Feed me.
Feed me my drug of choice.
Inject me with your silvery goodness.
Take me to my happy place.
Let’s dream of European glory, and a backdoor entrance to a competition we are ill-equipped to survive, with a manager in the last year of his deal.
YES PEOPLE, my favourite competition of all time is upon us. Arsenal face down CSKA in a winner takes the semi final type game.
This should be a walk in the park, right?
WRONG.
Arsenal can’t go into this game with a sloppy complacent attitude. We’ve already seen a shaky first half from Liverpool that nearly let City back in, we saw Barcelona fuck a lead in Rome, and Juventus nearly beat Madrid after taking a 3 goal lead at the Bernabeu.
If any team in Europe can go to CSKA and blow a 3 goal lead, it’s Arsenal.
Still, an admittance from Arsene Wenger that the trophy is important is a welcome boost for team focus.
“Europa League is important for us – everybody knows that and we are at [the] stage where of course we focus on it because in the Premier League we have a very, very, very slim chance to get further up,” said Wenger.
“The Europa League is one of the big targets of the season.”
I like that he’s still thinking about the top four race of yesteryear. No Arsene, it’s been Europa or bust for a while. We’ve never been in the top 4 hunt. That much was clear last summer when you absolutely tanked it.
The Europa is an opportunity though. If we land an easy-ish draw in the semis, we could easily find ourselves lining up in Lyon.
One game at a time.
The team news is mistake machine Granit Xhaka is certainly out of the game (I’m being mean, he’s been good for at least 5 games). We have no Mikki who we know loves the Europa League. I expect we’ll see the in-form Danny W start, along with assist King Alex Iwobi.
I hope we go there to soak up the pressure. We don’t need to win 4-1 again. We need to keep it calm for the first 20minutes and slowly feel our way into the game. No dramas. No rash decisions. Just see the result through.
Sounds great on a blog, let’s see how it plays out in the real world.
Fun fact: The CSKA game was the first time since 99-00 (UEFA Cup) that we’ve won 3 knockout European games in a row. Isn’t that shite?
Right, see you in the comments. Also, last chance to listen to our bloody excellent podcast.
Also, jump on the pod, it’s excellent.
- Aubameyeng: Hit or miss?
- The case for our defence: Who stays or goes?
- Iwobi: Hero in waiting, or another Nik B?
- Jack Wilshere: What do you do with him?
DROPBOX | SPOTIFY | STITCHER | ITUNES | GOOGLE | POCKET CASTS
We need to score a goal.
Take Welbeck off…right now.
defence absolutely switched off,unfvckinbelievable
Ramsey is crocking, Wilshere is useless as a CM, Welbeck IS A HORRIBLE ATTACKER!
Ramsey 200k…ha
Wilshere couldn’t make it at Bournemouth, Wenger asked him to look for a new club….here he is playing in a very important match…Wenger’s management!
I would bring Kolasinac on at wing back, and go with 3 centre backs. Think about Nketiah on later.
obviously Wilshere is off this summer,crap player
DaleDaGoonerApril 12, 2018 19:56:07
Ramsey is crocking, Wilshere is useless as a CM, Welbeck IS A HORRIBLE ATTACKER!
Wilshere is just useless period
Maybe at half time arsenal can give wilshere a new contract and make him captain. Wilshere loves arsenal
I thought wilshere was the best England player ? Captain Jack is it?
Won’t wilshere back to he’s so called best?
Pedro bring Don back on would like to hear his opinion on Wilshere tonight ; )
oh look who’s back
Maybe at half time arsenal can give wilshere a new contract and make him captain. Wilshere loves arsenal
And give Mertesacker another one year extension while at it
Joke manager at a club turn charity home
Wilshere, Bellerin and Welbeck can’t be relied on today…I’d add Ramsey because he appears to be crocked
Sky sports:Tuesday 16 January 2018
Gary Neville believes Jack Wilshere is England’s best central midfielder and could play in any team in Europe if fully fit.
The sun:
ARSENAL fans are calling for “England’s best midfielder” Jack Wilshere to be on the plane for the World Cup.
Good luck with that lol
Another day, another tiresome rant spread out across posts from Bob about Wilshere.
Wilshere has obviously slayed his ex..
They only need TWO goals
It’s doable for them because they are at home and everyone knows we tend to wild once pressure is applied.
Jack dogshere
*wilt*
Redtruth,
“What’s best for Arsenal is ‘Wenger departing trumps winning a trophy’”
All day long, Couldn’t agree more.
‘Another day, another tiresome rant spread out across posts from Bob about Wilshere.
Wilshere has obviously slayed his ex..’
deserved to be posted twice
2 nil. One to go……
got to wonder why Lacazette isn’t getting into scoring positions, and Ozil is hidding again
BS players
Bellerin is brainless.
Ramsey showing how he’s NOT cut out for CM with ridiculous passes like that.
