Match Reaction - monaco 0-2 ARSENAL

[adzzzbatch]

"we showed great quality and spirit" etc. etc.

[GP]

Really good performance.

[Özim]

Yawn, replay of every year.

[Maestro]

shut this shit down, and just go straight to the referendum thread ...and this time it's personal

[Ollie the Optimist]

really good performance. Hope like bayern two years ago and milan before that it gives us momentum in the league and cup.


but they are also massive cunts for that fucking third goal in the first leg

[Globalgunner]

We are the most glorious specialists in failure in all of football. See you same place, same time. next year

"If you like some glorious failure on your biscuit, join our club"

[Marc Overmars]

I think I would have preferred it had we drew and gone out on a damp squib.

Paid the price again for an appalling first leg performance and this time we have absolutely no excuses, Monaco are not a great side by any stretch of the imagination and we completely choked.

A shameful exit.

[selassie]

Damage was done in the first leg. Going out to these lot is a disgrace. The only saving grace is we played well tonight.

[LDG]

Same old.

Played well, but too little, too late.

[Maestro]

PS* BFG is a loser, accepting and happy in defeat ...fuck off, captain my arse

[Munchies]

<_<

[Alpha]

Gutted . They did what they could . Out but with some pride . Let's focus on FA and Premiership . All is not lost yet . whatever can be said here will not change anything.

[Injury Time]

Gutted . They did what they could . Out but with some pride . Let's focus on FA and Premiership . All is not lost yet . whatever can be said here will not change anything.

Please delete your account.

KTHXBAI :wave:

[Globalgunner]

Gutted . They did what they could . Out but with some pride . Let's focus on FA and Premiership . All is not lost yet . whatever can be said here will not change anything.

You will find the actual purpose of this forum, is not to change anything.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

At least it keeps the winning run going. That's about it really.

[Injury Time]

At least it keeps the winning run going. That's about it really.

Yeah, but we lost.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

The post match reaction seems to be to the game we lost 20 days ago

It's like an echo effect where the anger we felt at the home defeat gets sealed and played back to you

All night I'm thinking "how the fuck are we in this absurd position?" Which can't help but detract from what was a good performance tonight.

We didnt win tonight because Monaco were looking just to hold on to the first leg lead, we won because we were better than them and gave them almost no choice but to withdraw.

[topgun]

COPY AND PASTE AGAIN.

[Globalgunner]

The only kudos I can give Monaco is that they didnt park the bus. They brought one of those great big Yachts and docked that instead.

[BOBN]

PS* BFG is a loser, accepting and happy in defeat ...fuck off, captain my arse
hes a little dikkhead for saying that.

If he really feels the best team won he should retire because it was his fookin fault in the first leg.

[Niall_Quinn]

Gutted . They did what they could . Out but with some pride . Let's focus on FA and Premiership . All is not lost yet . whatever can be said here will not change anything.

Let's focus on nearly winning something else.

[Alpha]

Please delete your account.

KTHXBAI :wave:


Not everyone is emotional like you . I always keep my head up even in very hard disappointment .so please delete your own account.

[Niall_Quinn]

Starting to get over this now...

That's it, I'm over it. I'm not letting this club take the piss out of me over and over again. We care a lot more than they do, that much is obvious.

Once Wenger is gone something might change. Until then, we know what we're getting so no point getting pissed about it.

[Alpha]

Let's focus on nearly winning something else.

We wouldn't have won the Champions league this year and we fucked everything up in the first leg. So why bother?

[RomfordPele]

Predictable as hell. Clawed our way back in it then bottled it for last 10 mins.

I actually think we need to get a decent sports psychologist in to work with this lot as they only ever seem to play well once they've put themselves in a position where nobody expects them to achieve anything. It's the same pattern in the CL, in the league, even in the cup, we only seem to play once we are in the shit.

Mentally flawed, the lot of them.

[Marc Overmars]

The post match reaction seems to be to the game we lost 20 days ago

It's like an echo effect where the anger we felt at the home defeat gets sealed and played back to you

All night I'm thinking "how the fuck are we in this absurd position?" Which can't help but detract from what was a good performance tonight.

We didnt win tonight because Monaco were looking just to hold on to the first leg lead, we won because we were better than them and gave them almost no choice but to withdraw.

This is it. We are better than them. Comfortably. Tonight was just the icing on the cake to compound the frustration.

I'm not having any of this "regained pride" "heroic failure" etc. I could accept it against Bayern Munich and Milan, but not this shower.

It's just out right failure this time. We're The Arsenal, not some tin pot club. Although as far as the Champions League is concerned, we're about as tin pot as it gets.

[selassie]

We wouldn't have won the Champions league this year and we fucked everything up in the first leg. So why bother?

Are you happy with our performances this season? Are you happy with Wenger?

[Niall_Quinn]

We wouldn't have won the Champions league this year and we fucked everything up in the first leg. So why bother?

Did you see our manager subbing or DM and replacing him with Cazorla so he could play Ramsey wide? That much at least bothers me. That and knowing he'll be guiding the shipsubmarine at the crucial moments yet to come this season.

[Master Splinter]

Koscielny is fucking brilliant.

