Match Reaction v Benfica ("home"),

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Well what a sack of shit that was.

Let's just move on.

[Marc Overmars]

So much harder than it needed to be but well done for the comeback.

On we go.

[WMUG]

Thank fuck for that.

[Mac76]

We need to be so much better with team selections and subs, we're just winging it at the moment

[IBK]

I want to be happy with the win, but unfortunately tonight, together with last week's first leg and the weekend have dampened my optimism that we are on the verge of somethig better under Arteta. Benfica aren't that good. We basically gifted them all 3 of their goals (all 3 were down to our mistakes), and we were so profligate last week, but also lacked any killer instinct against Citeh.

What I liked was the character shown by our players - particularly Tierney; Saka and Auba - to get back into the game, but I despair a bit about our inability to manage a game properly. Game 'management' means more than slowing the ball down and keeping possession - which we seemed to do for the middle part of this game - and which was precisely what Benfica wanted. We were terrorising them when we ran at their defence in the first part of the match, but then seemed to ease off and all teams must play for our inevitable head fuck that gifts them a goal. Looks to me like lack of confidence and that will always be exploited.

I'd love to know where we are in the league table of mistakes leading to opposition goals. This has to be more than simply bad fortune - there is a systemic issue heer - and it makes us brittle as a team.

This was a get out of jail result for Arteta and it feels like one. Sorry I can feel more positive ATM about what on paper is an important win.

[dazthegooner]

One thing I have noticed is that we need another Partey type player as the midfield is weak without him.

[Gooner23]

I want to be happy with the win, but unfortunately tonight, together with last week's first leg and the weekend have dampened my optimism that we are on the verge of somethig better under Arteta. Benfica aren't that good. We basically gifted them all 3 of their goals (all 3 were down to our mistakes), and we were so profligate last week, but also lacked any killer instinct against Citeh.

What I liked was the character shown by our players - particularly Tierney; Saka and Auba - to get back into the game, but I despair a bit about our inability to manage a game properly. Game 'management' means more than slowing the ball down and keeping possession - which we seemed to do for the middle part of this game - and which was precisely what Benfica wanted. We were terrorising them when we ran at their defence in the first part of the match, but then seemed to ease off and all teams must play for our inevitable head fuck that gifts them a goal. Looks to me like lack of confidence and that will always be exploited.

I'd love to know where we are in the league table of mistakes leading to opposition goals. This has to be more than simply bad fortune - there is a systemic issue heer - and it makes us brittle as a team.

This was a get out of jail result for Arteta and it feels like one. Sorry I can feel more positive ATM about what on paper is an important win.

Agree with this.

Very happy to get through and great character shown at 2-1 down, but we really should have been comfortable against a very poor Benfica side. Fortunately the individual quality of Saka and Tierney bailed us out.

Still struggling with Arteta a bit. I see progress in certain areas but not convinced on his squad management. Very clearly has favourites, regardless of performances on the pitch. Feel like we've really lost our spark after that brief good run in January.

[selassie]

I want to be happy with the win, but unfortunately tonight, together with last week's first leg and the weekend have dampened my optimism that we are on the verge of somethig better under Arteta. Benfica aren't that good. We basically gifted them all 3 of their goals (all 3 were down to our mistakes), and we were so profligate last week, but also lacked any killer instinct against Citeh.

What I liked was the character shown by our players - particularly Tierney; Saka and Auba - to get back into the game, but I despair a bit about our inability to manage a game properly. Game 'management' means more than slowing the ball down and keeping possession - which we seemed to do for the middle part of this game - and which was precisely what Benfica wanted. We were terrorising them when we ran at their defence in the first part of the match, but then seemed to ease off and all teams must play for our inevitable head fuck that gifts them a goal. Looks to me like lack of confidence and that will always be exploited.

I'd love to know where we are in the league table of mistakes leading to opposition goals. This has to be more than simply bad fortune - there is a systemic issue heer - and it makes us brittle as a team.

This was a get out of jail result for Arteta and it feels like one. Sorry I can feel more positive ATM about what on paper is an important win.

:gp:

Totally agree, I despair of this team, I’m delighted we got through but it feels like one step forward two steps back at times with this team. I thought real good progress was being made around a month ago but I have big doubts again given our recent results and performances.

We absolutely cannot afford to give goals away like we did starting from the next round, there are some decent teams in this tournament and Benfica weren’t one of them, we must improve if we want to win this. We are capable of winning it but we need to perform at a much higher level.

[Niall_Quinn]

Was it a shit performance from a shit team managed by a shit manager and owned by a bunch of shit owners?

Can't say I'm surprised. Didn't watch, didn't know it was on. You think there aren't thousands of ex-Arsenal fans who are the same canoe? This club isn't doing itself any favours if it thinks Korean Jimmy or African Bob can carry it and the legacy fans aren't important.

[Niall_Quinn]

I want to be happy with the win, but unfortunately tonight, together with last week's first leg and the weekend have dampened my optimism that we are on the verge of somethig better under Arteta. Benfica aren't that good. We basically gifted them all 3 of their goals (all 3 were down to our mistakes), and we were so profligate last week, but also lacked any killer instinct against Citeh.

What I liked was the character shown by our players - particularly Tierney; Saka and Auba - to get back into the game, but I despair a bit about our inability to manage a game properly. Game 'management' means more than slowing the ball down and keeping possession - which we seemed to do for the middle part of this game - and which was precisely what Benfica wanted. We were terrorising them when we ran at their defence in the first part of the match, but then seemed to ease off and all teams must play for our inevitable head fuck that gifts them a goal. Looks to me like lack of confidence and that will always be exploited.

I'd love to know where we are in the league table of mistakes leading to opposition goals. This has to be more than simply bad fortune - there is a systemic issue heer - and it makes us brittle as a team.

This was a get out of jail result for Arteta and it feels like one. Sorry I can feel more positive ATM about what on paper is an important win.

Game management is a buzz term introduced by incompetents who discovered a fraction of what Bob Paisley instinctively knew. Like your Pep fucker, for instance. Or your second wave Wenger (which is even more horrible because he already accomplished God Mode football). Don't be fooled by all this TV commentary shit. Football is about getting it up the other end at a speed and precision that defeats the opposition. Always has been, always will be. Manchester United and Gordon Hill. Liverpool and Steve Heighway, Arsenal and Marc Overmars, etc, etc... football. Modern managers are experts in reasons why football can't be played. I don't buy into any of it. I know the Liverpool team of the 80s, or the Utd team of the 90s, or our Arsenal lads when we could play - this is football - these teams would slaughter any of the modern day prancers. Were it not for the ridiculous rules that warrant a whistle every time a pansy is within 200 miles of a gust of wind.

You can try and analyse modern football, but there's only one flaw. It's not football.

[Mac76]

Agree with this.

Very happy to get through and great character shown at 2-1 down, but we really should have been comfortable against a very poor Benfica side. Fortunately the individual quality of Saka and Tierney bailed us out.

Still struggling with Arteta a bit. I see progress in certain areas but not convinced on his squad management. Very clearly has favourites, regardless of performances on the pitch. Feel like we've really lost our spark after that brief good run in January.

:gp:

i'd have loved to be at last night's game as the atmosphere would have been good i think, successfully chasing the win from being 2-1 down, but it's still not a good situation to get us into and we don't look like gettign much further in that competition unless we start to be a more coherent unit

[Chippy]

We need to be so much better with team selections and subs, we're just winging it at the moment

This is what worries me about Arteta. He doesn't seem to know IMO.

He has admitted that Saka (another two assists last night) has been our saviour but is now fatigued after playing so much football.

We have to be careful with Saka, ESR, Tierney etc. These are exceptional players and the future of Arsenal Football Club.

Incidentally, have these three signed long term contracts?

[IBK]

Game management is a buzz term introduced by incompetents who discovered a fraction of what Bob Paisley instinctively knew. Like your Pep fucker, for instance. Or your second wave Wenger (which is even more horrible because he already accomplished God Mode football). Don't be fooled by all this TV commentary shit. Football is about getting it up the other end at a speed and precision that defeats the opposition. Always has been, always will be. Manchester United and Gordon Hill. Liverpool and Steve Heighway, Arsenal and Marc Overmars, etc, etc... football. Modern managers are experts in reasons why football can't be played. I don't buy into any of it. I know the Liverpool team of the 80s, or the Utd team of the 90s, or our Arsenal lads when we could play - this is football - these teams would slaughter any of the modern day prancers. Were it not for the ridiculous rules that warrant a whistle every time a pansy is within 200 miles of a gust of wind.

You can try and analyse modern football, but there's only one flaw. It's not football.

Game management in the sense that we are both referring to is the ability to play the game in the way you want to play it, not being dictated to by the opposition. Being good enough to get the ball 'up the other end at a speed and precision that defeats the opposition' is one way of doing this. Of course there will be times when you can't do this - or play the game the way you want to play it - but there is usually a way to at least try - for example a lesser team getting men behind the ball and working on the counter.

IMO the concept is more apparent when a team is failing to manage agame properly - namely failing to play the game in a way that suits it rather than the opposition. Last nigtht was a prime example for me. Benfica were there for the taking. They have an ageing defence and nippy technical players that like to play on the coiunter attack. So what do we do? We slow the game down - aim for possession and keep a high line - ie precisely what they want us to do. Our goals were the result of individual talent not IMO an effective game plan.

Because that for me is what game management really is - an effective game plan - something that all the teams/players you mention had in spades.

[Mac76]

Tierney :bow: :haha:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunners/comments/lsuxlk/benfica_player_dives_tierney_shouts_youre_a_f/

[IBK]

Tierney :bow: :haha:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Gunners/comments/lsuxlk/benfica_player_dives_tierney_shouts_youre_a_f/

Feckin legend! :lol:

[Gooner23]

:haha:

Love Tierney, we need more players like him.

[Letters]

Definitely should be captain.

[dazthegooner]

Agreed think even from the bench/treatment table he would be better than Auba.

[Niall_Quinn]

Game management in the sense that we are both referring to is the ability to play the game in the way you want to play it, not being dictated to by the opposition. Being good enough to get the ball 'up the other end at a speed and precision that defeats the opposition' is one way of doing this. Of course there will be times when you can't do this - or play the game the way you want to play it - but there is usually a way to at least try - for example a lesser team getting men behind the ball and working on the counter.

IMO the concept is more apparent when a team is failing to manage agame properly - namely failing to play the game in a way that suits it rather than the opposition. Last nigtht was a prime example for me. Benfica were there for the taking. They have an ageing defence and nippy technical players that like to play on the coiunter attack. So what do we do? We slow the game down - aim for possession and keep a high line - ie precisely what they want us to do. Our goals were the result of individual talent not IMO an effective game plan.

Because that for me is what game management really is - an effective game plan - something that all the teams/players you mention had in spades.

Lesser teams used to play the long ball (and got slaughtered for doing it). You don't miss it until it's gone. I hear what you're saying and agree with the analysis of our play, but I don't call it management of any kind. More like resignation, which is what Arteta should be contemplating if he persists with the likes of Xhaka and Elneny. He doesn't know how to use Pepe or the new guy either, has them working journeymen roles instead of pushing them up to create problems. No wonder he hated Ozil so much, that sort of player fits nowhere into Arteta's plan.

I watch from time to time to see if there's any hint of progress. I see good players like Tierney huffing and puffing and doing what they can while shitkickers like Bellerin undo anything decent that's produced. That's when you need a bit of management. Sit Bellerin down and tell him to stay sat down. Let the other guy have a run in the team without chopping him after one match. When all the pieces are constantly changing and the manager's more worried about yards run per minute, rather than productive activity per match, it's no wonder the players produce very little and can't get a rhythm going.

We haven't got a settled team, we haven't got any gears beyond reverse and neutral. We have manager's pets and the ranks of the shunned. It's mismanagement if anything. Then he puts it out on the pitch and attempts to manage the mismanagement from the sidelines. No guts and you can be sure there's no glory in the pipeline.

[Ollie the Optimist]

We need to be so much better with team selections and subs, we're just winging it at the moment


Arteta just brings on Willian whatever the circumstances. there is no logic to it

[Letters]

Arteta just brings on Willian whatever the circumstances. there is no logic to it

He got an assist last night.

Impact sub :bow:

;)

[Letters]

Tell you who I love.
Tierney.
He reminds me of proper footballers.
You remember when they had a bit of grit about them and you felt they’d give everything for the team? Haven’t seen a player like him at Arsenal for years.
Wilshere maybe, but he never quite made it because of the injuries.

Tierney 4 Captain

[Marc Overmars]

He’s cut from a different cloth. The kind of player where football is most likely the be all and end all in his life. Even if he were playing in a dead rubber game he’d play like it was a cup final.

Certainly has to be the top candidate for our next captain.

[GP]

He probably drives a rover 200. Gets him from A to B.

[Xhaka Can’t]

At last. A player that reminds you of why you started to follow football.