As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
Ikechukwu1 wrote:I understand that footie is a sport based on hope and all fans suffer from false hopes etc...fair enough. What I do not understand though, is how any rational human being could expect us to qualify tonight. You've all seen how Monaco defend, you've all seen how Arsenal "defend" in Europe. Arsenal, who are usually so open and gung-ho are going to have to be even More gung-ho than usual!
Now don't get me wrong, this tie is far from impossible. A sensible approach would be: keep your shape, keep it tight and get a goal before half-time. If you go in 1-0 up at HT you then just need a couple more. You could then look to score before the 80th minute...leaving you 10 minutes plus stoppage time to find the winner. Monaco are rock solid but it's tactically doable.
The issue here is though, who manages us. He's basically, a retard. We have conclusive evidence that he simply does not learn from his glaring mistakes.
Remember a few years back when we had Dortmund at home in the group stage? The scores were 1-1 and we just needed to hold on for the draw to win the group..what happened? Bomb forward, get hit, game done. I won't need to remind you all of Anderlecht etc. It is especially in Europe where tactical know-how is essential and sadly, Wenger has nothing on that front. That is why despite having had some of the finest players Europe has seen in the past 20 years, he has never stood a chance of winning this competition - and never will.
I have seen how they defend......the reality is that if we had a genuine quality striker (as opposed to giroud) then we would have got 4 or 5 goals in the first leg Of course le cock got tactically raped (again) and allowed his team to lose all shape and they picked us off at will on the break - no-one suggested for a minute that they don't know how to use a tactical plan (as was proven in the first leg ), but I still believe that they are being talked up above the reality of their level and that is down to our ineptitude as much as anything else Let me put it to you this way.....if we went into this tie tonight with any one of klopp/ancelotti/someone/pep in charge, would you be writing off our chances of qualifying ? I would suggest that the answer to that question would be no, so if we are to believe that we cant go through, then please don't suggest that it is a lack of quality that will screw us
You are absolutely right of course. If Simeone or Ancelotti werew our managers tonight going up against Monaco, I would expect us to stand a great chance of winning. There is a massive massive issue and you've highlighted it yourself: GIROUD.
He isn't good enough for this level. Games like tonight require an Henry, an Aguero, a Lewandowski, someone who can make a real difference. Giroud will never be that. I honestly think that if we had pace on the break and a deadly finisher a la Aguero, we'd be in with a great shout. You are dead right that isn't a strict personnel issue because you cannot tell me that a team with Ozil, Oxlade, Cazorla, Koscielny, etc cannot take care of toothless Monaco at home!
On another note, having watched him on Sunday it will be a disgrace if we do not sign Schneiderlin this Sunday. I don't give a toss if this "kills" Coquelin as Schneiderlin is 4 times the player he is!
This tie was over as a contest when they came to ours and stuffed us up the fartpipe If it had stayed 2-1 we would've had a tiny chance but we all know it didnt,maybe we can sneak a meaningless narrow win and have ourselves another last 16 virtual trophy
Its more about hope than expectation Rob, the hope that kills.
You dont have to be an AKB to hope we will win the treble, just a leeetle bit over optimistic
Ike, I think you are being harsh on Giroud, look at the performance he pulled off on Sunday- you critisised him for not scoring V the big teams, and hes answered that. Sure he isnt an Aguero, that not his game- but the skilful lay offs dummys you saw on Sunday is not Agueros game, he wouldnt be able to do those, nor is Aguero as strong.
Giroud was awful as he will admit V Monaco, but overall since his return he has produced some pretty encouraging stuff. No one in red and white (Or orange ), for whatever reason covered their great toe with glory v Monaco, it was a horrid horrid show.
Theoperator wrote:Its more about hope than expectation Rob, the hope that kills.
You dont have to be an AKB to hope we will win the treble, just a leeetle bit over optimistic
Ike, I think you are being harsh on Giroud, look at the performance he pulled off on Sunday- you critisised him for not scoring V the big teams, and hes answered that. Sure he isnt an Aguero, that not his game- but the skilful lay offs dummys you saw on Sunday is not Agueros game, he wouldnt be able to do those, nor is Aguero as strong.
Giroud was awful as he will admit V Monaco, but overall since his return he has produced some pretty encouraging stuff. No one in red and white (Or orange ), for whatever reason covered their great toe with glory v Monaco, it was a horrid horrid show.
I am far from giroud's biggest critic but at the same time I don't agree with using games against shit teams like the shammers as a way of defending him. He is a good striker but imo he will never be a great striker and, while he could prove to be a great success as part of a front two, he is nowhere near good enough to play as a lone striker
piresistible wrote:I just hope that we go through, because I have had enough of this heroic losing nonsense; there is no heroic loss against Monaco. If we go out and beat them 0-2, so what? It's not like we beat the team that's going to go on and win the tournament, again no offence intended. The loss against Monaco hit me harder than even the 0-6 thrashing away to Chelsea last season; it was a horrible night and it seems to have equally hurt the rest of the fan base. No, I didn't expect to beat Monaco easily at all, there defensive record speaks for itself, but I did expect it to be a close two legged affair, with maybe one goal in the difference, I certainly didn't expect either team to be virtually out of the competition after the first leg.
I had high hopes for this seasons European campaign, not necessarily that they would win it, but that we would put in a good showing. I can accept losing to a better team, but I just don't accept what happened three weeks ago, it wasn't good enough. It's time for the players to stand up now and give the fans the result they deserve.
Our away fans have been excellent again this season, (the fact that Spurs couldn't sell there allocation on a Sunday afternoon and we managed to bring 9,000 on a Monday night to Old Trafford, speaks volumes), and they will all be out there again tomorrow night hoping we go through. The way I see it, we are out of the competition and we need to score at least 3 goals to qualify. I think that's the way the players should look at it.
I really think that there is a good chance we could beat Monaco 3-0, think about it; forget the first leg ever happened, if we were playing them tomorrow in that first leg and won 3-0, would many people be that surprised? No I don't think so. Let's just go out there and get the result that I think we're more than capable of getting. After all, wouldn't that also be the most Arsenal thing ever?
Mate, every time! If you copy and paste something acknowledge where it is from! I will leave it here for a few hours to allow you to correct it. If not it will be deleted.
Hey, I'm a police officer
I bet you are. I'm afraid it'll be a one week ban.
On another note, having watched him on Sunday it will be a disgrace if we do not sign Schneiderlin this Sunday. I don't give a toss if this "kills" Coquelin as Schneiderlin is 4 times the player he is![/quote]
I watched the game as well and I too thought Schneiderlin was excellent (Wanyama look to have improved a lot as well).
From what I've seen Schneiderlin looks a better player than Carvalho, who we're forever linked with and, if Javi Martinez isn't coming, Morgan would do very nicely. Flamini and Arteta can seek pastures new.
Of course le cock got tactically raped (again) and allowed his team to lose all shape and they picked us off at will on the break - no-one suggested for a minute that they don't know how to use a tactical plan (as was proven in the first leg
), but I still believe that they are being talked up above the reality of their level and that is down to our ineptitude as much as anything else
