Right, we are out of Carabao Cup and FA Cup, but not everything is lost. We are 11 points clear of Man City in Premier League and we can take that lead to 12 points if we beat Bournemouth today. City do have 2 games in hand, but if they win both, we will still have a 6 point lead with only 6 games left for the season. In Champions League, we have a 1-0 advantage against Sporting and the second leg is at home. If we managed to get at least a draw, we will be playing Atletico (most likely) in the semi finals. I would rather play Atletico than Flick’s Barcelona.
The chance of lifting a trophy is still a possibility. And a win today will improve that possibility even more. Bournemouth are sitting in the bottom half of the table, and I hope we don’t shoot ourselves in the foot today.
Playing XI is out and I still don’t understand what has gotten into Arteta’s mind.
Why is Martinelli in the playing XI when you have Hincapie available. It’s not the time to be concerned about the injuries, because a loss in any of the games could mean a title. I’m OK with rest of the selection, Eze could have played ahead of Havertz but I’m not sure how much of his fitness is back.
I don’t understand the fact that we spend more than 250m on midfielders (Rice, Zubimendi, Norgaard, Havertz, Odegaard) and yet, we always have 2 DM-profile players and an option to choose from a non-performing Odegaard with a out-of-form Havertz. Anyway, that shouldn’t be a problem for a team sitting on 1st, playing against a bottom half team I suppose.
We need to win today. Man City has to visit Chelsea tomorrow and though I don’t have much confidence in Chelsea beating them, anything can happen. In last 3 seasons, we have always been the favorites going into last 7-8 games but have given it away. There are 7 games left, and 7 test of whether we have learned something over the years.
Right, game starts in an hour. See ya.
TH14 discussed on Paramount+ Arteta’s comment on fear and fire. He said “I didn’t see this today, but I want to see it at the Etihad on Sunday”.
Sunday it will be all over but the crying to quote a famous C & W song.
How sad that no one has a decent word to say about a very professional performance from the Arsenal that confirms our position as a top 4 side in Europe.
The ignorance displayed on here is difficult to comprehend, it was a game very similar to our league cup semi in which we had a one goal lead in both first legs but the opposition failed to impress as we dominated the game the more the game went on .
For the last half hour we were in total control, Havertz came on for gyokeres and he immediately linked the play , in fact all the substitutes were very influential in seeing us through to the semi final.
Dowman put in a mature display as he kept it simple after it was obvious that there would be little protection from the ref, it would have been very easy for Dowmam to try and over impress , I’m sure Arteta would have been impressed with the way Dowman did what the game needed .
Back to back UCL semis. Tets is making history. Great result that will please Arsenal fans everywhere.
I don’t think anyone expected to enjoy the game as a spectacle. The people around me, while frustrated at the overall lack of spark accepted the reality. There’s one job to do and we did that.
Sporting didn’t really threaten, the stats showed we were able to keep them at bay and that’s really all we needed to do.
Good warm up for Sunday. The title’s still ours to lose.
A really interesting tie with Athletico. Unlike the other two semi finalists, I think we match them player for player. Bayern or PSG will be a different test altogether should we get through.
While we were fairly drab it was encouraging to see Noni and Eze have a go a few times at least. The low risk, safety first is a rubbish watch but I don’t think we were full handbrake.
I haven’t read the comments here yet but I imagine a few commenters here are unhappy to see us in the Semis again. Or perhaps happy that Sporting were happy to achieve a draw.
I’m feeling positive after reaching the last four again. Not many managers have done that, I hope we can all share the positivity.
Some people seem a little over excited by the fact we’ve bought players over the last 6 years under Tets.
Be it a billion, 750 million or whatever figure we obsess over, the fact remains, we’re better now than we were before we spent that money and not spending money the previous 10 years put us in the doldrums and was never practical
As to whether spending a specific amount should mean winning a UCL, that’s basic level thinking as teams such as Chelsea, PSG, ManC and ManU will testify.
Another Champs League Semi, a title challenge on with 6 games to go, reasons to be cheerful.
15 attempted shots with 1 on goal and an xG of 0.64 a totally embarrassing performance and we will get slaughtered at the Etihad this Sunday with that kind of attack. Also knowing that Arteta will play for a nil – nil draw will make it even more unprofessional. We need a new manager ASAP!!!
Alvarez & Griezmann are in form and of the 4 teams left in the CL Arsenal has the worst attack which has pained many of us to watch this shit show for the past 6 years.
