Oh COME ON, I have to shake out of this. YOU have to shake out of this. We have to pull through this together.
It’s just football. It doesn’t matter what the others do. We’re not going to be the obsessed bitter ex from down the road.
Arsenal head to the MIGHTY Valencia tonight. The Spaniards ripped 5 goals in a single half at the weekend against a team that sounds like a dodgy shot of tequila, Huesca.
We really shouldn’t have that much of a problem against the Spaniards this evening, the problem is we’ve been ugly on the road and we unfortunately don’t have the team metronome that was Aaron Ramsey.
Now we’ve fucked the business end of the season there’s no reason we can’t play all of our players, unless there’s some mega redzoning going on on. Tonight, we must play our best hand which should at the very least be enough to stay level for the first half.
We don’t need to be the protagonists this evening, we simply need to keep a clean sheet. All we need to do is replicate our GIANT performance in Napoli and we’re in.
Thinking back to that last game, it’s quite amazing how across both legs we stuck to a game plan… if anything, it was all a bit boring in the second leg.
I LIKE BORING
I’ll take boring, like the slow drawl of Alan Shearer reading the back of a cereal packet, or putting furniture together with a Spurs ‘nearly did it’ highlight reel lightly buzzing the background. I don’t need exciting. We just need the final, then we can truly go for it.
After the last two games we’ve watched in the Champions League, it’s hard to take anything for granted. These stats by the BBC make for grim reading if you’re a fatalist today.
- No team has lost the first leg of a Uefa Cup/Europa League semi-final by two or more goals and gone through since Espanyol did it against Club Brugge in 1988.
- In total, five of the previous 28 teams to lose the first leg of a Uefa Cup/Europa League semi-final by two or more goals have ended up progressing.
- Including finals, Arsenal manager Unai Emery has won his past 18 Europa League knockout ties, last being eliminated from the competition in the 2011-12 semi-finals -with Valencia.
- Arsenal have never lost a European tie in which they won the first leg by two or more goals, progressing from all 27 previously.
So many records there to be broken.
Unai is talking about the trophy like you’d talk about an unsightly frocked beast in an old pub in the suburbs back in the day…
“It’s an attractive title and it’s getting more attractive,”
Yes it is Unai, after 5 pints of Ye Olde Battering, the Europa is looking like a young Kate Moss right now. He needs the trophy, the fans need the final, we all need a little whisky chaser of something to get us through the potential horror show gearing up in June.
“I first competed for this title when it was still the Uefa Cup and was a lesser title than it is now.
“It has grown and I have seen that shift. Giving teams a Champions League place through the Europa League is a fair reward and it’s a title they all want to win.
“It’s an important title for those teams not in the Champions League – and for some who drop into it as a second chance, like Valencia did this season.”
I think if there’s any critique about Unai this season, it’s that he chased personal glory of being the Europa mega title holder over just doing what was sensible in the league. We know he loves this cup, we know he wants to be the most titled guy in history… just like Wenger wanted to beat Alex Fergurson for tenure.
Well, now we’re in a space where this isn’t a bonus, it is an absolute MUST.
No Champions League is a disaster for our finances, but it’s also a disaster for his reputation with the fans. We didn’t just drop out of contention, we plunged out of the sky with all 4 engines on fire against weaker opposition.
This is his way out for most fans… again, it’s a single data point of glory, as a single point of data it’s positive but clouds little… but it’d certainly plaster over the doom of the reality and it’d make whatever goes on with ***** a little easier to digest.
The final is on a platter. Are we going to be greedy and eat directly from it like some sort of dirty wilding, or will the team have public buffet fear like me and my siblings because of years of being hounded by our father for being fat c*nts if we took from the tray? Let’s hope not. Buffet PTSD isn’t cool and I’ll chuck myself out of a window if we lose this tonight.
Excuse me? That is a horrible thing to say. You’d miss me if I were dead.
BIG GAME, let’s see you ALL in the comments.
x
DM
2
Here again
2nd Tr4phy of the day
Trofee
I think if there’s any critique about Unai this season, it’s that he chased personal glory of being the Europa mega title holder over just doing what was sensible in the league. We know he loves this cup, we know he wants to be the most titled guy in history… just like Wenger wanted to beat Alex Fergurson for tenure.
