Baku To A European Final – Brilliant Gunners Rout Valencia!
May 9th, 2019 by 'holic
Unai Emery once again must have read the preview and went with my proposed starting eleven. It took five minutes for Valencia to fashion the first chance when Gameiro’s cross was headed clear by Laurent Koscielny under pressure from Gaya. Then Ainsley Maitland-Niles did well to dispossess Gaya at the second attempt but the ball fell to Guedes who fired over.
The Gunners right wing-back then appeared in the other box only to shoot straight at goalkeeper Neto. Valencia attacked the gap he had left behind him and the experienced Gameiro slid in unmarked at the back post to apply the finish to the left wing cross. Just the start we had dreaded.
Valencia 1-0 The Arsenal
Rodrigo had two chances to give the hosts the advantage. One struck Gameiro and was cleared, the second was mercifully off target. From nowhere we struck, and it was the big two who came up with the goods. Alexandre Lacazette out jumped two defenders, Gabriel included, to flick a header goalwards. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, despite being surrounded by four defenders, was the quickest to react and produced a wonderful right foot volley a coat of paint inside the near post from the edge of the box.
Valencia 1-1 The Arsenal
The travelling faithful were now to be heard over the previously boisterous home support. Mesut Ozil won a corner that was headed over by Aubameyang. Slowly we were taking a degree of control. The feel of the match had changed. As Francis Coquelin, back from suspension for Valencia, was treated for a back problem Chelsea took the lead against Eintracht Frankfurt. The all-London Final was on.
Mesut Ozil was making hay and almost put Lacazette in only for Gabriel to show an unexpected burst of pace to deny him. Persistent, Ozil then teed up Aubameyang who fired straight at Neto. A misplaced Lacazette pass allowed Valencia another break which was ended by Lucas Torreira conceding a free-kick for tripping Guedes just outside the box. Parejo’s venomous effort flew wide of the far post.
Garay’s horrendous sliding chop from behind on Lacazette earned him the first yellow card of the match. The Gunners striker was close to extracting full revenge when Aubameyang came racing in from the right and laid it back for his strike partner to smash against the outside of the near post. That should perhaps have been a decisive second.
Gaya drew the second yellow card of the night for simulation when he threw himself to the floor feigning contact by Maitland-Niles, and was extremely fortunate not to see a second moments later when tripping Maitland-Niles off the ball. A tough start had turned into a wonderful half for The Arsenal.
We knew that Valencia would have to come out all guns blazing at the start of the second-half and the sight of Lacazette and Aubameyang defending deep, as they had on occasion in the first, was a tribute to their professionalism and team ethic as well as their genius. Unselfish brilliance. This tactic also allowed Ozil to stay in advanced areas in case we needed an outlet. Clever tactics.
Ozil again looked to provide for Aubameyang as we broke but the striker’s shot was blocked out for a corner. It was but a momentary delay, as news of an equaliser for Eintracht came through Lacazette twisted and turned in the box, found yard of space, and placed a glorious stroked finish inside the far post. Have that! One song filled the mighty Mestalla. “We’re on our way, we’re on our way, we’re off to Baku, we’re on our way!”
Valencia 1-2 The Arsenal
A seemingly offside Parejo cut a ball back which was played into Gameiro who was not adjudged to have interfered with Petr Cech when he bundled the ball over the line. They needed five. They had two. We had Lacazette and Aubameyang.
Valencia 2-2 The Arsenal
Mesut Ozil wound the crowd up with silent gestures as he was withdrawn for Henrikh Mkhitaryan. It was something of a surprise for this old fool, but Emery must have wanted the box to box qualities of the Armenian. Garay’s speculative long range drive whistled past the post as I checked my cash-out option.
Valencia were broken, as was the ‘holic pound, by a magnificent Arsenal break. Lacazette started the move by winning the ball deep in his own half and it ended with Aubameyang sweeping a superb Maitland-Niles cross in at the near post. The stadium started emptying and the magnificent travelling faithful bid their hosts “Adios, adios, adios!”
Valencia 2-3 The Arsenal
The hosts sought some fight back, but Soler fired over as the away section celebrated wildly. Who would we meet in Baku. It was still stalemate at the bus stop in Fulham. It swung from end to end. I was lost in a state of delirium. How can this Jekkyl and Hyde team play so superbly against the strongest opposition yet look so ordinary against the run of the mill? A question for another day. This was an evening to celebrate greatness.