People on here glazing managers of state funded teams is a really embarrassing look.
Pep just splashed £20m on a new defender with a few months on his contract and striker for £60m because the one he bought for £60m last Jan wasn’t delivering. That and buying back a keeper they sold for £31m and then buying another one a month later after the £31m one flunked v Spuds.
All that with a wage bill that dwarfs all others. As he’s only been to UCL semis three times with City perhaps take a step back. Luis Enrique has been to four semis as manager of Barca and a petrol club. Semis aren’t trophies but let’s not be so quick to belittle the manager of the team you support for doing it in consecutive seasons. It’s not an easy thing to do.
You wail about Tets spending money and in the same breath, tug your forelocks, and yourselves off, over managers who spend without consequence. Truly pathetic.
Killjoy, I’ve enjoyed the ride. Sorry if title challenges, being a feature in the UCL upsets you.
I’m not one to mood police but I’d like to imagine embarrassment is the last emotion you need to feel at reaching a second consecutive UCL semi.
Granted the stats or the attacking output don’t spark joy but I prefer winning games to losing games and we’re better at that now than we have been in the last 20 years.
Look at it this way, Killjoy it won’t be a shit attack that gets us slaughtered. As long as we can defend like we’re good at doing the title stays in our hands.
If we pop a fluke off a set piece, even better. Don’t tell me you’re one of those “cheer for the oppo because the manager took your last rolo” types.
If we win or even draw at the Emptyhad Fart Fraud will be the only one crying. The rest of us will go to work, our 5 sides, the pub, with a spring in our steps and our hat placed at a jaunty angle.
I would simply say this, context matters…although our shit for brains interlopers take a different approach in their respective defence of our manager, in the end, neither provide a compelling case…on the one hand, you have Pricksy, the tin foil hat wearing, excuse-laden fucktard, who would have you believe that it’s us against the world each and every time out and that the football has never been played at a higher level, which couldn’t be further from the truth…so it’s easy to call bullshit on his rinse and repeat nonsense
on the other hand, you have Achoo, who’s determined to convince anyone who will listen that Arteta is the second comng of George Graham and that even Wenger couldn’t find a way to replicate his glory days once the ribbon was cut, so employing our current hook or by crook methodology was both well-considered and logically conceived…problem is no one wants to see us duplicate the GG years, as the game has changed quite drastically since then, most notably from an officating standpoint…so any attempt to go down that same path in an era where the rules tend to favour those with the ball at their feet seems incredibly daft, unless you don’t have the financial wherewithal to compete…speaking of which, whether you believe Wenger would have spent if the money was available or the monies were there and he simply chose not to spend for egotistical/selfish reasons, that isn’t the case nowadays, so any comparison would be an apple to oranges one
it’s quite apparent that our mental midget of a manager tried to go man o mano for a couple seasons only to come to the realization that he wasn’t up to the task…so he went into the lab with every football-hating analytics fuck we employ, who btw replaced our once revered scouting division, and had them devise a plan with no regards whatsoever for the respective skillsets of the players or the fans, who’ve been paying some of the highest ticket prices in the world under the guise that our collective investments would see us compete in every way with the best sides in Europe…yet instead of chasing greatness, by adding the kinds of players who could shrink the gap, MA chose to adopt an approach that preyed on the loopholes/flaws of the modern game
so whereas I’m happy for the players, especially those who’ve had to endure the overcompensating antics of our insufferable prick of a manager, from a team eye test standpoint this brand of football sucks balls…so while all you Kool-Aiders are enjoying your managerial circle jerk after squeezing out a 1-0 two-legged victory over an average side, who btw were smoked by Bodo at home, I’ll keep my dick in my pants until this manager provides us with something more than the functional equivalent of bras in an old timey Littlewoods catalogue…just let me know when the pasties come off and MA’s not the only pussy in the room
TRVL
Thanks for that Master Piece describing most accurately the War & Peace mongers aka Kool Aid Kids.
I have watched 3 different shows covering the CL quarter finals ESPN-FC, Paramount+ (with Titi) and BBC’s MOTD (with Julien Laurens, Stephen Warnock and Nedum Onuoha). In all three shows the assessment of Arsenal’s game today as well as their chances to progress was negative. On MOTD they played a clip from Arteta’s presser where he complained about the media coverage because it sounded like Arsenal being in the bottom 3 of the table.
All agreed the players are fearful and none have showed the fire except 1, Arteta on the sidelines with his sickening antics. I maintain that after City played Burnley they will be top of the table as none of the pundits can see a positive result on Sunday at the Etihad after today’s performance.
Vera
“, who would have you believe that it’s us against the world each and every time out and that the football has never been played at a higher level, which couldn’t be further from the truth…”
What couldn’t be further from the truth is the above comment , it’s never a good look if you have to resort to complete fabrication to try and make a point.
Put it this way, offensively I doubt we will ever be a free flowing attacking side with Gyokeres leading the line.
Yes I am thankful that he has 17 goals this season but as I have said all season there is very little I admire about his game and for me he is the main reason why the attack has looked so predictable.
I have no qualms about criticising the manager or players if deserved but I thought last night Arteta got it right, he brought in mosquera and hincape who are proper defenders and our defence gave sporting next to nothing though Raya needs to sharpen up on his distribution .
It will be a brave call for Arteta to bench Gyokeres but we really do need a striker who can control the ball , find space, hold the ball up, link the play and compete in the air.
Will Arteta give Havertz a run up top as he showed last night that at least he can bring others into play.
.
Vera
“speaking of which, whether you believe Wenger would have spent if the money was available or the monies were there and he simply chose not to spend for egotistical/selfish reasons, ”
The fact that wenger bought the likes of Reyes, Kanu and wiltord when he already had Henry , Bergkamp and Pires is an Indication that he wasn’t afraid to spend money.
You really need to use your brain before spewing out such drivel, why anyone would think that a manager would refuse to spend available funds to improve the squad whilst at the same time lose his best players to rivals for ” egotistical/selfish reasons” is a very dumb argument to make, but coming from you I suppose it is to be expected..
Just think, the season is nearing it’s end and you and your cronies on here will be desperate for Arteta to fail , not that I would call being the 2nd best team in the country and top 4 in Europe as a failure, and what you’ll see is all the entitled fans coming out of the woodwork calling for Arteta’s head, the only way he leaves is if he walks as the owners are not stupid enough to sack a manager who has the club continually fighting for the top honours..
Bayern Munich and Real Madrid playing a different sport again, like in the first leg.
As were PSG.
We could have been up there with them and maybe even better but when you have so many gutless slags as supporters, who rate this cunt and have no standards, principles and ambition you have no fucking chance and they only deserve the crumbs of success they get.
And only this moronic cunt could turn our CL games into the equivalent of the Europa Conference.
TV companies must dread this cunt
Squeaky Vera, you may not like the plan and Arteta’s style but it’s got us top of the league and semis of UCL twice in a row.
Nobody called him second coming of GG, that’s you, again, getting upset over stuff you made up.
However, like GG after we were ripped v Benfica, Tets has devised a plan that seems effective in Europe. Bodo beat sporting and a few other good teams, don’t be so quick to dismiss our achievement because Sporting lost to another team once.
If like Fart Fraud you’re going to let yourself get angry every time the team we support wins, you’re going to upset yourself a lot. Unnecessarily.
The luck of the draw meant that one of the top 4 teams was beaten by another top 4 team. Two of the 4 top teams (possibly the top 2) meet in the the semi’s – but that is again the luck of the draw for the other two semi finalists.
NORG
This cunt had the easiest FA cup draw against Southampton and he still fucked it up.
He had Bournemouth at home , last weekend to go 12 points clear.
We will still have the same slags on here, making excuses for him.
Real Madrid sacked Alonso , because his style was not good enough.
Thats why they have won the Champions League 15 times and their supporters get to watch Mbappe every fucking week and we get that long streak of Chelsea piss and the Swiss John Hawley or Lee Chapman instead
This club lacks bottle and ambition and always has.
Lucky to get some crumbs every decade.
Cunt(s).
Chelsea streak of piss on 300k a week
Silly bollox with the silly hair 200k a week
Mbappe 500k a week.
Fucking hell we had the easiest draw in the Qtrs and still made hard work of it. Any realistic view would be we played poorly (in both legs) got through but we’re need to seriously up our game for Sunday and the Semi’s.
Instead we’ve got people talking Arteta up again and how amazing he is.
What they don’t realise is people who are good at what they do don’t have to go round (or have others go round) telling everyone they’re good – they just do it or win trophies.
Sad news about Alex Manninger – too many ex footballers being killed in car accidents recently.
Marc, dropping facts isn’t talking up Arteta, you just see it that way.
Back to back semis, top of the league. All I can do is explain what’s going on in the real world
You may take the view that our current status is a sign of incompetent management if you like. Many would find that a bizarre perspective.