This is just pure conjecture laced with personal opinion pushed forward as fact
Our finishing spot
I just care a little less at the moment. If you could guarantee me Liverpool beat Spurs I’d be more in to it. At the moment it all seems a bit pointless being an Arsenal fan.
Batistuta, is it really?
He played overly strong teams in the trophy from the start… then he threw the Palace game with the worst line up of the season.
He wanted to Europa over anything and it cost him big time.
It broke Ramsey, it wasted minutes on duff games and it cost us top 4 in the end.
Pedro, I’m just curious : you ban Bamford, while worse trolls are still allowed to post here.
Honestly, I don’t understand…
I will need to be tranquilized on the 1st June and someone needs to wake me up when it’s all over and whisper “don’t worry Liverpool have one Davey” This is Chelsea mark II and I fear they have their name on it! AAARRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
HL, who is bothering you?
I see us crashing out of the EuroPa Cup this year as we have done the league. Then that’s it for Football watching until next autumn.
Won Jesus I am a wreck
the pressure is on ARSENAL
after all that has happened in the last 48 hours
if we pull that napoli performance we be okay
he really needs to decide between monreal or mustafi
i think he might go with a back 4
Really couldn’t care less win =yay but papering over the cracks and winning the European ldv van trophy really doesn’t get the juices flowing. Sorry
Pedro
will you quit watching football if spuds win the champions league
lol
i think i will go in hiding and quit watching football
He wanted to Europa over anything and it cost him big time.
It broke Ramsey, it wasted minutes on duff games and it cost us top 4 in the end.
The same Ramsey who’s been injury plagued throughout his time here or another one? And did he whisper to you that the Europa league was the priority or you’re just making that up to?
@Pedro,
It’s like he did not believe he could make top and decided early on to go for Europa League glory. But when top 4 became a clear and obvious possibility he could not come to change his thinking.
That kind of muddled thinking is what cost him his PSG job and same pattern is repeating here.
Hopefully the pessimistic in me will be proven wrong, but I believe that even if we qualify for the final, a rejuvenated Chelsea will beat us with a unplayable Hazard on a last mission before leaving for Real.
Anyway the suits upstairs think he’s well within his target for the season, they’re even surprised he’s still competitive this deep into the season according to reports so when are you going to start writing about the lack of ambition from the management of the club
The same Ramsey that played half a season and was still broken by Emery.
The guy has played 460 games in ten years, that included a long period out with a snapped leg.
Again with the lies about the Palace game, so boring.
He had to rotate because of injuries, fatigue and suspensions ffs. Then you have the same melts that wants him to rotate more to keep the few semi quality players we have fresh, that is the quality you’ll get then, garbage. We would have been midtable if our fringe players would have played even more than absolutely necessary…
Shabz, I”m going into hiding, no doubt
The same Ramsey that played half a season and was still broken by Emery.
Hard to take you serious with comments like this Pedro, you’re beginning to sound like Atwood at Untold when you say stuff like this, Ramsey has always been broken
“YEEEEAAASSSSSSSSSS! What an unbelievable night for Arsenal. We went away to one of the most devastating attacking teams in world football and nullified them. We made them look average. Arsenal used their physical advantage and made a Carlo team look like a group of school kids. Emery out thought one of the greatest managers to have graced the game. Our players held their focus and kept a clean sheet over 180 minutes. We landed our SECOND clean sheet away from home in a week. We took on a high-pressure game and DID NOT bow. The players everyone said were Wengerfied… Read more »
i know Ramsey is a good player
but how many times has he had muscular issues in a season
we never get him fit for a whole season
i wasnt surprised he broke down against napoli and he hasnt even played all season
i am sure that is one of the reasons raul didnt give him the contract he wanted
“HL, who is bothering you?”
It’s not particularly me.
But if you can’t see that there are some trolls that are constantly polluting this blog, then it’s ok… I guess ?? lol
@DM : spot on, very good post!! 😉
DM
Wherever you are, take a pint on my behalf
STOP MOANING ABOUT SPURS!! Jeeziz people, get over it already. As someone else said on another post, that fact that Spurs have done what they’ve done in the way they’ve done it is fantastic and admirable, but more importantly should serve as a sad indictment of where WE are as a club. So for all those people who are saying they don’t care about tonight, or they don’t care if we win the EL because it’s just papering over cracks etc etc. GET. A. LIFE. Sure, I like Mustafi as much as the next guy, but if he scores the… Read more »
I just care a little less at the moment. If you could guarantee me Liverpool beat Spurs I’d be more in to it. At the moment it all seems a bit pointless being an Arsenal fan. My feelings as well. This will be difficult for some to understand. It doesn’t mean that people like me are renegades just we are numb and fearful. Winning the EC would mean nothing if Spurs end up with the CL trophy. And tonight, we are playing in one of the most intimidating stadiums in Europe, with a defence nobody trusts. Even if we get… Read more »
HL
What a fanny you are.
Jeeziz people, get over it already. As someone else said on another post, that fact that Spurs have done what they’ve done in the way they’ve done it is fantastic and admirable, but more importantly should serve as a sad indictment of where WE are as a club
Soop
Yeah. ‘‘Twas I. Well said
Cross posting this because nobody will read it now. —————————————————————– Pedro, I agree insofar that I don’t think Emery will be the guy to lead us to European glory or a domestic treble or whatever. I don’t agree that changing him for next season would lead to a noticeable improvement. You talk about Emery spending £70m and not seeing any improvement. Thing is, Emery is the head coach and he didn’t spend it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure he had a say. But we went and recruited Sven and we brought in Raul and we started putting in a… Read more »
I’m sorry un ai ai ai ai ai ai, but do I know you ??
Bati, if you’re ignorant about the game, then you make comments like yours.
His fitness was badly managed and he dropped out with a hamstring (preventable). Shouldn’t have wasted minutes of him in pony games.
He’s averaged 37 games a season over the last 5 years.
HL, who?
If we tank tonight I fear for my own mental state.
“That kind of muddled thinking is what cost him his PSG job and same pattern is repeating here.”
Yea wonder who we blame for the car crash of a season PSG just had…still Emery i guess, his muddles thinking still muddling things up over there
We can’t help speaking about Spurs, because they are just up the road, and at this moment in time they are ahead of us in almost all the important aspects.
When I first started watching The Arsenal, we were by far the biggest club in the land, with the largest trophy haul. Utd were starting to flex but we were way out in front. What followed was decades of shambolic management that dragged us down. We are still experiencing this, in spades, and it is dispiriting.
Pedro
Like, there are totally like, trolls man like expressing their opinions, I guess, lol, k like it’s not cool or whatever, k? Lol
Like. I come here like for a lol echo chamber. I just want to read the same views and opinions whatever over and over again lol. I guess.
Somebody get Highbury legend a large dose of testosterone. What a soggy biscuit this fella is. Makes Bamford come across like fucking he-man
“Emery out thought one of the greatest managers to have graced the game.”
Yes this was Pedro just weeks ago..now all he sees is darkness
Go figure
Pochettino is being lauded yet the times that count he has come up against Emery in the league this season he was out coached by some margin and only reason why he is finishing top four ahead of a bland man who brings darkness is due to faults of our own, his Spurs team had an absolute mare of a league season, the real metric of measuring improvement i have been told
All of them Wenger supporters in his last few years, this is where persisting with him for so long has got us. Shite and lagging far behind the mob we most hate, nice one!
RH, Emery lost the league in his first season… Tuchel can win it with 94 points.
The German is implementing complex ideas… Emery was just asking players to get on the overlap.
His fitness was badly managed and he dropped out with a hamstring (preventable). Shouldn’t have wasted minutes of him in pony games.
Pray tell Doc Pedro how that injury away at Napoli could have been prevented and bare in mind people there were people up in arms that Ramsey didn’t start at Everton….. It has to be the player is injury prone or the manager is totally clueless, pick one
Un na naai, LOOOOOL
Are we on an Arsenal blog? Despite holding all bragging rights over Spurs in trophies etc if they were to win the CL it all means nothing because we will be under their thumb forever maybe it’s just an age thing but last night made me physically sick and fear worst is yet to happen.