[Niall_Quinn]

Koscielny is fucking brilliant.

We have quite a few fucking brilliant players, now all we need is a sane manager.

[Power n Glory]

Predictable as hell. Clawed our way back in it then bottled it for last 10 mins.

I actually think we need to get a decent sports psychologist in to work with this lot as they only ever seem to play well once they've put themselves in a position where nobody expects them to achieve anything. It's the same pattern in the CL, in the league, even in the cup, we only seem to play once we are in the shit.

Mentally flawed, the lot of them.

It's not the players. In 2008 with Cesc, RVP, Hleb and Ade in the team we'd do this sort of thing.

[Munchies]

https://twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/577955406934200320

[Alpha]

Are you happy with our performances this season? Are you happy with Wenger?
Cool down pls Selassie . Not being happy will not change anything . It will only affect our own health . In this kind of situation , I just switched off my TV and think about what we can realistically achieve . Saying Wenger in or out will only increase our frustration as I don't think the Board will buy it .

[Penguin]

Despite the slow start we were actually decent and did well to get 2-0 up with 12 minutes of normal time left.

Then... nothing. We needed one more goal and we actually slowed the pace down again. One more fucking goal. They're shitting themselves - use the momentum and at least make their keeper work FFS.

OK, no problem. They've given us five minutes stoppage time. Nothing.

Yeah good job guys. :doh:

[Ernesto]

Until we get someone like Ancelotti as manager, we'll continuously fail in the Champions League.

[Ralpheroo72]

Copy, paste, see you again next March.

[Letters]

really good performance. Hope like bayern two years ago and milan before that it gives us momentum in the league and cup.


but they are also massive cunts for that fucking third goal in the first leg

Yeah, it was the first leg that killed it. And to get back into it and then concede the 3rd goal... :doh:
But anyway, what's done is done, just need to finish strongly in the league and win the Cup and we'll have salvaged something from a disappointing season.

[Injury Time]

Not everyone is emotional like you . I always keep my head up even in very hard disappointment .so please delete your own account.

Are you autistic?

[Munchies]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtLddZh2pqY

[Marc Overmars]

WUMger's words have undertones of "fuck this shit".

[Alpha]

Are you autistic?

Grow up please . It is just a football game. No need to be rude like a mental.

[Maestro]

WUMger's words have undertones of "fuck this shit".

Well it's his fucked up shit that got us here repeatedly, hope the penny is dropping and he walks.

[Power n Glory]

5th season in a row we've gone out at the last 16 stage. His record in Europe needs closer inspection.

[AFC Leveller]

Special mention for Ozil, i thought he had one of this best performances for us. He has been getting back to his best lately but last night i thought he was really good.

Classy player.

[Power n Glory]

Thought he was average!

[Alpha]

Special mention for Ozil, i thought he had one of this best performances for us. He has been getting back to his best lately but last night i thought he was really good.

Classy player.
Alexis was the biggest disappointment . A player of his quality shouldn't be looking for a cheap penalty in such a crucial game . His deserved booking made him less effective . This game was more suited for someone like Rosicky . He is more direct .

[GP]

Special mention for Ozil, i thought he had one of this best performances for us. He has been getting back to his best lately but last night i thought he was really good.

Classy player.

Yeah he's been really, really good since he returned. Vital player.

[Power n Glory]

Alexis was the biggest disappointment . A player of his quality shouldn't be looking for a cheap penalty in such a crucial game . His deserved booking made him less effective . This game was more suited for someone like Rosicky . He is more direct .

Alexis was really off and in the final moments we could have used his dazzling dribbles to unlock the defence but he was off the boil.

[BOBN]

You guys are actual happy with Ozils final ball yesterday huh?

If a world class, 42 million pound player turns up against that average Monaco yesterday, he wipes the floor with them.

Therefore I take it as an admission that you lot dont think hes truely world class.

[Maestro]

You guys are actual happy with Ozils final ball yesterday huh?

If a world class, 42 million pound player turns up against that average Monaco yesterday, he wipes the floor with them.

Therefore I take it as an admission that you lot dont think hes truely world class.

:gp:

i think he is a classy player when on form in a team on form, but I don't think he's been great at all. Top players significantly affect the outcome of games and stand out from the rest. I think the team has lost a lot by moving Santi deeper to accommodate Ozil. IMHO Santi should be our key playmaker behind the front man, Ozil for me is just too weak mentally and physically and just not direct or decisive enough when required. He's a good player when everything else around him is rosy but he has no grit, I like the player but just not doing it for me anymore.

We need a few more brutal killer instinct types in the forward positions. Each to their own I guess.

[Marc Overmars]

5th season in a row we've gone out at the last 16 stage. His record in Europe needs closer inspection.

Considering he has had the best part of 20 years to crack it, his record is dreadful. Even when we had a great team we were nowhere near succeeding. I guess consistently qualifying for it is what he probably defines as success though. :rolleyes:

We're lucky the seeding format is changing because we're on the brink of losing our top seeding through performance under the current format anyway. I hope we get an absolute stinker of a group next year.

[Marc Overmars]

Alexis was really off and in the final moments we could have used his dazzling dribbles to unlock the defence but he was off the boil.

He needs to be rested because he's looked well below par for weeks now. Seems to be releasing the ball a lot quicker and to no avail, instead of taking on his man looking to create that half yard for himself. Early signs of Wengeritis?

[Dein-machine]

Lots of weird reactions on here, people getting pissed with each other - why?
We are a team that now aspire to finish 4th in our domestic league. We have a manager under no pressure whatsoever to challenge for titles. We have a team (thanks to our manager) that has very few players of real quality because you only have to be slightly better than mediocre to finish 4th in the P.L.
If we are a team that aspire to finish 4th, why on earth would anyone on here believe we have the chance to be Champions of Europe - get back to work, don't let last night bother you - its what Wenger will do today with the only difference being that his work gets him £8 mill a year & you're probably better at your job than he is.

[Munchies]

He needs to be rested because he's looked well below par for weeks now. Seems to be releasing the ball a lot quicker and to no avail, instead of taking on his man looking to create that half yard for himself. Early signs of Wengeritis?

Noticed that too, it seems that way after his mistake for the Monaco goal at the Emirates

[Power n Glory]

Considering he has had the best part of 20 years to crack it, his record is dreadful. Even when we had a great team we were nowhere near succeeding. I guess consistently qualifying for it is what he probably defines as success though. :rolleyes:

We're lucky the seeding format is changing because we're on the brink of losing our top seeding through performance under the current format anyway. I hope we get an absolute stinker of a group next year.

No coach in Europe has his record. Almost 20 years in the competition with one of the leagues best clubs and still no CL trophy.

No other coach has had that sort of time to build team after team like he has at this level. Those with a fraction of that time have at least won this competition.

A flip side to every coin and he gloats about the CL qualification record but he has a lot of fails on his record. Consistent fails, year on year. Not even a UEFA Cup even though we made the final once.

[Özim]

Frankly going out to Monaco is a disgrace, our result yesterday is irrelevant, a tie is played over two legs and we lost that's what counts, not some token 2-0 win against a team we should have beaten anyway.

When we saw the draw we were all happy and pretty confident of qualifying and yet here we are again out at the last 16 stage, Wenger is a terrible manager in Europe that's been proven time and time again, we can usually hide behind the excuse that we played a big team etc etc not this time however he's been well and truly shown up. As for his clain that Monaco didn't deserve to go through? Well yes they did as they gave us a good beating at the Emirates.

[Globalgunner]

Next year we will probably get Basel in the last 16 and somehow contrive to make a dogs dinner of that one too.

[Maestro]

Next year we will probably get Basel in the last 16 and somehow contrive to make a dogs dinner of that one too.

Make no mistake, Basel are very capable of beating us

[Letters]

Would you lot be happier had we lost last night?!

[Özim]

Wouldn't matter, we'd be out either way.

[Maestro]

Would you lot be happier had we lost last night?!

No we would be happier if we had gone through to the QF's for a change

[Alpha]

Giroud is our most effective player . He might not be gifted but he doesn't hide in big games . He works his socks off even when he has a bad game . Our so called world class players never turned up when it matters . Henry missing a sitter twice against Barca in Final still haunts me and also RVP missing an easy chance which could have made it 4-0 against AC Milan
Yesterday our Ozil and Alexis were only side passers .No clear chance to the main striker at all.

[Letters]

True, but momentum is quite important in football so it's good to keep a run going.
I could understand people moaning more had we only needed to draw there, say, and we'd lost, or if we'd needed a narrow win and hadn't got it, but the damage was done in the first leg.
And it's not like we thrashed them last night, were wasteful and only managed 2 goals. Monaco have only conceded 7 goals in 14 home league games this year, none at all in the CL at home before last night. They are not a side who ship many goals and they restricted us to only a few really clear cut chances.
We were good as out after the first leg. Last night was just about saving face, which we did.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Alexis was really off last night. Shame really as it would easily have been the difference between going out and going through, but we can't expect him to come to the rescue in all 60 odd games.

But yes, Wenger's failure to win this competition over numerous years doesn't make for pleasant viewing and if he retires having never done it, rest assured it will haunt him till his dying days.

[Alpha]

He needs to be rested because he's looked well below par for weeks now. Seems to be releasing the ball a lot quicker and to no avail, instead of taking on his man looking to create that half yard for himself. Early signs of Wengeritis?


He is the one who should have been subbed instead of Wellbeck . We always boast a plethora of offensive players . Yesterday they were not to be seen . Ironically , our bench was full of defenders .

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Giroud is our most effective player . He might not be gifted but he doesn't hide in big games . He works his socks off even when he has a bad game . Our so called world class players never turned up when it matters . Henry missing a sitter twice against Barca in Final still haunts me and also RVP missing an easy chance which could have made it 4-0 against AC Milan
Yesterday our Ozil and Alexis were only side passers .No clear chance to the main striker at all.

Are you really going to call out Henry and RvP in defence of Giroud? They missed chances, it happens. To say they never turned up when it mattered is the stuff bitter opposition fans say!

[Letters]

No we would be happier if we had gone through to the QF's for a change

Sure, me too, but after the first leg that was always going to be extremely difficult.
IMO we did all we could last night, I'm happy enough with the performance and the result on the night.
Had we not conceded that stupid 3rd goal at home I reckon we'd have gone through.