Then, another. Aubameyang’s first hat-trick for The Arsenal when he lashed a Mkhitaryan pass into the roof of the net. He and Lacazette had absolutely ripped a very good team to pieces. This was just amazing to witness.
Valencia 2-4 The Arsenal
Handbags greeted the final whistle as the vanquished reacted badly to their utter humiliation.
As requested in the preview, you had a great one, ‘holics.
126 Responses to “Baku To A European Final – Brilliant Gunners Rout Valencia!”
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Get In. Up the Gunners
stream i’m using got us to the chelski game….to see frankfurt score, and win?
sorry, must have been a replay.
now to read. WE’RE GOIN’ TO BAKU!!!
Surprising what you can achieve when every player puts in a shift.
” We’ll be running round Baku with the Cup…..” Never ever thought I’d be singing that.
Great stuff!
Did anyone see who was booked
at the end? I hope it’s not a 2
yellows suspension but I had no
clue from my stream
Oh yes!
Get In!
Keep Laca and Auba long term.
Add a proper midfielder and defender.. And we’re going places!
😀
Surprisingly good win tonight but where was the finishing on Sunday when we really needed it? Anyway…
If only this fella could have been involved with our opponents in the final, yu’d have had a cracking title for the blog
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/df/ca/3f/dfca3fa2a4f4e0e7723cf1caa08787eb.jpg
Baku to the Futre
Masterful report and big personality too. 😀
First Luis then Zappacosta with clearances off the line. Going into 2nd half of extra time.
nearly to penalties at the bus stop. can chel$ki make it 4 from england in the european cup finals? or do we play frankfurt, who we can’t assume is playing above their level…
we’re on our way to baku!
We can do the chavs. We’ve done it already this season.
as they say, the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t.
Fourth penalty kick by Wursts one of the worst ever.
Maybe better to play the devil you know rather than the devil you don’t
Saturday January 19 2019
Arsenal 2-0 Chelsea
Lacazette and Koscielny
Fitting sent off for Cech!
Predicted 4 English teams in finals yesterday.
What a way for Cech to retire with a trophy against his old club.
😀
There was a lot of silly criticism of Auba on Sunday. His stats say he is tge most efficient striker in the strongest club league in the world. He and Laca are top quality and need Ozil at his best in Baku. He did well tonight .
We are a better team than Chelsea and Emery has won this three times. Sarri has never won anything .
Might Aaron possibly be fit for the?? final ?
I see the thieving robbing rip off airlines,have jacked up prices for the CL final in Madrid.
The neighbors and pool supporters,now looking at a min 1200 quid to get to Spain,as opposed to the normal from 100 to 200 quid.
Airbnb cancellations all over the City with now revised bookings available at over 1,000 quid a night for a room.
Hotel rooms up 500%.
Each club only allocated about 16,000 tickets each.
Absolute disgrace.
We will see the same thing for our Final,airfares will be nosebleed prices,and good luck getting cheap accommodation except in a goat herders shed.!!
heh, bayonne john…
Scruz,
Too right we beat them before we can certainly beat them again Frankfurt proved to be a very tough oponent indeed!
Great report Guvnor and with a style you never disappoint!
Did somebody say goats? 😀
This is the least we expected, am really glad to experience this day. No excuses now, glory is around the corner. COYG!
10/10 for the traveling support. They proved to be the 12th man away from home. Fair play.
Ali G surely has a place to stay with the goats that is 😀
Unbelievable that in a 69,000 capacity stadium in Baku,Arse and Chelsea supporters are being allocated a miserly 6,000 tickets each.
What a fucking joke.
Joyous report, Guv’nor.
Good to have the we-can-score-more-goals-than-you-can Arsenal back.
And Clive is on the money @24.
For all the talk of four English clubs making the two European finals, very few Englishmen will. The bus stop in Fulham and us each had just one Englishman in the starting lineup in both semi-final legs, while the Neighbours and the Bindippers both had only three. Not one of the four managers is English, either.
Will Mkhitaryan not be allowed to play in the final due to Azerbaijan politics? If so then UEFA should simply not allow Azerbaijan clubs to play in its tournaments.
Or, and here’s a thought, not hold finals in countries at war? Or maybe hold the Europa Cup final in, er, Europe……
Yes!
Brilliant result and decent performance!
