I think this is going to be another instalment in glorious failure.
I'm sure we'll find a way to pub a goal, sit back and conspire to lose the game.
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I think this is going to be another instalment in glorious failure.
I'm sure we'll find a way to pub a goal, sit back and conspire to lose the game.
Expecting glorious failure but it's really all or nothing, the players just have to raise their game to levels not seen before.
I’ll be shocked if get close to them tbh.
The Jan transfer moves went as well as possible for the future but was really boneheaded in respect of ensuring we had a squad that could challenge in Europe.
We should have kept Giroud until the end of the season.
You just know he'll start with Welbeck and Xhaka = game over
Honestly I'm still holding out some vague miracle even though the odds are that's it all over.
Just one early goal and then it's all too play for.
Our season boils down to 90 minutes
We need to sit back, put 11 behind the ball and hold tight to go into HT 0-0. Then 2nd half grow in confidence and get a goal. Then retreat and do an Atletico on Atletico :pray:
No that's dumb. Tbh them scoring a goal doesn't change things as we need to a score a goal ourselves to progress. 0 - 0 and we're out.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cripps
All out attack from the first minute and hope to get an early goal. Then sit back and hope to punish Atletico when they have to come at us.
All out attack from 1st minute? :haha:Quote:
Originally Posted by The Emirates Gallactico
And get countered 4 times and be 4-0 down :haha: :doh:
We are not good enough to keep it tight and try and nick a goal.
We need to be a bit bold. A score draw is fine, 2-2 would see us through.
Come on Arsenal!!
I would start Mkhi ahead of Welbz, he has more guile and we need to be a little bit clever with how we attack. Welbz throwing himself around won’t make a difference because they relish that kind of battle.
We need to throw Wenger off the plane.
And Theresa May.
I...don't think she's going to on that plane.
Will you stop your WUMming for once!!!!!!! :threaten:Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
:(
Yes boss
:getcoat:
I'm not giving up on this yet. A tough task yes, but stranger things have happened.
Exactly. I mean, I'm married. MARRIED! (Sorry to disappoint).Quote:
Originally Posted by Goonermerree
Let's go for 2-2, win on away goals. :dance:
Let's drop Xhaka for this match. The guy's a liability and there's every chance he'll cost us at the most critical moment. Time to take steps to prevent these "almost" outcomes and, clearly, a prudent measure is to bench this guy. I'd bench Mustafi too, another raging liability.
Wenger won't do it though. And we'll end up paying the price.
I don't care what the score is as long as we win. Not sure what your first sentence means though.:unsure:Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
It is not unknown for us to have a player sent off in away game in Europe, it's bound to be Xhaka if we do in this match.Quote:
Originally Posted by Niall_Quinn
Its only disappointing for your missus tbfQuote:
Originally Posted by Letters
Stranger things have happened... Letters got married.Quote:
Originally Posted by Goonermerree
And not to a Thai bride.
That's basically stranger than the first 5 seasons of stranger things all rolled into one.
I would leave Mustafi on the side of the road somewhere and take Mavropanos, at least he can defend. It's all or nothing now anyway
Mustafi is rash and weak but he can sometimes produce one of those really good games and I'm hoping he will for this one. The Greek guy looked solid yesterday but away to Atletico is a different prospect alltogether.
Mkhi should start over Welbeck, thats a no brainer. Otherwise same as last week, same intensity and quick passing and we'll do some damage.
He used to but he hasnt had a really good game for about 6 months nowQuote:
Originally Posted by AFC Leveller
My hoped-for possible lineup - i'm thinking three at the back - as i'm sure you can tell...
Ospina
Bellerin
Mavropanos
Holding
Chambers
Monreal
AMN
Ozil
Mkhi
Nelson
Laca
Holding instead of Mustafi.
AMN instead of Xhaka.
Mikki instead of Welbeck.
I suppose Wenger has Xhaka, Mustafi and Welbeck nailed onto the teamsheet though. He saw what happened in the first leg and he should be able to see who the repeat liabilities are.