[Alpha]

Are you really going to call out Henry and RvP in defence of Giroud? They missed chances, it happens. To say they never turned up when it mattered is the stuff bitter opposition fans say!
We are not discussing Henry vs Giroud here . Every one knows Henry is by far the better player but in terms of performance in big games , I prefer Giroud . Henry was good with other players like Pires , Vierra , Freddie ..etc. but when he became the only focal point of the team he never turned up. Our run to the Champions league final wasn't down to him . The whole team was good and determined . The final was the game he should have turned up and won the game as he did against Madrid but he didn't .

[Özim]

I don't prefer Giroud to Henry or RVP in any scenario, they were matchwinners who could produce the spectacular finishes ordinary strikers can't. Giroud has done well this season but he's not in the same league, Henry scored plenty of big goals, Man U when we won 1-0, when we beat Madrid 1-0 and countless other times.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Special mention for Ozil, i thought he had one of this best performances for us. He has been getting back to his best lately but last night i thought he was really good.

Classy player.

I thought Ozil was class too though he really should be hitting the target more than he does generally speaking.

The fact that since he came back he has run further than any other Arsenal player and that he has the third best assist ratio in premier league history shows he isn't quite the lethargic, languid, apathetic sorry shadow of a player he tends to often be made out as.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

We are not discussing Henry vs Giroud here . Every one knows Henry is by far the better player but in terms of performance in big games , I prefer Giroud . Henry was good with other players like Pires , Vierra , Freddie ..etc. but when he became the only focal point of the team he never turned up. Our run to the Champions league final wasn't down to him . The whole team was good and determined . The final was the game he should have turned up and won the game as he did against Madrid but he didn't .

That kind of is what you're doing though..... lol.

I think you probably should have just tried to credit Giroud without having to call out Henry or even RvP or make incredulous statements.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

I don't prefer Giroud to Henry or RVP in any scenario, they were matchwinners who could produce the spectacular finishes ordinary strikers can't. Giroud has done well this season but he's not in the same league, Henry scored plenty of big goals, Man U when we won 1-0, when we beat Madrid 1-0 and countless other times.

He reminds me of Alan Smith, in size, stature and style of play....Smudger was more clinical though. Giroud has done brilliantly for us recently, just like Coquelin has but a lot of people can't seem to understand that playing brilliantly doesn't mean they are good enough.
Giroud will never be world class he doesn't have the pace, technical ability or composure.

[Power n Glory]

Are you really going to call out Henry and RvP in defence of Giroud? They missed chances, it happens. To say they never turned up when it mattered is the stuff bitter opposition fans say!

Unbelievable. :lol: As if Giroud's misses in the first leg didn't play a part in us going out yesterday. Maybe that wasn't a big game? :unsure:

[Dein-machine]

Giroud is our most effective player . He might not be gifted but he doesn't hide in big games . He works his socks off even when he has a bad game . Our so called world class players never turned up when it matters . Henry missing a sitter twice against Barca in Final still haunts me and also RVP missing an easy chance which could have made it 4-0 against AC Milan
Yesterday our Ozil and Alexis were only side passers .No clear chance to the main striker at all.

Giroud has games where he is quite effective but I'm afraid he's lack of quality in front of goal is the actual reason we are out of the tournament. You bring in the comparison of Henry & RVP, do you honestly think they would have missed all 4 of those?
Its not his fault, he's simply not that good & Wenger bought him when we needed a proven finisher. If we are trying to compete with City, Chelsea, Bayern, Barca etc then simply ask yourself would he get a game for them. Like most of our players the answer would be NO. Until this changes the disappointments will continue.

[Dein-machine]

When i mention the "4 of those" I am refering to the 1st leg.

[Özim]

Unbelievable. :lol: As if Giroud's misses in the first leg didn't play a part in us going out yesterday. Maybe that wasn't a big game? :unsure:

He conveniently forgot about those misses in the 1st leg, had he'd scored even 1 of those we'd be through. He's a hit and miss player, his finishing leaves a lot to be desired as he isn't consistent enough when opportunities come his way.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Unbelievable. :lol: As if Giroud's misses in the first leg didn't play a part in us going out yesterday. Maybe that wasn't a big game? :unsure:

Sometimes the statements made here are so incredible I just don't even bother beggining putting forward a counter argument

[Alpha]

That kind of is what you're doing though..... lol.

I think you probably should have just tried to credit Giroud without having to call out Henry or even RvP or make incredulous statements.
There is a big difference between saying I prefer somebody's performance and saying this player is better than the other one . Let me ask you : How many trophies did we win with Henry ( Post Vierra) and RVP ?

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

You said those so called players never turned up when it mattered. You haven't come remotely close to qualifying that in any way shape or form.

[Alpha]

Unbelievable. :lol: As if Giroud's misses in the first leg didn't play a part in us going out yesterday. Maybe that wasn't a big game? :unsure:
Just name one of our former players who has never missed a sitter in a game . Let alone in a big game . Give me any reason why we spent 8 years without a single trophy . Not even a Carling Cup . With Henry and RVP in our team .

[GP]

rvp is a cunt and I don't miss him.

[Power n Glory]

Sometimes the statements made here are so incredible I just don't even bother beggining putting forward a counter argument


That's GW for ya. As long as you're entertained! :lol:

[Marc Overmars]

We are not discussing Henry vs Giroud here . Every one knows Henry is by far the better player but in terms of performance in big games , I prefer Giroud . Henry was good with other players like Pires , Vierra , Freddie ..etc. but when he became the only focal point of the team he never turned up. Our run to the Champions league final wasn't down to him . The whole team was good and determined . The final was the game he should have turned up and won the game as he did against Madrid but he didn't .

Henry dragged us to 4th that year and scored 30+ goals in the process, he was also excellent as the lone striker and scored some big goals. To say he didn't cut it after the quality around him declined is just plain wrong. If it wasn't for him Spurs would have finished above us that year and we certainly wouldn't have made the CL final.

Giroud has far better players around him than Henry did from 05-07 that's for sure.

[Power n Glory]

Just name one of our former players who has never missed a sitter in a game . Let alone in a big game . Give me any reason why we spent 8 years without a single trophy . Not even a Carling Cup . With Henry and RVP in our team .

Oh dear! Have RVP and Henry won trophies since leaving? We can even extend that one out to Cesc. Obvious answer should be Wenger.

I need to play a page from Blink's book and stop responding.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

I think regardless of what Wenger has or indeed hasn't achieved, we haven't bought a quality striker in years.

We are seeing the best of Giroud at the moment and he's still not anywhere near the level of Henry or Van Persie playing within themselves.

We need a defensive midfielder for sure in the summer but we also need a world class striker

[Munchies]

As LDG said, Wenger only stumbled into playing Coq as our CDM :lol:

Arteta is back now :doh:

Schneiderlin is a must get

[Bumble]

Has someone really suggested that they would choose Giroud over Henry in any context at all????????? That is just mental.

[Dein-machine]

rvp is a cunt and I don't miss him.

No - RVP got pissed off with the constant promises from Wenger that we would buy quality to compete. Don't blame him or Cesc for what they did, they couldn't continue to carry a team full of average players or wait for Wengers basement buys to turn into Prince Charming.

[Munchies]

I don't mind someone like Nasri leaving tbf

RvC is different because he was a crocked cunt for 7 seasons

[Dein-machine]

Has someone really suggested that they would choose Giroud over Henry in any context at all????????? That is just mental.

I think Alpha suggested that Henry & RVP have all missed chances in big games aswell, which I'm pretty sure is true - but NOT 4 in one game that my nan would have scored.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

No - RVP got pissed off with the constant promises from Wenger that we would buy quality to compete. Don't blame him or Cesc for what they did, they couldn't continue to carry a team full of average players or wait for Wengers basement buys to turn into Prince Charming.

Van Persie is a cunt because we persisted with him and his wretched horse placenta coated joints, leaving is not a big issue but you don't go to United, it's an insult to the club, the manager and the supporters.

[Power n Glory]

We pimped him out to Utd. We didn't want to turn down the money and let him walk on a free. We had ultimate say on which club he could go to.

[Munchies]

Apparently the board put a clause in the RvC deal that if he won the league at United, we'd get more £££ :lol:

[Dein-machine]

We could use the 2 games against Monaco to analyse our system & what suits us.
We were accused of being too gung-ho in the 1st leg, trying to attack without thinking of our defensive duties. However, this was repeated last night probably more so. So why the different results.
Monaco parked the bus in both legs to be fair but the reason why it looked worse yesterday & they offered virtually no goal threat was down to the way we played. Should have been like that at the Emirates.
For me, yesterday was the way we have to play in most games whether home or away. Only against the big teams with real quality in attack should we adopt plan B.
Yesterday we got the ball into the final 3rd quicker, we pressed higher & were less tippy tappy in the middle of the pitch. This suits the players we have. We don't want Santi, Sanchez or Ozil on the ball in our own half.
In the 1st leg we were overplaying in the middle of the pitch. Taking forever to get the ball forward. This plays into the hands of a counter attack team, if they win the ball on the half way line due to a bad pass they can be in on goal with one pass of their own. If we had played the 1st leg at a higher tempo they would have had to have more players in their defensive line which would have resulted in less of a goal threat. If they win the ball in & around their own box, there's less chance of a counter if they have bought players back.
If we take our next game away to Newcastle. If we play like we did in the 1st leg we will probably pub a 2-1 win like recent games at Palace & QPR but could just as easily come away with having lost points. If we play like we did yesterday we can win by 3 or 4 goals.
Why on earth would we be cautious about really attacking Newcastle - incase they hit us on the break!, with what exactly. They don't even have Cisse who is only slightly less poo than the other poo they have.
Why can't Wenger get us playing like this all the time. Go into these games thinking we need 3 goals instead of trying to nick a goal or 2 & sitting back on it.

[Dein-machine]

Van Persie is a cunt because we persisted with him and his wretched horse placenta coated joints, leaving is not a big issue but you don't go to United, it's an insult to the club, the manager and the supporters.

If our manager was promising him things that he had no intention of providing ie other top quality players to help compete, then I really don't think RVP has to worry about insulting Wenger. Players that have left us have all gone on to win trophies whilst we continued our annual battle for 4th - don't blame them in the slightest. Their decisions mean they will retire with many trophies & winning memories to share with their granchildren unlike most of our players over the past decade.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

I repeat the issue is in joining United, Van Persie joined United to double his bank balance if it was just about winning things he could have gone abroad so he is a cunt.
Don't get me wrong we are just as bad for selling him to them.

I'm sure Van Persie will share his treasured memories of being on remand in a police cell in Ansterdam for weeks as well.

[BOBN]

Giroud is our most effective player . He might not be gifted but he doesn't hide in big games . He works his socks off even when he has a bad game . Our so called world class players never turned up when it matters . Henry missing a sitter twice against Barca in Final still haunts me and also RVP missing an easy chance which could have made it 4-0 against AC Milan
Yesterday our Ozil and Alexis were only side passers .No clear chance to the main striker at all.
Yesterday wasnt a big game.

[Niall_Quinn]

You lot have been busy. It's almost like a real forum.

Anyway, it's not a disgrace to go out to Monaco. That kind of thinking and attitude is what lost us the first leg. It's a disgrace to play so badly at home, nothing to to with Monaco who should have been afforded proper respect but weren't. Their manager and players picked up on it too and it pissed them off, and probably fired them up. We still think of ourselves as a big team, but we don't have the record to prove it. A little more humble is what we need, feet back on the ground and every opponent taken seriously.

Giroud is the ultimate hot and cold player. Will sometimes fight for every ball, other times will wander around looking at the sky. He's not top quality and he costs us as much as he helps us. But of late he seems committed to the cause and he's fought back from a position where it looked certain he was out the door. So he needs to get credit for that. But does anyone imagine if we had Aguero up front we wouldn't be safely in the CL QF now? For now though we have Bif and he should be good enough to mount a title charge if the others pull their weight. Forget the FA Cup, we need to be pressurising the chavs and gypos now. Nothing else will do.

Wenger. What can you say? His record in Europe speaks for itself. It's impossible to defend that record. He's the one constant, he's the one putting out the teams, setting the tactics and calling the shots. He's been getting it wrong for almost 2 decades. That's a fact that can be accepted, danced around, but it can't be denied because the evidence is there. Even last night when we dominated the opposition and should have won by more goals I feel the performance was down to the players despite Wenger. People say we did well, not being gung-ho, being a bit patient and conservative. Fine, we should have done that in the first leg. But needing 3 goals, the low tempo, negative selection, wasteful inclusion of Welbeck when he had no purpose in that setup - all down to Wenger again. The one gamble he did take was a stupid and unnecessary risk. Bringing Coquelin off was idiotic. Yes, it meant we had more up top with Ramsey, but we didn't need to sacrifice the midfield to do that, Welbeck could have been brought off as he had no role anyway. Even if we grabbed the 3 I was thinking we'll pay for that sub because they'll exploit the space and nick a goal back in the last minute. They didn't need to.

Then we have this stupid desire the play everything through a congested centre. I hate it. We have all seen we are far more potent when exploiting pace and width. This one touch ricochet wing and a prayer football through defensive walls is amazing when it comes off, 1 time in a 100. But to break down defences consistently you move the ball fast and over the full extent of the pitch to pull the defence around. Liverpool did it brilliantly when they had Suarez pulling it all together. Walcott, Ox, Alexis, Ozil, Welbeck - you think we couldn't play like that? Remember Liverpool's first instinct when they got the ball in the centre? Hit it into the channels for Sterling and Suarez. Why were there channels available? because everything was happening at pace. Think about us when we get it in the middle. Back. Sideways. Now the defence is massed and we play it wide but into congestion. Back it comes. Painful stuff. We aren't utilising the abilities of the squad. That's Wenger again.

Seems harsh to criticise him after we go to Monaco and win. But it's far from being about that one match. This has been going on for years. Same thing.

[Letters]

Wenger. What can you say? His record in Europe speaks for itself. It's impossible to defend that record.
Letters will :lol:
Letters :pal:



Just thought I'd save someone some time there. :coffee:

[Xhaka Can’t]

Apparently the board put a clause in the RvC deal that if he won the league at United, we'd get more £££ :lol:
That explains our losses against them.

[GP]

Letters will :lol:
Letters :pal:



Just thought I'd save someone some time there. :coffee:

u r a lost cause LOLZ

[Power n Glory]

I repeat the issue is in joining United, Van Persie joined United to double his bank balance if it was just about winning things he could have gone abroad so he is a cunt.
Don't get me wrong we are just as bad for selling him to them.

I'm sure Van Persie will share his treasured memories of being on remand in a police cell in Ansterdam for weeks as well.

Now that's funny. Why do you say he'd be going for trophies if he went abroad? If we'd had shipped him to PSG as intended, wouldn't that prove more so that he was looking for a pay rise more than anything else?

Wenger admitted he wanted to sell him abroad to PSG but they weren’t interested and then his buddy Fergie twisted his arm to make the deal happen. It’s a shady deal because before RVP even said anything to the press, PHW was talking about not being able to match the wages Man City could offer him. Had we even offered him a contract at that point and discussed wages? Let’s not forget Wenger’s comments way before the summer about offering a massive contract to player passing his prime at 30.

It sounded like we were trying to entice City to make a bid because we’ve pimped our players out to them before and we can use the old ‘mercenary’ player argument. When that didn’t work, we were hoping PSG would stump up the cash because Juve certainly weren’t. But in comes Utd!

Back to the contract discussions. If this was another dispute about pay, why in the world couldn’t we offer him a better deal? We must have known we had the new sponsorship deals on the table. We splashed good money on Ozil the following season. So if he wanted to double his wages, why couldn’t we? Or at least tell him to hold tight for a season and we’d come back to him with a solid offer knowing that we have these new sponsorship deals on the table. I mean, shit, the following season Gazidis was talking that talk about us being able to afford a player like Rooney and ‘do things that will excite you.’

[Master Splinter]

Koscielny is awlsome.

[Marc Overmars]

Koscielny is awlsome.

Kompany is better.







lol

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

I repeat the issue is in joining United, Van Persie joined United to double his bank balance if it was just about winning things he could have gone abroad so he is a cunt.
Don't get me wrong we are just as bad for selling him to them.

I'm sure Van Persie will share his treasured memories of being on remand in a police cell in Ansterdam for weeks as well.

A fact we conveniently forget.....or we make out like the club were forced. You can fashion a reasonable argument for why it made business sense, but nobody should have ever pretended as if we had absolutely no say in the matter. I expected more from RvP but moreover I expected more from Arsene Wenger and the club and they let us down. We should expect more from the club and manager than we do from the players.

I don't think RvP's decision was just about money though and I would think it naive to believe so. Like you often point out yourself, it doesn't always have to be so black and white. He knew very well he would improve his wages as well his chances of silverware. Removing the emotion out of it then makes the decision a formality.

[Dein-machine]

I repeat the issue is in joining United, Van Persie joined United to double his bank balance if it was just about winning things he could have gone abroad so he is a cunt.
Don't get me wrong we are just as bad for selling him to them.

I'm sure Van Persie will share his treasured memories of being on remand in a police cell in Ansterdam for weeks as well.

But if he wanted to be part of a successful team & win trophies where do you expect him to go - Stoke! - Utd, Chelsea or City were the only options in England for him if he wanted to win things, so either way he would have joined a rival. Ofcourse we could have sold him abroad but apparently nobody wanted him for the money Utd would pay inc his salary. He won the Premier league the following year & had a great season for them. You can call him want you want but whilst we were arguing about another poxy 4th place finish & Wengers crap buys, he was parading the P.L. trophy around Manchester.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

But if he wanted to be part of a successful team & win trophies where do you expect him to go - Stoke! - Utd, Chelsea or City were the only options in England for him if he wanted to win things, so either way he would have joined a rival. Ofcourse we could have sold him abroad but apparently nobody wanted him for the money Utd would pay inc his salary. He won the Premier league the following year & had a great season for them. You can call him want you want but whilst we were arguing about another poxy 4th place finish & Wengers crap buys, he was parading the P.L. trophy around Manchester.

Well that's where i hold us equally responsible, if we couldn't get the money we wanted from him abroad we should have kept him another year.....Walcott was our top league goal scorer in 2012/2013 season (and we still finished fourth)....it's just possible with city and chelsea all over the place and United winning the title off the back of the rapist's goals that we could have put in a credible title challenge that season.
Van Persie is a cunt because he clearly had his agent in talks with both Manchester clubs before telling us he wasn't going to sign an extension, you equally can argue it any way you want to but if as a player you join another club in England don't expect to be appreciated by the club you leave behind. I am enjoying United's decline far more because he is on their books.

[Injury Time]

Grow up please . It is just a football game. No need to be rude like a mental.

Emotional intelligence, nil points :rolleyes:

[GP]

Yes, eat ALL of our shirts!

[Munchies]

Wenger saying in his press conf that he wants the away goal removed from the CL.

How about defending properly.

[Marc Overmars]

In fairness, I've never been a fan of it either.

Football matches should always be decided on one team scoring more than the other.

[Letters]

It knocked Chelsea out :shrug:
Best. Rule. Ever...

[Özim]

Wenger saying in his press conf that he wants the away goal removed from the CL.

How about defending properly.

It's been around forever, he decides to complain about it the day his side are knocked out by it, sour grapes if you ask me.

You know the rules before the tie, so you should be able to perform well enough not to get caught out by it.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

It's been around forever, he decides to complain about it the day his side are knocked out by it, sour grapes if you ask me.

You know the rules before the tie, so you should be able to perform well enough not to get caught out by it.

Whilst I think the away goal rule is completely pointless, I do agree that Wenger is whinging because he's fallen afoul of it. I think the fairest system is a Russian roulette contest between the captains of both sides on the centre circle, whilst a stern Asian man yells in a foreign language whilst offering them the gun.

[Dein-machine]

Wenger saying in his press conf that he wants the away goal removed from the CL.

How about defending properly.