Now, we just need to beat Burnley 8 nill in Sunday!! 🙂
Ned
Well if we hadn’t have suffered so many serious injuries we’d have had Holding and Danny in the team.
We’ve missed half our 1st choice back 4 for half a season. Real shame, not least as Holding looked so assured and I think he can be an excellent defender for us for many years.
Dexter@31: If fit, Holding would have started, but I am not sure about Welbeck.
If Hector was fit AMN wouldn’t
have started.
Mr Being Difficult
BB at 17
I think Cech started with a cup win against Chelski and to finish in the same manner is more than fitting.
Matt
Haha! That was meant to be a separate point! We’ve basically had half our defence out!
In terms of Welbeck, I think last night’s game is the exact kind of game suited to him.
ClockEndRider @29: Your solutions make such good sense I would suggest you ought to be in charge of UEFA but you may lack the proper levels of corruption. 😉
The better the performance the fewer the drinks. T’was ever thus.
Cheers Holic !
And on to the Great British Baku Off.
Chelsea bun, anyone ?
Excellent report maestro. As good an experience as watching the game when I got home at 11.30pm. Well worth sitting up until 1.30pm.
I was genuinely extremely anxious about this game given our recent flakiness, our longstanding poor away form and the context of both the astonishing reversals of first leg deficits in the CL SFs and moreover the pressure of the other PL sides reaching their respective finals. I did think disaster was looming. Oh, ME of little faith! A very impressive performance from all involved, especially the spirit after their early goal and the refusal to let their heads drop. Well done all.
BT had an interesting accidental experiment: for a few minutes the commentators in the stadium all lost their power supply so we Ian Darke was silenced and his commentary was replaced by a very pleasant conversation about the play between Martin Keown and John Hartson. Although he is by no means the worst commentator around, it was much more interesting to hear two sympathetic ex-pros discussing the game as it unfolded. They should do it regularly. (Not suggesting that all ex-pros would be acceptable though!)
If they had any Vietnamese players they would probably say bun u.
I cannot believe after a great night in Spain,and Holic’s excellent summary of the match,that there are only 40 comments in the bar,and several of those by repeat posters.
Baffling.
But anyway,
Happy birthday today to DB,our non flying Dutchman,who hits the big 50.
Among the very best players ever to wear the shirt.
Dexter,
🙂
Actually, I agree with those 2
points @35
Ironically I also think being in the
Ropey League cost us a top 4 place
too. Though I’d take the trophy over
finishing 4th – would I take the trophy
over finishing above Spuds is another
question
And if you want to read how difficult a logistical exercise it will be getting to Baku,let alone how 45,000 season ticket holders are going to split just 6,000 tickets,go read the info on the Arse website.
mind boggling.
an hour and a bit
WALK to the bar
see us on telly
a crooked hour home
.
baku
if ye can afford it
shut yer face
GO
and
shut yer bastard non walking face
.
.
.
fuckin
AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
.
.
.
?
plenty
and they’re enormoussssssssss
The reason drinks are down is the depression felt by Gooners over the Totts final appearance. Come June 2nd when we have the Europa League crown and a CL Place and Liverpool have stuffed Tottenham normal service will be resumed
up
down
fuckin hills
aww fuckin saint’s preserve us
thunder Ts in
.
howdo m’lud
nice
.
.
may all your endeavours
continue to soar
though
i had porridge for dinner
and I’d like
quite frankly
an explanation
if it isn’t too much
only 1/2 expecting response
.
.
.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=am9wwsSiRuU
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=am9wwsSiRuU
oh
what a nice tune
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gZBmXpgpXTw
TTG@45,
That’s it in a nutshell. Unfortunately, having to root for the bin dippers in the final makes it so much worse, too.
ttg@45, and if that’s the case, and the pl table finishes as it is today, the totts get europa league rather than champs league next year, because we will be in it…they’ll drop down, if i understand the rules allowing only 4 teams in the champions league from any one european league.
that’s worth rooting for the reds in the final, certainly.
ahhh howdy dorset M
have a tune
?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cnGiyRP6Sqc
.
.
full disclosure
i think the whistling dentistry
DUP
Ballymena
.
perhapffffs Richie got his teethfffs done there
.
.
who knowsffffsss
champs ?
cramps !
