Champions League night. At Home. 1-0 deficit, so need to win at least with 2 goals. Haven’t qualified for Quarter final since 2009-10. Eliminated 9 out of 10 times in knockout stages when we had lost the first leg. Worrisome past in Champions League. And a mountain hill to climb.
But…
Mikel was positive in the press conference and I’m sure the team is, too. Likes of Bukayo Saka, Martinelli (injured unfortunately), Rice, Gabriel, Saliba have proven their worth in England, I’m sure they are eager to do that in Europe as well. Today’s the day.
Arteta has stuck to the ‘new’ usual playing XI. Raya starts in goal to support the back 4 of White, Saliba, Gabriel and Kiwior. Jorginho keeps his place in the midfield, so we would see Rice again in a more advance role. Odegaard starts.
Kai Havertz leads the front 3 with Saka and Trossard on either side. LT has better eyes for goal and we might see him rotating at top with Kai. I would say we are playing with the best team we have.
I would have preferred Thomas Partey in place of Jorginho, but he has come back from injury and has hardly played. And Martinelli is out injured for 2-3 weeks so Trossard is 2nd best option at LW.
I don’t have much to say about today, except that we need the team winning today with at least 2-0. In return, they need our support and voice and enthusiasm. Lets keep the love and hate aside for the players and the manager and enjoy a beautiful night of football.
A very short one today, games starting in 30 odd minutes.
#COYG
This is getting too scrappy and it doesn’t suit us.
Jorginho looks like he needs to come off – Partey’s on the bench we should have a good replacement.
Well Arteta’s not so much shitting the bed as setting it on fire with that change.
very unusual for him to make such an offensively-minded change…we had better make sure we don’t leave Kiwior on an island, as he looks burnt
we need to make a final push and avoid extra time
what a dreadful pass by Saka, after a beautiful setup by Ode
Ode has been on a different level tonight.
He’s looked so much better since the winter break.
Is that not a foul on Ode?
this has an eerily similar feel to that fucking Sporting affair…let’s hope the outcome is different
all I know is that whomever is the losing manager will have an absolute shit-fit when he comes face-to-face with the ref
Porto look more knackered than Arsenal
Kroenke
Seriously? You ever heard of jinxing things?
GD late starts, as we already put the clock ahead in my part of the world…now I’ve got to put the laptop on pause and eat some chow
Surely some fresh legs would be a good idea.
Not feeling confident don’t know if its nerves, a lack of faith in Arteta or both.
Christ Zenchenko inverting in midfield.
I thought we’d stopped that shit.
Well done Raya.
Ye#ssssssssss fucking brilliant
Raya used his gigantic nostrils to snort those pens towards him
Beating that nasty bunch of cheating wankers was almost as much fun as the win.
Marc
Zinch spent his entire time on the pitch vacillating between hero and zero as usual.
4 unstoppable pens. Almost like a German international team. That win counts as progress I think. So there should be given the moolah that’s been splashed.
certainly not a stellar performance, but maybe the most confident penalty shootout I’ve witnessed in decades…great to finally be in the next round for the first time since 2010
i must admit I was shitting myself when MA went with a front 3 of Jesus, Havertz and Eddie, as I felt we needed to avoid the penalty gig at all costs…thank goodness they rose to the challenge in the end!!!