Holding will stay on his feet at least. Something Mustafi seems incapable of doing.
AMN can move the ball much quicker than Xhaka and he's less likely to commit stupid fouls.
Welbeck is a great guy, great smile, I'm sure he does lots of charity work etc, etc. But he's a key reason why so much of our play breaks down and he's often the cause of our attacks turning into scrambled defence. Same story last week when he lost the ball and Atleti pounced. Mikki will retain the ball better and has a much better chance of getting a shot on target.
Mikki will likely start anyway, but I bet Welbeck is shoehorned in there too.
i like Welbeck and think he is worth having in the squad because we aren't going to have 25 superstars. Also he is our 3rd highest scorer which isn't bad as he has been injured a fair bit this year.
Anyway AMN should be given a go ahead of Xhaka, and anyone should play ahead of Mustafi. Mikki will play unless he is injured
Welbeck needs to seriously 'up' his game as he is close to being complete shit.
So, you’re saying he’s overdue!Quote:
Originally Posted by Aubameyang's Wang
I read ya.
Welbeck :lol:
At the game I thought Welbeck was fouled just before Aleti's goal. Just watched the replay for the first time on tv and I still think it was a foul on Welbeck and I think he actually played well in the first leg. Yes he missed a chance but he wasn't the only one.
I fear Henrikh is no more likely to be a direct goal threat than Wlebeck is and Welbeck is good in the build up play too. I don't think the choice (if one needs to be taken between them) is a actually a clear cut one.
Atleti are disciplined, organised, committed. We need to be the same - as hopeless a task as that seems. But in order to get even close to what's required we can't have the players that are most prone to fucking up starting. Welbeck is one of those players. Either he'll miss a sitter or he'll lose the ball in an horrific way and put a chance on a plate for the opposition. That's too big a risk to carry into the game when you compare it to what he can give us, which is not much.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bumble
Sure, he has scored a few. But how many chances did he need? If he must play (and I fear that's the case) it should be in the central role and he should be slapped into understanding he needs to be in the box challenging every time we get the ball wide. His best attribute is probably his heading ability, which is still 50/50 hit and miss. But he's quite good in the air when he gets it right. I just don't want him to play at all though.
I don't know why Wenger can't or won't see these things.
It was a foul, clear as day.Quote:
Originally Posted by Blink 1nce Quince 2wice
Trouble is, Welbeck dived 3 times before that trying to win a FK - so when he was actually fouled, the ref didn't believe him and waved play on.
Maybe he was fouled, maybe not. But what was he thinking when he took on 4 defenders anyway? Where was he planning to go? You know exactly what would have happened, even if he was successful. He'd have checked back and then laid it off. So why take the risk at all? It was idiotic play. It's not the first time he's lost the ball high and put us under pressure.Quote:
Originally Posted by Blink 1nce Quince 2wice
Of course if Kos wasn't in complete moron mode it wouldn't have cost us so dearly. But our forwards have an extra responsibility to ensure our defenders aren't caught out because we all know what our defenders are capable of. Calamity.
We need players with brain cells for this game
That rules out Welbeck :rose:
Losing the ball though...however daft, in the oppositions third should not a goal result.
What I hadn't quite appreciated was just how clown like Mustafi's slip up was that meant he failed to cover Kos's sheepish arse.
My starting 11 would be:
Cech
Bellerin
any other CB but Mustafi
Kos
Montreal
AMN
Ramsay
Jack
Ozil
Mkhi
Laca
However, Wenger will probably go for:
Ospina
Bellerin
Mustafi
Kos
Monteal
Xhaka
Ramsay
Jack
Ozil
Iwobi (or Welbeck)
Laca
My team would get a draw at least, Wenger's will lose 3-1.
We could have had Lucas Perez coming on that LW for us. A proper striker instead of an English lad with a great smile.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cripps
Wenger is a muppet.
You'd play Holding and Chambers?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac76