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!
Anonymous CommentatorFebruary 18, 2021 21:57:27
Winthrop
There is no way you’re about to defend that horror show from xhaka.
There’s just no way.
Ceballos was twice the player he was for that match and he got taken off when the win was still in sight
Ac
Tell me how xakha cost us that game. Go on. The pen that never was? The sitters our wonderful “captain” missed?
I’m Gary linekar. No I’m not pretending to invite a fake refugee into my house
I’m all ears
Xhaka made a lot of good tackles in fairness, but the play across the back was so slow. No pressure from Benfica, Xhaka had time to make forward passes, but kept going side to side
He has to start Laca against city
That Willian fetish came back for arteta, he was so close to not using him for a game I was gonna be so proud of him, but soon as ceballos is taken off and willian is on for odegaard you just know he’s playing for the draw.
Shit.
I should have said no…. instead of yes. 😂
If we were playing at home, we definitively would have won.
What a putrid game.
Can anyone please explain the game plan tonight. It was one pace square and back passing all night. Even then the passing was poor.
There was a complete lack of ambition tonight.
The GodfatherFebruary 18, 2021 21:55:47
What pictures does Chaka have off Arsenal coaches to keep getting time on the field.
He is a thorough scrub
Another one
How did xakha cost us victory tonight? Mommas boy
This is what happens when you start auba up too vs decent opposition
If Arteta knew he was going to doggedly persist with Willian, why not insist that Nelson go out on loan.
Those last 6 minutes could gave gone to the likes of Nelson.
I would rather our striker has the chance to miss than have zero opportunities as was the case earlier in the season.
All strikers miss chances , the fact Aubameyang had 3 one on one’s tells me that he did have the desire to keep making the runs to get behind the defence .
His finishing was just a bit off , that’s all.
I’d be more concerned at how we became sloppy in possession in the 2nd half, we would have been punished agaiinst a team like city if we kept giving the ball away like that.
Paddy+GoonerFebruary 18, 2021 21:59:56
Xhaka made a lot of good tackles in fairness, but the play across the back was so slow. No pressure from Benfica, Xhaka had time to make forward passes, but kept going side to side
Paddy
Instructions
Why do you think they keep picking him? He does what he’s told
E-Stroller.. I think we basically rolled the dice to try and win it first half.. Second half was a mess. And the last 10-15 mins I have no idea what that was all about.
Oh Pierre
You can do better than that. He is holding us back. We are much better across the board without him
@Winthorpe
Sorry I thought it was a penalty.
Never ever a penalty
Pierre
The chances missed is one thing, but the quality of the football played tonight was unacceptable..
Anonymous Commentator
I really think Willian has a clause where he has to play a number of games. I just hope it is only for this season.
Otherwise, yikes!!! We have another Ozil on our hands…. but worse!!! He has to play!!!!
4 shots on target for Benfica, only 2 for us
Can see us beating them well next week, but can’t see us winning the competition
I’m going to bed
Hopefully to have dreams of shaving Aubameyang’s head and clipping his donkey teeth
In fairness i only saw one angle replayed and to me it looked like a penalty. But even if it wasn’t, the fact was because we fucked around in our own box, conceding a soft fucking corner, which a minute or so later led to their penalty. How many times are we going get caught out, fucking about with the ball across our back four over and over again.
Isnt this two goalkeepers just that UEFA name whole squad as the bench!? Pretty sure its not Arteta saying put two goalkeepers on bench.
Paddy+GoonerFebruary 18, 2021 22:05:30
4 shots on target for Benfica, only 2 for us
Wonder why?
Tyag
What? What the fuck are you talking about? It’s a. Penalty because we fucked about in the box? It touches ESR’s chest/hip and then his side. He can’t do anything about that. It’s called ball to hand. Legit football rules. If you don’t understand that then let’s not talkS the game isn’t for you
Ball-to- hand
Winthrop Poor passing from xhaka. Too slow with this passes too. Passing across the penalty area, I know u12’s coaches that would be fuming seeing any of their players doing that. Sloppy tackles putting us under pressure. Getting skinned by taarabt regularly, so lucky that he was taken off. I never said that xhaka cost us the win, that one sits firmly with arteta and his indecision when it comes to making subs at the right time. But there is no way I’m going to just ignore Xhaka stinking up our possession and defence. Did we win? You’re ready to… Read more »
Stroller
“The chances missed is one thing, but the quality of the football played tonight was unacceptable..”
I thought in spells we played some good football, if Aubameyang had his shooting boots on we would have won by a couple and fans would be eulogising a out our quality football..
To be honest , our worst spell was when smith rowe ansd Aubameyang went off and we had no one making clever runs off the ball or in behind the defence.
We are missing leaders on the pitch. Auba as captain isn’t it. Bellerin isn’t the player he was, defo not Xhaka or any of the midfield tonight. Luiz? Holding? Tierney maybe, but has to stay fit. Don’t know enough about Partey yet to know if he is captain/leader material. We don’t have anyone to grab the game and the players around him.
Xhaka is a 5 out of 10 player.
Much like the ‘vastly improved’ Elneny.
Nowhere near the required standard for any top club. Mid table players.
@Winthorpe
If we hadn’t conceded the corner the penalty would never have come about. As for ball to hand, or it hit his hip, I said from the angle I saw the replay at it looked like it hit his hand. So yes, even if it shouldn’t of been a penalty, it’s our fault for giving them the chance to attack us by conceding a soft corner when we should of just cleared our lines
Ac
Fair enough man
I’m too tired to unpick it
Arteta clearly instructs this boring back passing football
But he doesn’t ask auba to miss sitters or miscontrol easy passes that fat cunts on hackney marshes can control
I can’t wait til he’s gone
We finally get rid of ozil and now we have auba and Willian
One step forward, two steps back
Arteta’s @“safety first” football from November/December 2920 is back.
Players -including ESR- instructed to pass back and slow things down.
Footballers playing as if they’ve had a couple of strong sleeping pills.
If it continues it’s gonna cost Arteta his job.
Windthorpe
Return leg , at least 2 goals for Aubameyang….guaranteed.
Their high line defence is there for the taking.
Xhaka is far far to slow for the premier league. He’d probably be alright in the Italian league where the tempo is slower.
Auba should have taken his chances but Arsenal playing as if we were already 2-0 up!
Winthorpe
You need to check the rules, only Keepers are allowed to handle in the penalty box,
@Blackstock
Did you see it as a penalty?
Have to say, Saka looked tired this evening
Pierre
I’d love to know where you get your information from..
Pierre
You must have been watching a different game to me if you thought we played some good football.
It was one paced, constant back and square passing and far too many misdirected passes.
Oh well, a draw, but at least Rangers won.
Benfica were very poor today and we should have put them to the sword.
That’s why I have my reservations about us winning next week. They were this bad and we still didn’t beat them in a neutral ground.
Tyag
What are you talking about? It either got his hand or it didnt? If it didn’t then it’s not a penalty? Blame Aubameyang
Blame Arteta
Don’t even try to blame xakha
@Emiratesstroller
Agree it was very poor tonight. Painfully slow.
He thought he was Leno.
Oh my fucking god what a load of bolllocks, Arteta hasn’t got a clue about in game management, sack him now
Willian. Every one I spoke to said he was a great player to get, but I was thinking wtf. Why? We didn’t need anyonrs else in that position. And 3 year contract ffs. Auba, on the other hand, was totally understandable. He was on great form, and had always scored. No one could have predicted its firm this year.
We had all the intensity of a slug that had just smoked some weed
@Winthorpe
I don’t blame Xhaka, wasn’t his fault we conceded a corner it was ESR trying to be clever. As for xhaka, he done a few good things tonight, like that sliding tackle in the box, but he did also play a few poor passes tonight
BlackStockFebruary 18, 2021 22:17:53
WinthorpeYou need to check the rules, only Keepers are allowed to handle in the penalty box,
Another one who’s never heard of ball to hand
Learn the rules of the English game before you attempt to comment on it
Stupid predictive text
Peno was very soft, but his hand was in an ‘unnatural’ position
Whenever you raise your arm ,even to protect your face ,you give refs a decision to make.
Soft pen but he should’ve known better. Anyone who plays with socks down should be able to take a facial no problem.
Willian needs to play as often as possible so when in three years time Arsenal are in CL final, he’ll be ready to do his part…………..whether that might be.
The last 15 minutes were curious. Both teams sitting back playing for a draw. We clearly have a slight advantage with the away goal.
It reminded me a bit of that Austria v West Germany (as was) game at the 78(?) wc where both teams needed a point to qualify at the expense of Algeria.
passing was awry throughout but I think we’ll have enough for them next week providing there’s not a confidence sapping setback on Sunday.
@Winthorpe
Ok, was Saka’s penalty a penalty at the weekend?
Saka was two yards offside for his goal.
Confidence sapping setback? Against City? Ha! Not a chance. Arteta will teach Pep a lesson
Saka was level
TomFebruary 18, 2021 22:23:24 Whenever you raise your arm ,even to protect your face ,you give refs a decision to make. Soft pen but he should’ve known better. Anyone who plays with socks down should be able to take a facial no problem. Tom No No No No If it hits your chest/hip/side then it shouldn’t matter wether or not your arms are raised They didn’t even analyse it at half time. They just accept the corruption. When do you ever see this shot go for an English team? Have any of you ever played football? Do you understand the… Read more »
Blackstock
Give it up ….at your age you should at least know the offside rule.
Thank you and goodnightFebruary 18, 2021 22:25:44
@WinthorpeOk, was Saka’s penalty a penalty at the weekend?
I’d not have given either no. Being honest
Think I agree with Winthorpe re the penalty. Arsenal wouldn’t get that, but united or pool would
But we aren’t talking contact, which is a whole other conversation I can’t even be bothered with. We are talking a penalty for a ball hitting a players body
@Winthorpe
Corruption? Seriously, come on now.
Tyag
This ref is known for it
That was really painful to watch
We were so slow playing it out the back
Like watching paint dry
What’s Lacazette + Holding done to find themselves on the naughty step?
How is someone so incompetent continually allowed to decide such important sporting events? He’s the mr bean of the sporting world. How is he taken seriously? Is it filling quotas? What is it? Why is this not questioned? Why are our own fans defending this travesty of a decision?
@Winthorpe Well their you go then, I thought it was a penalty, and the replays sky showed close up, you can see Saka was clipped. But the angle the ref was shown by var was from a distance where you couldn’t see the clip so ref (wrongly) didn’t give it. Now it’s same thing for me tonight, the stream I was watching only showed one replay, and from the angle it showed it, it looked like it his hand as you couldn’t see it hit his hip first. That’s why it looked like it was a penalty to me, I… Read more »
@Anonymous
He put Willian on again.
He has 2 gk’s on the bench.
Took ceballos off instead of xhaka.
Cedric came off instead of bellerin.
Waited too long for subs.
Exactly what I said to my mate. Also if we were 2 or 3 up , you would have seen Willian a lot earlier.. Subs made so late in the game, doesn’t he realise he can affect the match with subs?
Why Auba tried to use his left foot instead of his right, is why he missed that sitter. Needs to just keep it simple. Really poor miss!
Kroenkephobe
It was 82 WC and I think Germany needed to win for both to qualify leaving Algeria out.
None the less it was a disgrace but it was FIFA’s fault for not having the last group matches played simultaneously.
