Liverpool are a much better team than Ajax
Two all- English finals?
I wondered after last night’s result whether this season could get any worse.. well that was quite an emphatic answer
I’m reduced to supporting
Liverpoo, another thing to hate
Spuds for 🙁
A possibility of an all english european finals… Has it been done before?!
Will we f it up?!
This seems like some Highlander destiny in play.
.. Someone’s taking Brexit to a new level..
😀
2 absolutely fantastic unbelievable games of football in 24 hours.
2 wonderful examples of never giving up,and a credit to both Klopp and Poch,to instill that in their players.
2 teams overcoming enormous odds to win without their main men in Salah and Kane.
My Spurs mates are in tears of disbelief,and if that doesn’t motivate our boys to get the job done in Spain tomorrow night,then nothing will.
Not posted for a while but forgive me after that. Football eh?? Hope you beat Chelsea
Well done Dave. It’s a high water mark for your club.
You should be proud of those boys.
Clive @ 14 sums it up really well.
Grit and Determination with a touch of luck…. We could do with a little more of those.
Have your night Dave.
Feel sorry for you folks in the U.K. as you will be treated to a 3.5 week puke fest of football journalism. How many “Will Captain Kane return?” stories can you stomach?
A North London double will do me
I don’t mean to scare anyone, but if I am reading this correctly, in the last 24 hours, 2 teams have overcome deficits of 0-3, to advance to the next round. Is a 1-3 deficit more challenging than a 0-3 deficit? You tell me folks. Just wondering out loud.
Tapera
Exactly. Is it a week for huge second-leg recoveries or for English clubs to prove dominant ?
Yikes??
Thanks for another fine preview, H. You have summed the conundrums of our team selection up well.
Frankly I have lost all hope and am scared shitless.
COYG.
PLEASE!
Far too much SpudLuv on here, you’re all potty.
This has been possibly the worst week ever in football history (on the pitch) and I just want to do this every time someone says how great the last two nights have been
https://thumbs.gfycat.com/AromaticAnyAtlanticspadefish-size_restricted.gif
The last 24 hours in the football world have been horrible. Just horrible. Thursday is a must win above every single must win there has ever been. I genuinely can’t even think to contemplate anything beyond 10pm on Thursday evening. If by then we are looking at an Arsenal fuck up and a Bin Dipper, Spud final then that really will be it.
Our demise both on and off the pitch has been disturbing. The progress and current situation of others just adds to the discomfort.
Qualify for the final Arsenal. Just do it. I’m Bored with feeling like this. Bollocks to Klopp and bollocks to Poch. And even more bollocks to that wanker Kroenke.
In my bitter disappointment
at the CL results I forgot to
thank you for the preview
Guvnor.
The team looks about right
to me and I hope for another
1-0 to The Arsenal.
And I agree with @23 and
24. Bugger being sporting, this
is like the Manure/Chavs CL
final. I hope they all lose forever,
go bankrupt and their stadiums
are sold to provide much needed
new greyhound stadiums. I would
buy a dog and watch with laughter
induced tears while it took a dump
on their once proud grounds.
Anyway, enough of my character
defects. CoYGS!!
ps
I also agree with Bath @22 and
will watch from behind the sofa.
I wonder how Hector’s recovery is progressing. We could use him about now.
bt8
Try around October next year,with Holding not far behind.
That’s with no setbacks along the way.
☺☺☺
Oops.
That should be this year.
Guts and determination alone won’t suffice, Ashtead. We also need quality and leadership on the pitch, and that’s where I fear we will struggle tonight under the likely relentless pressure.
Fingers crossed though as I would back us to beat Chelsea or Frankfurt in the final.
The thought of Eden Hazard, in his farewell game for Chelsea, strolling through our midfield to have a clear run at that defence doesn’t make me shit the bed at all.
I might be lying though.
Osaka, I would squat down next to your dog and add to the ‘fertiliser’.
I’m completely bricking it for tonight.
There were frankly ridiculous comments in the last leg along the lines of ‘the 2 goal cushion’ gives Arsenal one foot in the final.
Does it bollox.
They’ll already be quivering under the pressure enough as it is, if Valencia score an early goal I wouldn’t put it past any of them to completely lose it.
Just don’t be Arsenal, Arsenal.
Good stuff, Holic.
I’m struggling to want to suffer through another 90minutes tonight.
Let’s leave the negatives to one side and hope for a repeat of Napoli away from home.
And hope that Emery can find the right team from the start of the FIRST half, the players find some fight and pride and we can indeed, er, play in our moment with quaaality and show our big personality……
Of course we can – whatever that means ?
It all used to be so simple ?
It looks to have come down to Japanese dog poop, unsurprisingly.
Current weather in Valencia seems to favor the hosts, including that stiff breeze coming straight from Morocco. Oh well, another ostacle to overcome. COYG
Feels Like: 82°F
Humidity: 41%
Wind: SW 18 mph
Blind faith needed in more ways than one. Anybody have a stream to suggest?
bt, check out footybite.com.
strong team:
cech
nacho
papa
koz
amn
kola
xhaka
torreira
ozil
bambam
laca
if we can’t win with this…
AMN doesn’t track back and here we go
Look where AMN is on the goal. He’s jogging back from the edge of their box. He might as well have walked.