No picture in that guys head for a congested midfield. Cech hilariously bad as ever.
Terrible defending and keeping, we are going out
oh dear,surely not the unthinkable
We are FUC*ING shit
Here we go again.
Bellerin is so brainless that he would pass to anything in a red shirt
Wilshere, Ramsey, Welbeck stinking out the joint!
No one really thought we’d make this pretty or easy, did they?
We are shocking
Fucking shocking
Cech is rubbish too
Lose here and maybe, just maybe, Wenger fucks off tonight.
Now we are literally crapping our pants. They just have to apply some more pressure.
Get Eddie on
Ramsey with a Xhaka special there for their goal.
Heads have gone
I mean are you shocked. This club under Arsene Wenger can’t even be confident 4-1 up
Ozil has done nothing here
Danny he won’t go even if we lose so hope we win coz it’s not going to happen. Maybe at the end of the season fingers crossed
Laccazette has been shit, can’t make space,clumsy first touch, very lightweight,almost invisible,get him out
And to think our “BOD” will still persist with things as is for the foreseeable.
Not one player out there threatens to score for me
No creativity from the middle of the pack from Ramsey and Wilshere at all .And it has been like that for the whole of their time at arsenal .
Shocking assist records for both of them
‘Lose here and maybe, just maybe, Wenger fucks off tonight.’
idiotic comment
Wenger in wrong tactics shocker in the second half
Danny,
“Lose here and maybe, just maybe, Wenger fucks off tonight.”
You got any spare ? I’d like to smoke it
Miles offside
got to wonder why Lacazette isn’t getting into scoring positions, and Ozil is hidding again
I heard Ozil isn’t a problem. Also heard Ramsey is a capable CM. Disciplined. No more bad Ramsey is the saying
Hope jack enjoys unit tonight cos he won’t be back in June
Paulinho
Almost like you’re deflecting…
El nieny like Xhaka
Pass back !
Back pass!
Pass back !
Back pass!
Will Wenger take Wilshere or Welbeck off??? at least???
This is piss poor
He should be sacked tonight
I don’t understand why they just can’t hold the ball, it’s not as if CSKA are full of gifted players.
Lol, we’re shite.
Diego costa don’t like this.
Some game at Marseille tonight
BBC stats say no shots on target yet for Arsenal. that is poor. they are just chucking anything at Cech and seeing what bounces about in the box.
Time to show mental strength.
Absolutely no foothold in this game at all, CM is totally absent
Ha ha.
Xhaka has been giving the ball away on the half-turn the moment he arrived ffs.
ThanosApril 12, 2018 20:28:38
I don’t understand why they just can’t hold the ball, it’s not as if CSKA are full of gifted players.
More like why do you need another goal when you are 3 – nil up .
Reason why wenger will never win anything in Europe
Can’t see a goal in this 11
need to keep possession and feel our way in,shocking midfield we have
Highbury legend I hear Atletico shitting their pants all the way from here. The mighty Arsenal…
BBC stats say no shots on target yet for Arsenal.
————————–
Lacazette had one in the first half
Wilshere looking and playing like a big useless potato.
For midfielders, Ramsey and Wilshere create ZERO chances in this game! ZERO! Nothing threatening!
Where the heck is the fight in the team right now we suck
I would say say Wiltshire off he is shocking but what’s on the bench
Laca off Eddie on
Upset isn’t beyond SL, they’re dominating Atleti and 1-0 up on the night.
Welbecck looks like a lumbering oaf
Ozil needs to earn his pay today
Ah fuck off Wilshere, can’t even concentrate on trapping a ball..
R.S.P.C.ArsenalApril 12, 2018 20:32:52
Laca off Eddie on
What do you expect?
No service
Chambers to defend a lead. Lol
Whoever takes over when it happens, has a massive rebuilding job on their hands
I’d play Chambers in midfield. Surprised AMN isn’t involved, injured?
No
Not the 5 at back
Bizarre decision from RB Leipzig to leave out Timo Werner from the line-up and not even bring him on as a sub needing a goal.
Imagine what would happen if we come up against Atletico?
It would be a fucking embarrassment. Men against boys.
That shot by Lacazette just now, sums up everything about Wenger.
We are bringing on Chambers….wow! Another calamity
Loved that comment Berg.
We need to score a goal and le fraud is bringing on chambers. LOL.
It’s not surprising though.
CSKA had some sights of the goal in the first leg. the score line flattered us a bit.
Remove Wilshere?
He is doing nothing on the pitch
Thank god they are taking Wilshire off
Why are they ALL so shut tonight? Wilshere off at last
gambon, victorious firmly disagree with you… lol
We cannot save the game with chambers what the fuck
Well, i’m not against removing that useless CM for a defender
Cech’s needs to go ASAP
He can find another London club to continue his pre-retirement sabbatical.
I dare say put on iwobi