Arsenal do an Arsenal: Wenger’s last stand stutters on embarrassing mistake

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That my friends is why Arsene can’t exist at the highest level, and part of the reason he’s off. The club went all out, purchased in some fancy red and silver flags, the fans came with their voices in full flow, but when push came to shove, we were undone by a long ball and another Koscielny big game mistake.

Wenger called the draw the worst result for Arsenal, and he’s not wrong. The only team to beat Atleti at home this season is Chelsea in the Champions League, they’ve kept 10 clean sheets in the last 11 games, and we’ve not been great on our travels this season.

Crazier things have happened, but you can’t help but think we’ve blown our best opportunity. We played seriously well in the first half, we dominated possession, we were ‘almost’ bullying them. Danny Welbeck was quite the scene, pulling defenders out of position, delivering wicked passes, and doing his ‘nearly enough’ thing with a few chances Auba would have buried.

Vrsaljko kind of spoiled the game. He picked up two bookings inside 10 minutes, fouling Wilshere and Lacazette with poor timing. That was never going to work for us, Atleti doubled down on defending, and we couldn’t find a way to make the significant gains we needed to kill the Spanish side.

We did take the lead on 60, Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey had a lovely interchange, Jack looped a cross to the back post, Lacazette was on hand to score another Europa goal. A superb header.

Arsenal couldn’t hold out. Wenger didn’t find the magic to affect the game. He didn’t even think of bringing on some fresh legs to ruffle a tiring 10 man side.

You just knew we weren’t going to hold on. Danny Welbeck needlessly lost the ball deep in Atelti’s half, a hoofed long ball managed to find Griezmann, the Frenchman shrugged off Kos and made it count. A disaster. But ever so typical of Koscielny who has made a habit of dropping clangers in important moments.

It’s incredibly frustrating, part of me felt like we had a real chance yesterday evening. We were the better team, we played the best football, and we created the most chances. The other part of me knows we’ve seen it before. Back when we were only semi shit, Chelsea would let us play our way into a loss. It felt a little like that last night. This comment from Simeone was interesting.

“It’s really hard to play away at Arsenal – an extraordinary stadium, a spectacular coach in the opposite dugout – with 10 men. These Atletico players, the way they played and put up with the pressure was tremendous. The fans brought a positive energy to accompany our passion.

“You guys have no idea how difficult it is to defend. Football is about playing and playing is the fun part, but you’ve got to have balls to defend with 10 men for 80 minutes.”

I’d love to defend like kings and come away from 10 men down with the upper hand.

Is the game over? No. Is it going to be the fight of our lives in the next game? Yes.

What yesterday showed is that we have great players and we can mix with the best. Give the club a world class manager who can instill the right sort of discipline and maybe the hike to the next level won’t be quite so arduous.

As for Wenger, it is what it is. He’s not good enough, we know this. He doesn’t know how to manage a game. He doesn’t have the smarts to see out a result, or jump on it and break its neck. That’s why he’s going, no point in ranting on. Even if he wins the tournament, we know he’s washed up. I’m just glad that whatever happens, it’s over for him.

Also, Atleti weren’t that impressive. They landed the result from a poor mistake. One that we make too often. But the game isn’t dead. We still have something to play for, and on our night, we can do anything.

Fingers crossed for leg 2, #BackDoorTop4 is still on… we’re just going to have to do it the hard way. All we need is one goal, then it’s game on.

See you in Spain…

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Frankie Coffeecakes

“Arsenal are just too nice at the moment and nice teams rarely win the top trophies “

I think you are confusing nice with weak, Pierre.

Marko

jumping down the throat of anyone that isn’t lambasting everything following a shit result.

There’s a certain pattern certain posters take after a defeat and let’s leave it at that. Certain people after a defeat make it about Wenger while others do their utmost to deflect. When he finally fucks off what will we argue about

Marko

It’s worth noting that the end of the season can’t come soon enough it’s likely to get worse. Just one more home game left against Burnley. It’s very possible we lose our away games

Bamford10

Pierre

There are plenty of big personalities, leaders and no-nonsense types in football today; Wenger just hasn’t signed those kinds of players. And the cozy atmosphere on the training ground and in the dressing room hasn’t done anything to cultivate that kind of disposition or mentality in our players. The opposite.

If Arsenal players are “too nice,” as you say, they are this way because Wenger’s approach is “too nice”.

Marko

If Arsenal players are “too nice,” as you say, they are this way because Wenger’s approach is “too nice”.

It’s not even a case that we all of a sudden need to start targeting hard men or the like we just need our players to have personality.

Bamford10

“Diego Simeone says Giménez, Griezmann, Saúl & Oblak will not play against Alaves tomorrow.” – @GurjiAFC

Victorious

Bamford “Teams are more tactically and positionally disciplined today; this is true for an Atletico, a City, a Barca, a Madrid, a Bayern, a Juventus, a PSG. No one simply plays an open style, and for good reason” Except I wouldn’t lump Athletico with those teams and for good reasons,and what do you mean by those teams dont play an open style? watching the highlights against AM again and I could see why the boD wouldn’t go near Simeone,he emphasizes defense first before attack,and has his teams packing the bus in every other match,but yea he can bore his way… Read more »

Pierre

Marko
“it’s what smart teams do. If that was us it’d be another hammering”

I think if you read my post you will come to the conclusion that is what I said ..
It’s like the name ” Pierre ” comes up is like a red rag to a bull .
Charlie is right ..you seem to have trouble comprehending what people say .

Bamford10

We would carry on playing the same way precisely because we have a manager who doesn’t really manage, not because of the personalities of our players.

To the extent that the habits, tendencies or mentality of our current players would contribute to our “carrying on playing the same way,” this is due to the manager not cultivating a different mentality in his squad.

Pierre

Victorious
I agree

Simeone is basically no different to Jose ……would hate either of them at The Arsenal.

Pep has proved you can win whilst playing the beautiful game .

Bamford10

Victorious

Of course Atletico’s approach is more defensive than those other teams, but those other teams are no less disciplined or regimented. No one but Arsenal plays an “open” style. That approach died a long time ago.

Bamford10

No, Aubergine, that is not true. Those teams play passing, attacking football, yes, but that is not the same thing as an “open” style. Guardiola’s teams are a good example of this: they obviously play a very pretty form of passing football, but they are following very explicit instructions re spacing and spaces to attack, instructions they train on constantly and cover repeatedly in the classroom. Indeed Gauardiola has all of his training fields divided into twenty different spaces and he has different, specific instructions for positioning and spacing for each of those twenty spaces. He also instructs his players… Read more »

Take me back to highbury

Atletico Madrid out played Real Madrid in the last two matches they have played in the CL. The 2 finals I believe.

They deserved to win both.

Not boring. Not four banks of 4. Smart. Disciplined. Good football.

Go re watch those matches.

Wenger couldnt lace Simone’s boots.

Pierre

Bamford Of course it reflects on the manager ..that goes without saying I didn’t think I had to spell it out .. I have been saying about our midfield for years and the lack of discipline from Ramsey …this reflects on the manager . I thought Ramsey struggled a bit on Thursday playing in a more attacking role ahead of xhaka and Wilshere His positional play and touch was poor for a large part of the game ,I felt he struggled to come to terms with his role in the team ….pity really because it was a great chance for… Read more »

Marko

has his teams packing the bus in every other match,but yea he can bore his way to one or two trophies but you wouldn’t feel you’re getting value for money when you sit there and watch his team play,paint dry and all that.

Not parking the bus do you blame him for that being down to 10 men with 80 minutes to go in a semi-final. Would you respect them more if they got beat 10-2 or something. Value for money you get value for money with us? Grow up

Marko

I think if you read my post you will come to the conclusion that is what I said ..
It’s like the name ” Pierre ” comes up is like a red rag to a bull .
Charlie is right ..you seem to have trouble comprehending what people say .

No I get what you’re saying in a roundabout kind of tip toeing way I just get there faster. You say we’re too nice I say we’re flat out poor

Bob N16

Enjoyed reading the thread. CC and Aubergine offering their reasoned views, Steve, Utarse and others jumping on them, accusing them of being Wenger obsessive/ AKBs when they are the true Wenger obsessives.

My view of the game, not clinical enough, Oblak a great goalie, we were up for it, predictable defensive mistake, win still possible…20 – 80 in AM’s favour.

I was calling for AMN to be tasked with using his speed to offer protection for CBS…man mark Griezman, replacing Wilshere(no covering pace) for last 15 mins. Wenger tactically inept.

Pierre

Take me back to Highbury ( because J.oe lives in the past)

Have you forgotten jo.e that Atletico Madrid played with only ten men for 90 minutes and we only scored one goal……I thought I’d remind you as you haven’t mentioned it for at least 12 hours.

Bamford10

Pierre

Glad you acknowledge that. Not every contrarian here would.

Take me back to highbury

Marko Spot on We haven’t played anything resembling exciting pleasing on the Eye football for years. Our football is boring sideways backwards tip tap snail pace. The myth that we play attacking offensive football lives on now with aubergine in “open football”. Ask atletico and Juve fans who’s been getting more value for their money the last decade. Ask the 10,000 fans that stay away from Emirates every week if they get value for their money Bore his way to two league trophies haha Yeah I’d rather bore our way to whatever the fuck Wenger has done the last decade.… Read more »

Marko

I thought Ramsey struggled a bit on Thursday playing in a more attacking role ahead of xhaka and Wilshere
His positional play and touch was poor for a large part of the game ,I felt he struggled to come to terms with his role in the team ….pity really because it was a great chance for him to show his capabilities in that role.

One could almost say that he should have been substituted

Marko

I was calling for AMN to be tasked with using his speed to offer protection for CBS…man mark Griezman, replacing Wilshere(no covering pace) for last 15 mins. Wenger tactically inept.

Exactly. So a substitution was warranted. I agree wholeheartedly

Take me back to highbury

Pierre

Tell us again how we only scored one goal v 10 man atletico for 80 minutes because we are too nice

Hahaha

Oh my heard it all on here the last couple days

11v10 isn’t an advantage

We are too nice.

We play open risk averse football.

Go support PSG next season once Wenger gets appointed there. You’ll be so happy following your messiah.

You’ll have to learn to make up all the excuses in French though when chatting on the PSG equivalent of Le Grove.

Take me back to highbury

You’re wrong aubsrgine

You’re just to thick to say Wenger is a fucking moron to try to play your open football because he has no clue how to
Implement it and get the best out of his players day in day out

Somehow these same players won the fa cup last season over Chelsea playing open
Football.

It’s not the players. It’s the man leading the players.

We do have the players. We do have the goals

We don’t have right man leading the players to get them firing

End of the season can’t come quick enough

Take me back to highbury

How come most of our players aren’t
So “nice” when they play for their national teams

Ramsey
Ozil
Xhaka
Iwobi

Pierre

Marko
Forgive me if I’m wrong but you seem to have a new obsession …..substitutions .

Give it a rest , it was boring before and it’s boring now …

Bamford10

Jo.e

Wenger isn’t going to PSG; they’re too smart for that; they know he’s terrible.

He’s going to China, along with other washed-up types.

Bamford10

Jo.e

PSG is hiring Tuchel, a guy who, whatever his faults, does tactics.

Take me back to highbury

Yes Pierre, because it was such tactical brilliance not to make a sub.

99,9% of managers would have made subs in that situation.

To change something. Fresh legs. Whatever.

Not Wenger though.

10m pounds a season. Then tells us the red card wasn’t an advantage ha

Redtruth

Most people in the game are thick so PSG hiring Wenger wouldn’t come as a surprise…

Guns of Brixton

Wenger at PSG

Looool

Imagine he bottles winning the title in that league!!!!

Take me back to highbury

Guns

If there was one man that could do it, Wenger would be him.

I really hope he goes to a big club

Marko

Marko
Forgive me if I’m wrong but you seem to have a new obsession …..substitutions

Forgive me if I’m wrong but you were saying Ramsey was having a poor game. So you’d keep him on? Make no subs? Fair enough

Marko

Full sure he’d take a cosy job in China tbh. Great place to make a tonne of money…ahem sorry I meant to say great place for his “values”

Wallace

Marko

“Forgive me if I’m wrong but you were saying Ramsey was having a poor game. So you’d keep him on? Make no subs? Fair enough.”

you’d be fancying Iwobi to maybe snatch that all important second?

Marko

you’d be fancying Iwobi to maybe snatch that all important second?

Nah I was thinking more like Kolasinac or Chambers to help make sure we don’t concede an away goal

Marko

Says a lot about the type of fan you are where you’re making arguments for scoring a second goal as opposed to keeping a clean sheet.

Wallace

“Says a lot about the type of fan you are where you’re making arguments for scoring a second goal as opposed to keeping a clean sheet.”

1-0 up playing at home against 10 men…you expecting us to dominate in Madrid against 11 like we did the other night?

Marko

Answer me this Wallace old buddy old pal which is more important in the last 10 minutes of a Euro semi-final scoring a second goal or making sure you don’t concede an away goal? Keeping in mind we could only score one in the previous 80 minutes

Take me back to highbury

Wallace

How about iwobi comes on with fresh legs and is able to help keep atletico
Pinned back. Open them up? He is speedy

Maybe he keeps the ball instead of wellbeck losing it.

Wallace

“Answer me this Wallace old buddy old pal which is more important in the last 10 minutes of a Euro semi-final scoring a second goal or making sure you don’t concede an away goal?”

11 vs 11 the latter, when you’ve been playing against 10 men for the majority of the match, and your opponent hasn’t conceded a goal at home in forever then I think you really go for that second.

Marko

your opponent hasn’t conceded a goal at home in forever then I think you really go for that second.

Could counter with we haven’t kept a clean sheet in forever and have an abject away record so not conceding at home was far more important because we WILL concede away. But I can see where this is heading. No matter what you just won’t admit that we messed up and he should have been more disciplined and cautious in the last 10 minutes

Redtruth

Drawing at home against 10 men is a sad state of affairs which ever way you look at it.

Redtruth

The synopsis is we’re out of the tournament which par for the course with this inept manager.

Redtruth

You can thank the ref for giving Arsenal a foothold in the game otherwise 11 vs 11 would of seen Arsenal dismantled

Bamford10

New post.

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