Fuck me we need to make up.
The defending is abysmal.
Christ we needed that goal
Brilliant by Laca. Great finish from PEA
26th of the season in a bang average team and people still criticise him?
Get in Auba! Game on!
Body language is awful!
Nice recovery, any longer and we would have succumbed. But, we NEED one more, that should do it hopefully
We should slow down the game a bit.
they are slowing down, that initial frantic pace is dropped.
Steve, I just have a feeling he scores the more difficult ones and misses the easier chances
Auba tracking back is a nice thing to see
Laca should have scored there
KS. You might be right. But he’s still scored 26 so far this season and it’s hardly been a year where we’ve destroyed all of those in front of us.
I’d take that.
Gaya the fucking diver great spot ref!
Well, I’ll certainly take 1-1 at
half time
COYGS!!
Good first half. Just need to repeat in the second.
Steve, my shout. What you drinking?
arthur, watch for diving, moaning, playacting, and other dark arts second half from the valencia players. they know they need 3 to win this outright… if we can get one more, they’ll drop.
that said, it don’t see us getting another unless it comes against the run of play like auba’s thing of beauty. i’d certainly take another of those.
another half just like the first, then, if you please. and on to baku.
Scary start but nice finish by Auba to settle us. Nothing tricky or risky in the 2nd half, when it doubt hoof it. Hit them on the counter and put the match to bed. C’mon Gunners.
After a hesitant start, the players have settled down but it is far from over. COYG.
Thank you very much Mr Laca.
Get in you fucking beauty ?
Laca Boom!!!!
Thank you Scruz for the link
A player of the season goal
Laca!!!!
Great time too
Brilliant by PEA. Fantastic finish by Laca.
cheers, bt. and now we’re going to baku!!
we’re on our way
we’re on our way
we’re going to Bakuuuuuuuuuuuu
we’re on our way…………….
Chelski is drawing now too 2 all on aggregate
Bollocks too soft come on Arsenal!
don’t get sloppy now, boys. that was an uglier goal than i’ve seen since, well, last week.
What king of substitution is this? Mihki? Are you for real Mr Manager?
We are never ever a million miles away from a defensive howler.
if he’s on for xhaka, i support that.
Siolololololololololoooooooooo
Auba Boom!
We are home dry now. Auba!!!
woooooooooooooo….
Siololololololololoooooooo
Auba goal !!!!
Keep your fingers crossed that Xhaka & Mustafi don’t gift them.
Calm down you lot……we’re not there yet !
Not sure why Mus for Kola
but anyway it doesn’t matter
now.
Auba and Laca have been the
difference – quality over the
2 legs and a tip of the hat
to them both
oh, you depressives. four goals in 14 minutes? you think we’re capable of that?
3 up on aggregate, 3-1 on away goals, and you can’t just purely celebrate? we’re heading to baku!
there can’t be extra time
mus came on for kola because the latter picked up a knock. now guendo for torreira.
Unai, my man, what is up with these substitutions? Shouldn’t you be bringing in a defensive minded dude? & if u are going to bring in Guend, then he should be coming in for Xhaka. U are the subject matter expert I guess.
Absolutely, no need for negativism. Come on Arsenal
It has to be said, tonight Auba and Laca work rate is really impressive!
Auba Boom x 3
We’re on our way
We’re on our way
We’re going to Baku!
We’re on our way!
How we get there we don’t know
How we get there we don’t care
All we know is we are on our way!
ok, ashtead, can you celebrate NOW?
AUUUUUUUUUUBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Sorry Auba, humble pie indeed. One more performance in the final, all is forgotten.
Miki gets an assist and what a finish by Auba!
the ball is yours, Pierre
come on you Frankfurters!
our last goal shows dear mr. emery to have some sort of clue about his subs, eh?
Auba rises to the occasion
handbags in the corner after the game is over. valenciennes can’t deal with the spanking handed to them at home.
BAKUUUUUUUUUUUUU! what was that countryman sang?
I see, thanks Scruz.
kicking off at the end but
4-2 is outstanding and a
little revenge for nearly
40 years ago now.
Time flies
our first european final in 13 years. let’s DO THIS.
Extra time at bus stop in Fulham
Get in! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Gambas con perejil por favor, camarero
Surprising what can be achieved when every player puts in a shift !
Job well done. Auba and Laca show over 180 mins and 7-3 victory. Plenty to like there. Just need one more performance like that in the finals.
Scruzgooner, @ 93, as I said he is the SME, but I stand by what I said about his subs. Would you have subbed Guendo for Torreira, instead of Xhaka, if u were the boss? & Mikhi, when was his last positive contribution to the cause?
El Valencia se folla pero el Arsenal se va a Baku
Scruzgooner
We’ve been singing that song all through the knock out stages
What a bloody lovely night
We have Baku Holics bring on Chelski Frankfurters ?
Luiz, don’t save that!!
I’ve just had an e mail from the club. Apparently we get 6,000 tickets for the final? Good luck to anyone that wants to go. The travel arrangements also look absolutely horrendous.