We created 5 or 6 CLEAR CUT chances , so obviously we must have done something right. The miss by Aubameyang first half from a cracking move involving bellerin and Ceballos. A miss by Ceballos in the first half right in front of goal from Odegaard pass , superb intricate football. Our goal…a superb ozilesque ball from Odegaard to cedric for a saka tap in …superb football. 2nd half . .slide rule pass for Aubameyang to shave the post with a shot. 2nd half ball behind the defence for Aubameyang who failed to get his shot away . Not bad… Read more »
What’s Lacazette + Holding done to find themselves on the naughty step? Rich Spot on And Pepe All very good for weeks and this Lego haired Momg just comes out with this?? I called it before the game Auba was gonna have a stinker Go back Read my comments. Either one of ESR or Saka neeeded resting too Lacazette Pepe and holding should have started I’m sick of Arteta Pedro thinks he’s cleaver. He’s not. Delusions of grandeur Arteta is psychologically impaired. He can be the rain man of tactics til the cows come home and hell freezes over. His… Read more »
willian must have a clause in his contract that he plays every game.
i don’t understand what he was going to add to our play this game, even in theory.
at least elneny, in theory, is going to make us more defensively solid.
putting on lacazette instead of willian would have been more ambitious no? martinelli and laca full of energy in the final minutes of the game? that’s dangerous for the opposition.
Tyag
Sorry man. I don’t follow. It wasn’t a penalty tonight. And quite frankly neither of sakas appeals at the weekend were penalties for me either. But at least I’m consistent. These refs aren’t. They will give shit decisions agaisnt us time and time and time again
They need to be intimated
That’s how chelsea and United did it and it worked
I think arteta’s football is to slow, we do the same things over and over again. There’s no zip, no mixing things up, we’re to easy to play against.
@Winthorpe
I agree with you in regards to English refs being biased against us. But I wouldn’t say foreign refs are towards as us a rule.
I like the formation. But the team is not fresh. Some passes were late for a second or two resulting in offside. For the other cases, Auba missed the net or tried to stop the ball instead of shooting. I also find Saka plays better with ESR closer to him. We can’t keep playing Saka and ESR every game. They need a rest to recharge. They didn’t look sharp today.
we should have 2 attacking units now.
auba
pepe – esr – saka
vs
laca
martinelli – odegaard – nelson
but of course nelson can’t get any minutes at all cause willian has naughty pictures of arteta or soemthing.
@Anonymous
I’d play odegaard in as many games as we can, he looks so composed on the ball and has a great first touch
Watched the game on catch up which was a blessing because I could watch most of it in fast forward. What an utterly dire game of football. So often our default is to look to pass the ball backwards.
Good to see Aubamayang back to his normal self…
Tyag
Look at how many unfair decisions are given agaisnt English clubs in crucial European ties as well as national tournaments I’ve watched it happen over 3 decades
This isn’t a blip
There was a moment in the game where tierney played a bad pass to Martinelli, he didn’t look pleased Martinelli. I think he’s fed up with not getting many minutes under Arteta. I don’t think he’s happy
Windeepthroat: STFU you gas bag!
@Winthorpe
Yeah you could be right about that. I do think they don’t like the English much. Especially in international tournaments, they can’t wait to get rid of English team and fans. Which is a bit unfair as their are some fans of international teams that make our fans look like girl guides
The GodfatherFebruary 18, 2021 22:53:57
Windeepthroat: STFU you gas bag!
