Well hello my darlings, are we ready for some Arsenal goodness? I think we are.
The BIG night is finally here. I can hear the famous tune. Eurooooooopa da dah da da daaahhhhh!
The main meal has arrived piping hot after the Champions League starters. Unai Emery back on the couch with his comfort blanket. Mikel Arteta is out to avenge the competition that gave him the covid. OGS and Brenda ready to rep the Premier League. Antonio Conte’s stunning syrup back in the spotlight.
Arsenal needs a win tonight. Italy is the away leg for us. We need to score. We need a clean sheet. We need to impose ourselves on this competition like a VAR ref imposes on an Arsenal decision. Ruthless, standout, and maybe even a little unfair.
It sounds like we’ll see a pretty strong team. This is an extremely important backdoor to the Champions League. We can’t afford to go light in the name of rotation. It’s a cup run until the end of the season in all competitions.
Our big fear? Mikel pumping Willian in the media.
“What he is doing, the way he is training, the way he is working and the way he is pushing to give everything at the team, is what I demand. Whether he is more or less successful in the game is another matter. It will come, with the quality he has.”
My word nothing would stink out the pregame discourse worse than Arteta rehabbing Willian over Martinelli or Pepe.
He’s gonna do it though, isn’t he?
Let’s live in a dream world for a minute. A world that was focused on the future.
Wouldn’t it be nice to see Gabriel through the middle? Leading the line? Terrifying Benfica with his dogged pressing? I’d like that.
Imagine this. Arteta gives with Gabriel but takes with Willian. Betting that perhaps, Gabi joy will drown out Willian misery? Imagine if Willian scores… the joy of a goal, coupled with knowing that’ll secure him a 10 game run in the league.
Oh man, I am really not looking forward to seeing him on the team sheet.
Things I am hoping for.
- Minutes for Balogun
- Odegaard continuing to feel his way into the squad
- Return of Pablo Mari or Cal Chambers
- A continuation of our exciting performances in the league.
Just gonna leave a short one today because typing is real tough right now… before you leave, check out my first appearance with the guys from the Touchy Gooners Podcast. I am a big fan of their work, you should subscribe, and make sure you watch the below.
COME ON YOU GOONERS!
Trophy
2nd
Third
Arsenal
We’re winning tonight with sexy football on display
Where is everyone
There is no big tune for Thursday night Pedro …except of course we get to win it. We definitely need to impose ourselves like Riley and gang imposes penalties against us.
I’m willing to wager Willian scores a hatrick with two assits to boot. You no nothings have no idea that we get the Brazilian Mbappe in training then Spongebob squarepants on match day.
Ok. It’s an ARSENAL win for me
Le sauce is so desperate
If Willian doesn’t play them we’re in with a chance.
Good work as always Pedro …hopefully the boys give us something to cheer about tonight and look forward to Sunday
Comment by Chi gleefully ignored ..lol
Looking forward to the game.
Hope we stay clear of injuries and the boys enjoy themselves. Will be good to see some of the fringe players who helped us storm the group stage with our 100% record.
Question – is the away goal rule still gonna be in effect for this tie? And if so, why? I don’t like the rule at the best of times but surely it can’t be justified when both teams are away for both legs!
Pedro
Man up and stop bring a cry baby about a little cut on the finger.
You’ve gone soft since you traded Peroni for Oat Milk.
I’d play Holding and Mari at the back, and a front 4 of Pepe, Odegaard, Martinelli and Balogun up top
Wanna see pepe.
Not Willian.
DM
“Question – is the away goal rule still gonna be in effect for this tie? And if so, why? I don’t like the rule at the best of times but surely it can’t be justified when both teams are away for both legs!”
Yes it is. Daft but so too is making us travel all over Europe to Italy & Greece during a Pandemic.