“I don’t want to overegg this, but fuck it, I am going to. This is what we bought into. This is why we changed manager. This is what we wanted.”
Still Pedro before the darkness, This was what we wanted he said but can now see no reasons for the manager to be allowed to build a squad
You make fun of Nzonzi and Banega but at least both have demonstrated an ability to run a midfield that Xhaka will never grasp
The German is implementing complex ideas… Emery was just asking players to get on the overlap.
Complex ideas that has them bombing to Guingamp and Rennes in their domestic cups, one would think CG is the one giving these kind of lame responses
Nobody is bothering HL It’s just folks expressing a differing opinion and he can’t stomach it. Fact remains. The performance spurs and Liverpool put in this week exceed ANYTHING we’ve done since 06, maybe even the invincibles. Yes Wenger carries his own can but so do the facilitating parties. You can’t blame emery for being what he is, not wenger. You can however blame the institution that facilitates their mismanagement. Yes emery has done well against the big sides Yes he will get next season and probably the one after Expressing that you expect him to to continue performing akin… Read more »
RH, are you still going to argue with me that Poch doesn’t have special sauce?
You really do dig your heals in… flat earthing til the end.
“Pedro, I’m just curious : you ban Bamford, while worse trolls are still allowed to post here.
Honestly, I don’t understand…”
You’re arguing with someone who allowed Hackney to threaten another poster to go to their home and “have his way” with his family.
“The German is implementing complex ideas… Emery was just asking players to get on the overlap.”
Lille are second with 69 points, having scored 61 league goals all season, that”s the level of competition Tuchel beat to win the league
Emery lost the league to a Monaco side that scored 107 goals, got 95 points (more than Tuchel who is actually on 85 points now not 94) and eliminated Man City in the champions league
You need to reestablish a relationship with truth and objectivity
Batistuta, we just took 4 points from 18, I’m not really that fussed what’s going on at PSG.
Tuchel won the league in his first season, Emery didn’t. Simple as that really.
The German is implementing complex ideas… Emery was just asking players to get on the overlap. He played through the middle vs Valencia in the first leg and our front two were on fire They aren’t cut out for the cut back You put a man on xakha and double up on the wing backs and it’s game over. He’s been sussed by Brighton and palace Mark the wings backs. That’s it. Zero variety to our play No bloody wonder we’ve had 4/18 points He’s been sussed It will all be different next season though He’s working on a new… Read more »
He got to the final of a cup competition after struggling in the group stages, being outplayed by a surprisingly defensively porous City and Ajax shitting themselves
Only sauce he has is in his Kitchen
One of your disciples says the true judgement of a manager is league form, Sours have lost 13 premier league games this season
Poch has built a good team and has instilled a workhorse mentality. I don’t think he’s sitting at the top table when it comes to game day tactics.
RH knows
He’s doubling down to save having to face his shame
Face the shame hairline. Own that shit
RH, Emery landed 87 points in his first season.
Tuchel has already won the league. Will likely end with 95 points.
Objectivity is just stating the facts.
Now tell me about how Poch doesn’t have sauce?
Moray, he took an ok team to the final of the CL and turned around a 3 goal deficit at half time.
However you chop it up, it’s elite.
Hairline
They came through
Barca
Inter
Dortmund
City
Ajax
Takes sauce to burn through that lot fella. You really are a flat earthworm 😂
“Tuchel won the league in his first season, Emery didn’t. Simple as that really.”
Keep telling yourself that.
If this Lille team is what Emery had as challengers he would have won the league his first season with a 21 point gap
His first season saw PSG score 83, concede 27, and finish on 87 points
You are comparing oranges and apple. Spurs and Arsenal do not play the same formation. Also during that same period Özil created more chances than Eriksen, Not his fault if our players do not take them. In most games Eriksen has two big physical central midfielders who do all the protecting the defense and running for him. Viktor Wanyama, Sissoko, Moussa Dembele, Éric Dier. Even when Eriksen is pushed on the wing, Spurs have dynamic players to quickly counter-attack: Dele, Son. Özil has Xhaka, Elneny, Torreira and Guendouzi. Not the same type of players and dare I say not the… Read more »
£140m wage bill
Stadium move midway through the season
No expenditure on players last summer
Dealt with a massive hangover from the WC
Didn’t have his best player on the pitch
‘but, but, but’
He’s a world-class coach.
United absolutely shit the bed not hiring him.
Stay on the sideline Un na nai…adults are speaking
Soop Those that don’t care about tonight because they are consumed with Spuds success and progression and our demise and regression, are not living in the real world. We have ruled the roost over Spuds for 30 years. Gloating at their constant failures and inabilities to knock us off our perch. Now suddenly, the shoe is on the other foot. Tonight is a chance to take a step forward and give us a sense of pride in our club, irrespective of your opinions on Emery. With Wenger still in charge we would all be feeling a damn sight worse. I… Read more »
If the above isn’t pure flat earthing, what is?
‘KEEP TELLING YOURSELF THE FACTS’
Emery won all the domestic cups in his first season , Tuchel didn’t
Can i also put facts there and call you a flat whatever?
Let me quit engaging you cos frankly speaking i do not see the point and you don’t have that much of a thick skin
You are like the kid on the playground who knows he can walk home with the ball at the slightest provocation
Stay on the sideline Un na nai…adults are speaking
Hairline
Shirt for “shit he’s got me, quick insult him”
You telling me that getting past those teams isn’t a fine example of how to coach in the big leagues?
Emery “”””It’s an attractive title and getting more attractive “”” If Spurs are hoisting the Champions League trophy at their opening home fixture next season. The Loosers Cup will not be looking so attractive. A tournament devised for the also rans of Europe played on Thursday nights after the main artists have featured. I hope Valencia win tonight. And it forces the Kroenkes to put an end to this scandalously inept manager -embarrassing us- with his words, teeth, touchline actions and footballing decisions. In order for Arsenal to get better. We need short term pain. We need to exit tonight… Read more »
“I hope Valencia win tonight.”
No genuine Arsenal supporter would ever want us to lose a semi-final. Go home, CG.
“A tournament devised for the also rans of Europe played on Thursday nights after the main artists have featured.”
yep, a tournament that useless happens to be the main reward for winning the prestigious FA Cup..go figure
Dont worry people,the bin dippers will kill them.
Those that don’t care about tonight because they are consumed with Spuds success and progression and our demise and regression, are not living in the real world.
Unfortunately, we are in the real world and it is not a good one. Sadly, even a friendly dog will lose its love if one keeps kicking it.
Jamie
I wanted the latter part of Terry Neils team to lose matches and in the latter part of GG reign.
Its actually true love ….
Like reporting your son to the police for continued misdemeanors…to ultimately get him right…..
Cg
There’s no call for ever wishing for us to lose. You’re no better than the wenger our mongs who cheered for us to lose if you really mean that. No true supporter calls for their club to lose.
Sadly, even a friendly dog will lose its love if one keeps kicking it.
Alex James
Make a habit of it? Everyone needs a hobby
CG –
Like I said, wanting Arsenal to lose (even when it meant expediting the removal of that old goat Wenger from the club) is as low as it gets. Sort it out.
Also
He’s going nowhere if we lose anyway. He’s tied in for at least another year and Kroenke isn’t paying off his contract any time soon is he?
Just cheer your club on. It’s all you can do. We fans mean nothing at arsenal any more. It’s a business now.
CG, bit of an embarrassing comment there.
“CG, bit of an embarrassing comment there”
Pedro it’s actually one of his better comments.
CG
It’s amazing that you’re feeling exactly as I did from about 2015 to when Wenger finally left. My feelings though were based on a decade of regression. Yours are based on one year of major change.
Why don’t you delete Emery’s name from your posts and replace with his predecessor. You know, “the scandalously inept manager” part and “embarrassing touchline actions and footballing decisions”. It works for me.
Our one and only chance to get into the CL after years of neglectand you don’t give a fuck. What a strange man you are.
“we must play our best hand which should at the very least be enough to stay level for the first half.”