What? 😂
tyag the odegaard thing is difficult because we should be considering the chemistry between saka and esr. i trust odegaard’s ability to unlock that second attacking unit because he has weapons around him in the form of martinelli and laca, and the boy is quality. we have a chance to finally have 2 functional attacking unit’s with him in the squad and we can rotate seemlessly. perhaps some games odegaard starts instead of esr and they rotate like that. i just have an impression that we can have 2 very dangerous attacking units with a rotation plan that involves playing… Read more »
Tyag
The fans are a different argument
I’m taking about corruption. These decisions are so common place they aren’t even questioned by commentary any more
It’s just accepted
I actually miss keys and gray
They told it how it was
To be fair how can we ask officials not to be corrupt or cheat when players do it all the time. What’s the difference in a player diving to win a free kick or penalty? Personally I think it’s just as disgusting as a bent ref. You go watch any age group at football nowadays and they are all diving about screaming as if they’ve been shot. It’s just wrong. Fuck me when I was growing up we didn’t even wear shin pads ffs. And we never rolled about on the floor like today’s kids.
Who amongst us remembers the bucket and sponge that cured all problems lol
the rule makers of the game are secretly encouraging divers, and so we get the likes of mo salah looking like he’s been shot any time he can make his leg contact an opposition player.
utter bizarrity that he gets those calls and people expect the integrity of the game to be maintained.
@Anonymous Commander
Exactly. Spot on. Salah , Fernandes etc
AC “but i expect arteta to stick with esr out wide and odegaard as the 10 cause he’s proven to be a manager that doesn’t like switching things up if they worked on an occasion.” True It’s a bit of a conundrum for Arteta . Odegaard is obviously a quality player but smith Rowe’s game suits the CAM role, plus he has a superb on field relationship with Saka, they have a telepathy in their play together that is a rare commodity. I’d like to see saka esr and Odegaard alternate positions during a game . I’m sure they are… Read more »
We were bad
Benfica were worse. Not worried about next leg but shit if all our starting xi are fit we do stand a chance against most of these sides
Diappointing result,but we dont yet know this is going to turn out,e may trounce Benfica in the return or end up blaming tonights misses. I really dont get Arteta’s thinkings-surely Auba looked tired,because he played a high octane game against Leeds. Surely,the smart coach will let him get his hattrick and sub him off,how much better can it get for him after that,it saves him for tonight,gives valuable minutes to whoever comes on and prevents the possibility of an injury. I cant understand the timid backwards and square passing,I did enjoy Cedric telling Gabriel to clear his lines. Hopefully come… Read more »
I agree with Pierre @ 22:36
We made some very good attacking moves, in particular that counter from the back (in the 1st half) where we went straight to their box but Cedric made a horrendous cross and messed up the move.
We ended up on a draw, but it was at their home, which gives us an edge (small I admit, but better than nothing.
First time poster
A tough game to watch no doubt, but was MA playing it safe before the weekend? A loss here and the City game is a foregone conclusion – a win and we get over confident. We’ve got a mountain to climb this weekend, but City know nothing new about us following this game. Could MA have something up his sleeve taking Aubameyang off and not playing Lacazette?
AC
“we should have 2 attacking units now.
auba
pepe – esr – saka
vs
laca
martinelli – odegaard – nelson/Willian”
_____________________________________________________
I would switch up Aubc and Laca. The Saka/ESR attack is based on combination play and Saka’s ball carrying skill. Laca can enhanch this combination.
Auba’s game is waiting for services. Ødegaard’s through ball is ideal for that. I wouldn’t mind find out how Willian plays next to Ødegaard. If he still can’t produce anything, then he is really good for nothing.
It is also preferable to play ESR the ACM position than the LW position. As a LW, he’ll have to defend a cross. You don’t raise your hand to defend a cross….
I wonder whether our Iron man, Xhaka will feature this Sunday. I don’t think he is tired at all. Ceballos was doing all the running for him.
i understand switching auba and laca, i’m just skeptical of the collective technical ability in the second unit with him as a part of it so i would put laca there as some technical insurance.
i would say, for big games, that the attacking unit from the last 2 games should be played, unless auba’s hat-trick was a false dawn, in which case start laca instead.
i really hate being so dependent on player form instead of player quality but this is where we are right now.
Xhaka won’t be tired
You can criticize him a thousand times over but there’s not a footballer alive who can be available for every match like he is lol