AFC Forever
Thanks, yeah I just looked it up before you’d answered. Really don’t get how they can possibly justify keeping away goals rule with no home team and no fans! What’s the bet we go out on away goals again
We have to take the competition seriously, no fringe players like he did against Southampton in the FA Cup. We have a chance, yes there are good teams left in it but on our day we are a good match for most if the teams still left in it. We’ll lose to city anyway on Sunday so put out as strong enough team as we can get out there. Benfica aren’t hat they used to be but they’ll be quite dangerous. I want us to win the Europa league, that’ll more than make up for the poor season we’re having… Read more »
DM
I beleive they wanted to keep it the same as every game and not mess with the format. You would think that as we are in a pandemic they would decide not to send all the players and the support staff all over bloody Europe! Common sense would have been a winner take all one-off game. What’s even more annoying is we’ve got all this travelling and zero recovery with Man City & Leicester waiting.
Look on the bright side, no PGMOL Northern Town assassins to contend with!
Pedro out for 3 weeks out from blogging, with an alleged paper cut on his pinky
Really it’s wankers cramp, paper cut on his pinky was the best he could come up with in the moment
Now all the other bloggers laugh at him, and have nicknamed him Sick-Note
With the away goals rule, it would be a good idea to bang a couple in tonight. It will also be another chance for Odegaard to get minutes, looking forward to him getting up to speed. Let’s hope Otamendi & Vertonghden dont leave their foot in, certainly don’t want any more unfortunate injuries.
Who does Benfica have these days that could cause us problems? I know little to nothing re. their squad.
We should win this if we’ve got our shooting boots on.
Willian has been underperforming though – I agree with Arteta that there’s a better player in there, but how long do you keep trying to make it work though?
Right ladies and gents enjoy the game. The trolls will be out soon as it’s matchday so I’ll give it a swerve tonight. Let’s hope the good guys put in a performance and continue our fine Europa League form. No injuries please and let’s hope the Turkish referee isn’t friends with Mesut. Enjoy.
Unchanged from Leeds
Didn’t see that coming….
Trying to blow them away tonight, then rest a few in the second leg?
Strong team tonight.
Same team as Sunday
Same team as Leeds….hmmm.
Odd choice that.
🧐🧐🧐
Torres -Eusebio -Simoes start for Benfica.
Tin hat time 😊
Why must this Short man always play Xhaka?
Arc forever
Lol yeh remember that chant.. was only 14
Gonna break some of these youngsters.
Doubt it’ll change much v city.
Adel Taraabt. Goodness me. Wheres he been?
Loool I remember him turning koscienly out that one time.
Leno; Bellerin, Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney; Ceballos, Xhaka; Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe
, Auba
Sup Ladies? Big European night.. Think the Europa is our path to getting some joy from this season. It will be difficult but we can do it.
Strong Lineup..
Most of the bigger Clubs winning today… so need to follow suit. Leicester the only one struggling today.
Unchanged from the weekend, quite surprised at that. Take it we’ll change up for City, Europa League our priority.
Yep.. it has to be.. really.
Hopefully Luiz sees this as an audition for his Benfica pre-retirement package and leaves the clown show antics aside tonight.
I am surprised Pepe didn’t get a little time given his Europa League form. But Saka has been on such a roll.
Leverkusen coming back from 3 goals down.. that is some game..
Apart from Luiz, I’m pleased about tonights team. Lets aim to win the Europa Cup – another trophy more than Spurs and ticket to CL. Just hope Willian doesn’t play. That is a sackable offence
Aretha’s got no excuses not to get into the latter stages of this competition. The two previous managers before him did and without having a year to practise.
Sociedad totally played into ManUre’s hands with their high line. Weird way to approach manure especially you’ve got veterans in your side.
*Arteta
Always thought Young Boys should be a Jamaican Club name… Swiss aren’t very rasta.
Arteta is totally wedded to think Willian can succeed. He really can’t see that Willian doesn’t care.
I think William is taking Arteta for a ride. I wonder at what point MA will realise this?