Cheers Pedro that’s us 2 nil down by 25 minutes.
I am deadly serious though. Embarrassing or not. The Loosers Cup is a farce. Finals in Baku??? 9000 tickets. Anti Soccer. Thursday nights If Emery wins this – he will get a stay of execution. We need to be out of European competition for a while – reduce the squad. AND Concentrate on the domestic arena. Leicester Contes Chelsea And Rogers Liverpool ( nearly) won the league ( whilst they had no European competition that season) IF we had one game a week. And a proper coach – we would make progress. We have Had 38 games to obtain a… Read more »
Pedro
One lost to the best Monaco team for a very very long time while one has won the league since December, you maybe need to have a lie down…..
Oh and CG, you’re an embarassment
CG
You are just one of the many reasons we find ourselves in our current position.
Graham
I had my suspicions that Charlie George was your alter ego ..so many similarities and it’s quite ironic that you can’t stand him.
Jamie
I understand that logic.
If you didn’t want Wenger and he was driving you to distraction….
I would never criticise you for wanting Arsenal to lose.( whilst he was in charge)
After all- you cant change his you feel..
CG
There no defending that. You never cheer for your own club to lose
Not good
We need to win this really. It’s highly unlikely that we qualify for the champions league without it.
I think most posters would be happy if Arsenal lost 5 nil Sunday to Burnley- if it ushered in a proper manager next season…and some optimism..
Pedro
What’s the explanation special sauce Poch could not beat inept Emery home or away this year ? bid derby games, lots at stake…..
genuine question…
lol Un na naai ze delator, a reminder of the good old days…
CG –
No genuine Arsenal supporter would ever be happy watching us lose. Don’t lump me in with your embarrassing take. As bad as it was under Wenger for a decade, I never willed us to lose a single game.
Pochettino has mentioned that if he were to win the Champion’s league with Spurs, he may leave.
What would you choose
A) Pochettino to win the Champion’s league and then leaving them with no manager, no funding due to the stadium and a team that needs rebuilding
B) Pochettino to lose the final, but continue at the helm, keeping Spurs ahead of Arsenal for the foreseeable future.
As a new/infrequent poster here I tend to stay away from the controversy…but seriously lads, the Emery bashing is without basis He was a whisker from 3rd place and might yet take a European trophy in his first season, with piss all money. The squad is abysmal , I’d be happy to see the back of 7/8 players. He spend 65m but had to apportion that over a squad that was in dire need. Realistically 65m is what you need to sign 1 player who can really take you to the next level. Give him time. Serious cannot believe I’m… Read more »
CG I can mildly understand wanting us to lose for the benefit of the club in the long run. But a loss tonight does the exact opposite, we need to win the competition and get into the CL not only because the Europa is shite, but because we need the money and the better quality of players.
CG
No. That wouldn’t make anyone happy. I’m not emery’s biggest advocate but he’s our manager and we’ve got to support him and the team. That’s what being a supporter is. It’s bollocks to suggest otherwise. You re doing yourself no favours pursuing such nonsense either.
Jdavey
There is never an occasion to justify willing your own team to lose. Or rarely. If it prevents Chelsea from winning a title then it’s justified.
I stand by what I say.
Comprehensive defeats by Valencia and Burnley are more likely to usher in a more positive future. ( in the long term)
Because if we persist with these Spanish Clowns. Expect Banega. N,zonzi et al..
And more empty seats
And us ultimately falling further behind our domestic rivals.
Everton 1 Arsenal 0
Arsenal 2 Palace 3
Leicester 3 Arsenal 0
Wolves 3 Arsenal 0
Arsenal 1 Brighton 1.
“B) Pochettino to lose the final, but continue at the helm, keeping Spurs ahead of Arsenal for the foreseeable future.” Going by what happened this season and by league results i do not see how he “keeps spurs ahead of Arsenal for the foreseeable future We have been told we appointed an idiot as manger yet Pochettino couldn’t beat him over both legs and is just three points ahead of him in the league Factor in the fact they simply do not have that much funds to play around with, i don’t see how he keeps them ahead for the… Read more »