Match Reaction v Napoli (home)

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Dominated the first half and should've scored a lot more, as twas ever thus.

A lot more shaky and really were punished between Monreal and Kolasinac but got through it.

Emery. :bow:

[WMUG]

Call me a negative Nancy, but I'm not convinced that'll be enough. Our away form really is so bad that I can legit see Napoli getting the 2 goals they need within the first 10-20 minutes and it being a long, long night after that.

[SMatthews]

Perfect platform to push on. Looks like Valencia in the semi going by their result tonight.

Onto Watford now - should be good prep for next Thursday.

[Marc Overmars]

Really good performance in general and a good result.

Can't help but feel disappointed we didn't score more, given our away form 2-0 cannot be seen as unassailable.

Still a big task ahead of us.

[Letters]

Call me a negative Nancy, but I'm not convinced that'll be enough. Our away form really is so bad that I can legit see Napoli getting the 2 goals they need within the first 10-20 minutes and it being a long, long night after that.

"I can legit see"? You're not that young, you'll be saying "bruv" or "fam" next and then I'll have to get my ban-hammer out ;)
It's given us a pretty good chance of going through and honestly I can't really fault tonight's performance but there are a few "what ifs" and while Napoli had one really good chance we had a bunch of them and really should have buried them tonight. Clean sheet was really important, that gives me confidence we can progress but it's not a gimme.

[fakeyank]

Start with the same team away from home and get that away goal first.. that'll kill the tie.

[SMatthews]

We’ll score at their place. And if Frankfurt can beat them there, so can we.

[GP]

Great result!

[Marc Overmars]

Next week if we start on the front foot like we did tonight then I’m sure we will go through.

[Chippy]

Perfect platform to push on. Looks like Valencia in the semi going by their result tonight.

Onto Watford now - should be good prep for next Thursday.

What a difference between tonight and the Everton game! How can their be such a difference between tonight and Sundays game.
ps.
Auba and Laca were piss poor tonight.

[Marc Overmars]

I think away from home we set up to cede possession and play on the counter. Our defence is not reliable enough for that tactic to work most of the time, so once we concede a goal then any plan we may have had goes out the window and you get that limp dick effort we saw at Everton.

We are always at our best taking the game to the opposition as we saw tonight. Emery needs to be positive and stop setting up conservatively.

[SMatthews]

I think he’s still looking for the right balance and if anything lacks the personnel to find it. It was similar with Liverpool previously - fantastic going forward but could be a disaster at the back. Since rejigging their defence and midfield they’re not as devastating upfront, but are much more stable behind.

Interestingly, Ramsey has flourished as a CM under Emery, compared to the disaster he was there under Wenger. Far more disciplined. That said, I’m still not heartbroken he’s going. Picks up too many injuries and would rather we wipe the slate clean of Wenger’s core. But he’s doing himself proud by saying goodbye in the current form he’s in.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

Fantastic result. Go out there for a goal and then shut the game down I say.

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

I know it may seem a small thing, but I think we look much better when we play a 3412 or close to it than a 3421.

Kola really tries to blast the ball across goal. I wish Emery would just say to him you don't always need to blast it. Pretend to blast it and then just roll it nice and easy to a red shirt sometime!

So glad we kept Mustafi away from it all today.....though he practically looked like Messi ball juggling on the pitch at half time. :d

[Mac76]

Start with the same team away from home and get that away goal first.. that'll kill the tie.

yes, definitely the right thing to do

great first-half performance - after the second went in i was thinking it could be 4-0 or so but we missed some chances and it was a little nervy near the end, if they'd scored i'd have said we were out, but as long as we get that away goal and defend sensibly (i.e. with Mustafi not on the pitch) we should have enough to do it

[Bumble]

yes, definitely the right thing to do

great first-half performance - after the second went in i was thinking it could be 4-0 or so but we missed some chances and it was a little nervy near the end, if they'd scored i'd have said we were out, but as long as we get that away goal and defend sensibly (i.e. with Mustafi not on the pitch) we should have enough to do it
i am sure its not coincidence that we keep clean sheets when mustafi doesn't play.

good performance. Arsenal v Chavs final.