He's getting worse - the club seriously need to keep him in the background now & let someone who is media savy & understands how stupid comments can be interpreted. Would he be saying the same if we had gone through on away goals - it really is quite childish.

[Kano]

Whilst I think the away goal rule is completely pointless, I do agree that Wenger is whinging because he's fallen afoul of it. I think the fairest system is a Russian roulette contest between the captains of both sides on the centre circle, whilst a stern Asian man yells in a foreign language whilst offering them the gun.

http://www.zonalmarking.net/2012/03/08/apoel-v-lyon-a-good-example-of-when-the-away-goals-rule-creates-a-defensive-game/

He was moaning about it years ago to be fair. and he's right, it is outdated. it has nothing to do with our performance levels though.

[Xhaka Can’t]

Wenger saying in his press conf that he wants the away goal removed from the CL.

How about defending properly.

I'm not a fan of the rule myself.

It gives an unfair advantage to the away team in the second leg. If things are tied at the end of full time, the away team has the edge as any goal scored is effectively worth 1 point something goals.

I do think a golden goal or penalties is a fairer way to settle things when everything is level after the two legs have been played.

That said, the rule has been in place for a long time now and it should be a factor in your strategic preparations for two legged ties.

I'm not going to condemn Wenger for his quote today as I'd expect that he'd been asked for his views and just given them. However, I'd have much more time for those views if they were given in the aftermath of us benefitting from the rule.

[Power n Glory]

Away goals, no away goals....makes no difference. Adapt to the rules and don't concede so many at home.

Wenger can't be sour about how this played out because without the away goals we could have still gone out. That Coquelin sub was reckless and he needs to address that sort of thing before finding fault in the rules.

[Globalgunner]

I'm not a fan of the rule myself.

It gives an unfair advantage to the away team in the second leg. If things are tied at the end of full time, the away team has the edge as any goal scored is effectively worth 1 point something goals.

I do think a golden goal or penalties is a fairer way to settle things when everything is level after the two legs have been played.

That said, the rule has been in place for a long time now and it should be a factor in your strategic preparations for two legged ties.

I'm not going to condemn Wenger for his quote today as I'd expect that he'd been asked for his views and just given them. However, I'd have much more time for those views if they were given in the aftermath of us benefitting from the rule.

I don't think the away goal rules apply in extra time. That would be patently unfair. If after 180 mins everything is level. then its as if the 2 teams are on neutral ground.....I think

[Xhaka Can’t]

I don't think the away goal rules apply in extra time. That would be patently unfair. If after 180 mins everything is level. then its as if the 2 teams are on neutral ground.....I think

They do count in extra time, certainly for UEFA competitions. It is definitely unfair.

[Niall_Quinn]

Wenger saying in his press conf that he wants the away goal removed from the CL.

How about defending properly.

Doubt he raised it himself and was probably ushered into the quote by some hack, even so why not just say those are the rules and be done with it? Ten years ago when he was at the top of his game it was okay for him to have opinions on the fundamentals of the sport. But today he'd be a lot better off trying to get back to the top of his game.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

As things stand Everton going to fall victim to the away goal rule too

Ha ha ha English clubs in Europe

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Maybe not, spectacular goal from Lukaku to be fair

[Globalgunner]

3-1 HT. Neverton!

[A Gunner]

Doubt he raised it himself and was probably ushered into the quote by some hack, even so why not just say those are the rules and be done with it? Ten years ago when he was at the top of his game it was okay for him to have opinions on the fundamentals of the sport. But today he'd be a lot better off trying to get back to the top of his game.

It's not the first time he talked about away goals, so it' nothing new. Like the Ozil thing, that happened last year too with Ozil, don't remember which match, but again, it's nothing new.

[Niall_Quinn]

It's not the first time he talked about away goals, so it' nothing new. Like the Ozil thing, that happened last year too with Ozil, don't remember which match, but again, it's nothing new.

Yeah but I'm fed up with the injustice, unlucky, money, excuses angle all the time. I really believe our squad is top notch. If we can't compete at the top of the game with this squad then we have a real problem. Everyone knows you can get a bad ref or suffer a fluke or some other mishap, but over the course of a season and even over two legs in a Euro tie you shouldn't be looking for excuses. Put it another way, would he be complaining if we'd have gone through on the away goal? He might still disagree with it on principle but I doubt he'd be coming out the next day and mentioning it. Or with Arsene maybe he would. I'll give him this, he's consistent in his beliefs - to the point of the fans wanting to strangle him in terms of team selection and what happens on the pitch. I'm not saying he doesn't believe what he says but there's a time and a place for mentioning such things and when you have just lost it come across as a silly excuse even if it's not meant to be.

If he wins all his matches then he can say what he wants, can't he? Otherwise lock yourself away, keep quiet and find a way to win. Then start talking if you want to.

[Munchies]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/03/19/26D1065D00000578-3003093-image-a-1_1426803482278.jpg

[A Gunner]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/03/19/26D1065D00000578-3003093-image-a-1_1426803482278.jpg

So what is mail trying to say? Does or does not winter break make a different? Personally, I don't have an opinion on it. But the way they put the sentence, looking at stats it does make a different, but their sentence say it doesn't because they plays the same amount of game. WTF?!