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oyZe2hy7Rbk
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9EEZAivzl1Q
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FvLikiVraHE
poke the stick through the cage
join us
well me
“Cos there’s no one else here”
nuts abound
hate cover versions
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpg1HoupcDQ
.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hh9whNOGvg
?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDWZnv-xPpQ
And so to bed
i lie
i loathe them
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qutumndkdho
i met Lemmy
nice fella
bloody good bloke
.
.
.
.
.
(i did though – and he was indeed a nice fella and a bloody good bloke)
Machines obsessed
.
GAMBLING !!!!
just say no
another excellent mash up cynic
must admit
wouldn’t be the biggest fan of Bob Marley
what does that make me on the internet
.
.
d’ye know what – i’ve always prefered I and U – Roy
.
.
what does that make me on the internet
.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVIiQ8iNvKc
i tire
i’ve tired
i’m tired
@45
You may be right but generally the holicverse is
busier when we lose it seems, we only sing when
we’re losin. However, I think one reason that Gooners
vent on here after defeats is that they know that
they can generally get a reasoned response
And we do have some reasons to be cheerful
1) We’re already one step further than last season
and in a European final
2) we have one more win (20) already than last
season and 4 more points. Not much but better than
going backwards
3) we didn’t buy Suarez, we only loaned him
4) Leno has had a good first season and could be
our keeper for a good 6 or 7 seasons
5) Auba and Laca have both been among
the goals for most of the season
Not so easy to buy CFs for the PL – Morata at
Chavski, Lukaku at Manure – but we have two.
6) Holding and Hector will be back next season,
and will make our defence immediately better
7) UE has done creditably for a first season
in the PL and will also have learned a lot. He can
only get better next season
8) we have a bunch of players around 20 years old
who show great promise. Per & Freddie are doing
well and it’s always good to see Gunners in the ranks.
9) Torreira is an excellent player
10) Ozil remains committed to The Arsenal
Bit controversial that last one I know.
But, just my opinion, he remains an excellent
player
11) We’ve just beaten Napoli and Valencia
home and away. There are not that many teams
capable of that, and it just shows the potential.
UE will be better at managing the busy periods next
season.
A full XI of reasons to be cheerful, though it
must be admitted that I haven’t mentioned
the necessary cull this summer, the job
of integrating new players into the side in the
2019/20 season or the need to develop some
of younger players more effectively next season.
Also I haven’t mentioned it as a reason to be
cheerful as it’s sad to see players go sometimes
(sit down Mustafi I don’t mean you, or you Xhaka).
However, considering the stick that’s been handed out
for the Ramsey financial balls-up, it should also
be mentioned that we have we have managed some
players out very well – OG, Theo, Jack and Ox for example
over the last year or two.
It’s easy to look at one situation and say it demonstrates
how useless everyone is etc etc etc but generally we have
done well clearing out players lacking a little in durability or
quality.
Have you woken up yet cba?
I am going to be reduced to posting bad songs soon
to get up the ton
Though I just remembered I haven’t put in
my tuppence worth for team selection for
the trip to Beautiful Burnley.
Leno
Jenks Mus Mavro Licht
Guen, Willock
Mkhi, Iwobi, Sako
Nketiah
Course, if we have a likely young left back
then I wouldn’t mind instead of Licht.
An excellent and indeed, uplifting series of reasons to be positive, OM. Thank you for those posts.
I don’t see any of that XI starting against
Chavski and would like a bench full of
youngsters as well. A trip to Burnley would
be good for the kids to see what happens
when you don’t eat your greens and play
football well.
Though personally I would play Leno in the
final and let Cech have his final game tomorrow.
Thanks Bath, very kind of you sir.
And sadly it seems likely that Mkhi will
not make the trip. I can’t see what is any
different from when we went to Azerbaijin
in the group stages.
I just realised that Elneny still didn’t
get into my team @86 – how far can you fall?
Possibly him instead of Guen then as
Guen is likely to be on the bench in Baku.
I also haven’t mentioned that 4-2 is my
favourite score this season.
And that I personally look set to be at least
4th in my Fantasy League this season and
depending on performances this weekend
may finish as high as 2nd.
Though in the interests of balance ( and also
of knocking out another post) it should be
admitted that there are only 6 of us in that
particular Fantasy League.
My brother-in-law is going to win again, damn
him, but he supports West Brom so I suppose
that into each life a little sun should shine.
I wonder how Kieran is getting on at WBA?
Of the play off teams you’d have to say Leeds
deserve to win on performances over the season.