Tierney not starting. I can only assume he’s still not fully fit despite being on the bench. Arteta clearly feels he cannot handle 90 minutes. Cedric being right footed can be a problem in certain situations. But he’s always committed.
Very attacking team tonight. Expect play to go end to end. Not sure that will suit us tbh.
So no reward for balogun for scoring in the group stages
Poor management
Him off
So no reward for balogun for scoring in the group stages
Poor management
Well see how this turn out
Him off
TheLegendaryDB10
A manager saying something nice about his player in public, and somebody he still has to work with, shouldn’t come as a surprise
Willian hasn’t started a league game since the 2-1 loss the Everton on the 19th of December though
He started both the FA cup games, but got hauled off after 66 minutes against Newcastle in the 3rd round
Arteta’s faith in Willian doesn’t seem as strong as you seem to think it is…..
Oooooooo
He’s not starting Holding, Pepe and laca? Interesting
I did say I hoped he played his strongest team. Not sure omitting those 3 is our strongest
I hope it works
Doesn’t bode well for Pepe
It’s a fucking shame how he’s treating that lad but if we win I won’t complain.
Ok, I will. I think Pepe needs to play
Oh spurs nick a 4th
Home and dry
Surprise that Leicester City has so much problem scoring against Slavia Prague.
Rich
I hope you are right.
I just find it silly that he is desperate for Willian to succeed instead on focusing on players that could have a future with us, like Pepe or Martinelli.
Do it for my acca Leicester… Just you now
Milan concede lol
Good line-up by Arteta.
Let’s see what this team can do with a game where there is a considerable stake in play!!
You picked Benda in your Acc.. ? that’s on you man.. hahaha
That too against 10.men
Brenda even
If we went by evidence Willian shouldn’t be making the matchday squads let alone coming on as sub.
Ac Milan choked it … in last second.
Suffice to say we now stand no chance against city on Sunday. Is there any reason why laca is being frozen out? Pepe, martinelli???
Lol was waiting for Leicester to score and Milan go and basically scatter everything
Going for Arsenal, Napoli, Ajax and Rangers wins
Sorry Bat… tough luck. Lot of goals today.. usually first leg of ties are a bit more defensive.
First time since September 2018 that we have named an unchanged team
Same team as Leeds, let’s hope for consistency.
Luiz is the captain….
Well here we go… Come on boys.!!
Time to beat Jesus.
Come on The Arsenal!!!!!!!
Same line up as the last match. We’re definitely going for the 3 points
If taarabt does a worldy I will be miffed.
Not gonna lie I wanted us to sign him last season cause he had been adapted into a DM and was knocking off the highlight reels.
Next, Willian will be our captain.
Jesus, did the announcer just say that it’s the first time since 2018 we’ve named the same team in consecutive matches?
Talk about consistency and building a rhythm up. No way that can be done chopping and changing that much.
Two times, Auba was too lazy to come back.
Offside linesman is flag happy.
I cannot stand this bird commentating
She’s awful
We look like we want it. I like that.
Winthorpe-
I want to go out to my shop and bandsaw my ears off every time she talks. So monotonous and obvious at all times.
The crossing from our fullbacks are awful. Do they train?
Twice now Bellerin has missed the pass to Odegaard
Excellent build up from the back. I was shouting to clear It, but, wow!! Nicely done.
Wish odegaard chose a different option on that break.
we’re looking up for it just have to guard from complacency in defense.
Worst case scenario we draw this game, can’t see us losing this leg.
Shame we couldn’t score with that build up.
“I was shouting to clear It, but, wow!! Nicely done.”
Must be because no one shouted “away.”
We have a different commentator here.. not sure who it is. Just the one dude though.
Vertonghen been sitting on Saka…. think Saka will get round him one of these times.
Miss of the season…….
Auba!!!! WTF
My gran could’ve scored that !!
Wow what miss
Kris, Zimmie
It’s not even diverse. She’s white. And shit.
Typical auba
When the pressure is on he shits his pants
Ohh man….. tap in wasn’t it?
How did he miss that?