Does finishing 1st in CL group really matter?

[jaybee]

At first i thought "Here we go again" ie screwing up the chance of finishing top of our group!

But when we look back at the previous season's (last few listed below) and whom we played in the next (knockout) phase - i ask does it really matter finishing top?

maybe the fact is though, you get a greater chance of getting drawn against a 'lesser' side, ie like in 2009/10 as opposed to our bad luck re paired with Milan in 2011/12

Most important thing is surely our form coming into February?

2012/13 - Finished 2nd - ????????????
2011/12 - Finished Top (ironically 2 of same 3 teams in 2013/14 group) - went out 3-4 on agg to Milan
2010/11 - Finished 2nd - went out 3-4 on agg to Barcelona
2009/10 - Finished Top - went through to QF's 6-2 on agg v Porto
2008/09 - Finished 2nd - went through to QF's 1-1 (won 7-6 pens) v Roma

Let's hope for the 'luck of the draw' like we had in 2008/09, maybe we'll get PSG or Atlético Madrid?

Or maybe it'll be the more likely:- Real Madrid, Bayern Münich or Barcelona?

My point is - it could have been an easier passage from either: Bayer Leverkusen, Galatasaray, Olympiacos, Schalke 04, or Zenit?

So we've 'messed up' by losing in Napoli, haven't we?

[SteveO 35]

Yes I'd much rather face Bayern or Barcelona than Zenit or Olympiacos

[Theoperator]

Yes I'd much rather face Bayern or Barcelona than Zenit or Olympiacos

Same, its less far to travel

Its the sort of thing that keeps pundits in a job, WC or Euros ends up as a wankfest over combinations of whos against who .
Just need to beat a "better" team earlier on. Dont think it matters as much as people make out, they still need beating and if we dont we are out, end of.

[Dan_85]

Yes I'd much rather face Bayern or Barcelona than Zenit or Olympiacos

Bet you're gutted mate. The annual trip to Athens was so close to being back on!

[brazilianGOONER]

no it does not matter.

Josh James (on twitter): Since 2003 (when 2nd group abolished) Arsenal's success rate of getting past 1st KO round is 50%, both when topping group or finishing 2nd

And since I don’t believe we can win it anyway, even if it means us getting knocked out by Bayern again it’s better that it happens sooner rather than later, so we can focus on the league.

[SteveO 35]

Yes I'd much rather face Bayern or Barcelona than Zenit or Olympiacos

Bet you're gutted mate. The annual trip to Athens was so close to being back on!

That one only excites me on matchday six when we field our reserves to ensure we finish 2nd

ONE ARSENE WENGER.....THERE'S ONLY ONE ARSENE WENGER

[kite]

no it does not matter.

Josh James (on twitter): Since 2003 (when 2nd group abolished) Arsenal's success rate of getting past 1st KO round is 50%, both when topping group or finishing 2nd

And since I don’t believe we can win it anyway, even if it means us getting knocked out by Bayern again it’s better that it happens sooner rather than later, so we can focus on the league.

10 games are certainly not enough to be representative of anything. Long term Arsenal will have a higher success rate of getting through after topping the group.
This year the difference between winning the group and finishing 2nd is massive imo. If Arsenal would've finished first the most dangerous opponent would've been Leverkusen. All the other teams are crap honestly (as City isn't possible obviously).

[northbank123]

It doesn't make any difference to our chance of winning the competition. Then again neither does finish 4th or 5th in the league the previous season. In any event the chance of us winning it is 0.

[mcdowell42]

Never going to win it with arsene in charge,we have qualified for it 17 seasons in a row and tbe best we have done in tht time is 1 final,if he hasnt won it by now hes never going to win it.

[samflitt]

This year it makes a HUGE difference finishing top. Usually you'd get a split of quality and some teams failing in their group but this year all the average teams finished 2nd and all the Top European teams finished 1st. If we finished top I'd be very very confident that we would be on our way to the quarter final no matter who the opponent.

We blew it big time vs Napoli.

[SteveO 35]

If we crash out in the last 16 then make sure there aren't any sharp instruments around me as the prospect of six months without seeing us play in the Chumpions League is almost too much

[Theoperator]

If we crash out in the last 16 then make sure there aren't any sharp instruments around me as the prospect of six months without seeing us play in the Chumpions League is almost too much

Steve Steve Steve, these days vibrators are usually plastic and blunt

[clockender1]

a bit of both isn't - draw, form and squad too.

in the early years we got some tough draws - Roma, Real Madrid etc but good form and a good squad meant we went and won away and went through.

i'd love to see AW's win/loss percentage in Europe - i would think its not good tbh....

looking at Wiki - its P161 W83 D37 L41 or 51.5%

By January you would hope that OX, Wally, Pod and Suarez ( ) will be all fit, so we have a chance - based on our defence more than anything, but i just don't see that our lack of preparation and 'in-game' management gives us a real hope anymore since we lost Dennis and TH14.

though that said, our record from 1998 to 2005 was just shocking - in 7 seasons we only made it out of the last 16 twice despite the 'golden generation' of players we had, 2006 made it 3 in 8.

which suggests our coaching was pants then too given the talent we had on the field !

[OneBardGooner]

If we crash out in the last 16 then make sure there aren't any sharp instruments around me as the prospect of six months without seeing us play in the Chumpions League is almost too much

Steve Steve Steve, these days vibrators are usually plastic and blunt

You seem to be something of an expert in this particular area!

[StuartL]

Depends if you want to get through the next round or not I guess