But it seems Villa are the form team and look
likeliest. I don’t mind if they come up as I have
disliked Leeds since 1972, my brother in law is
a Brommie, and Derby are managed by Lampard.
Isn’t it always the way?
An hour and 40 minutes ago I thought I
had lots to say but now the ton approaches
I’m reduced to Fantasy League and the
Championship
Firstly for information purposes fir CBA I was in Ballymena yesterday and nothing nasty happened to me. But I had no Guinness so maybe it did.
The boy OM is a genius . I had exactly the same team but wondered if we could use Elneny somewhere. I also wondered if Martinez was eligible to play or be on the bench . Absolutely no need to use anyone good or slightly unfit tomorrow
Sol Campbell came to mind !
I wonder what odds you could get for a
speculative wager on Sol as a future manager
of Arsenal? I’d have said 500/1 about 6 months
ago but perhaps only 50/1 now.
That was handy TTG came along and helped
me out. Thank you and a modest raise of the
bat.
OM@86: Jordi Osei-Tutu, Dominic Thompson and Cohen Bramall are the young left backs coming up through the ranks.
Although Osei-Tutu has been playing right back more than left this season, with Thomson, Bramall and sometimes Julio Pleguezuelo playing on the left for the U-23s.
TTG@98: Martinez’s loan at Reading does not technically end until the end of this month, although Reading’s season is run. The highly rated Arthur Okonkwo, who has trained with the first team this season, would be a possible alternative from among available young keepers.
Do any of the denizens of this fine establishment have any insight into Emery’s choice for Leno’s back-ups next season? Martinez seems the most likely, but there is also Macey, who has been out on loan (as has Ospina, who has been in and out of the Napoli team), as well as Iliev and Okonkwo within the ranks. I assume any transfer funds will be used for outfield players rather than bringing in a keeper, unless one is available on a free (Joe Hart?).
10) Ozil remains committed to The Arsenal
You were doing so well…
japan
ye don’t win friends with multiposts
.
.
you win weary acknowledging nods
and eyes rolled to the sky
money doesn’t work either
sent baff a lobster once
blew his nose on it
called the police
.
.
.
this place sometimes
is stoney ground
half arse half cut pearls
remain undived doved div for
ballymena m’lud
.
dear sweet mother of god
“ye don’t win friends with multiposts”
multiposters don’t need friends cba,
we’re already waffling to ourselves
although if that were true I shouldn’t
have answered your post…. hmmm
it’s a chicken and egg thing no doubt
London busses thing too.
Like the drinks yesterday.
I was only half expecting cba and OM to show up seeing as they were late. 😉
Belief.
Focus.
Concentration.
AKB.
Big personality.
Very difficult match.
UKB.
Hoping our injury situation improves a bit before Baku so we won’t have to patch together a side with duct tape and caulkasus.
Re: How Kieran Gibbs is doing at West Brom, a snapshot from Sky’s report on yesterday’s first leg playoff against Villa: “The Baggies were resolute and managing the game very shrewdly but Conor Hourihane’s quality strike levelled it up (76) before Jack Grealish won his team a penalty following a foul from Kieran Gibbs, which was converted by Tammy Abraham (79).”
In the team at least.
Sky player ratings gave Gibbs 4 of 10, tied for the lowest ranked on either side.
Thanks for the info bt8.
Not quite the impact Kieran
was hoping for I suppose.
At 2-1 down all is not lost.
I must admit to hoping Villa win promotion partly because they have a summer friendly here in Minnesota and I selfishly want to see them as a Premier League side.
Ned
Martinez has expressed his desire to be given a chance at being back up (at least) for the club, or he will go elsewhere. I think he has a shout. He seemed to do well for Reading.
As for who plays Sunday, gawd knows? It’s so piss poor to think that we only had to win our last 2 home games and we’d have probably nicked 3rd, never mind 4th!
Still there’s a chance that all three of the also fans *us, chavs n spuds) all lose tomorrow, to protect players for their respective finals.
Wonder what odds you’d get for that treble?
Rans even…
Highlights of the training photos on arsenal.com
1. The appearance of a fit looking Danny Welbeck. It would be great if he gets a cameo for the traveling fans to send him off.
2. On an apparently cold day the only player wearing short sleeves was Jenkinson. Could that be the last we see pf him?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Dexter@122: We stick five past Burnley without reply and Everton do the neighbours 3-0 and fourth is ours. Stranger things have happened.