Champions League Last 16 Draw (14/12/15 11am GMT).

[tpyo]

I don't see why some people think this is an auto-loss. I'd say we stand a decent chance of winning the tie. Granted they're a very good team but so are we. Sure we're not the best of the best of the best but any ascendancy requires a climb at first, otherwise Preston North End would still be top of the English league. I mean even if our chances of winning are only 10% they're still ten percent. I swear I caught someone here saying we have _no_ chance. That seems silly.
If we want to take that pessimistic attitude we can still, even then hope for injuries to Barca's squad, some sort of morale disaster occurring or even a referee fluking it in favour of us. Also we have the January transfer window to bolster our options which means we might get that striker we've all been hoping for.

The tie is late Feb/early March so there is plenty of time for things to change between then and now and give us a better picture of how we might do. Personally I'm relishing the tie, this is what being the fan of a major club is all about. This is the stage we get to play on.
To put it another way I'm pretty sure more of our squad are hungrier for this cup than many of Barca's squad and maybe that could make a difference on the nights.

[fakeyank]

I don't see why some people think this is an auto-loss. I'd say we stand a decent chance of winning the tie. Granted they're a very good team but so are we. Sure we're not the best of the best of the best but any ascendancy requires a climb at first, otherwise Preston North End would still be top of the English league. I mean even if our chances of winning are only 10% they're still ten percent. I swear I caught someone here saying we have _no_ chance. That seems silly.
If we want to take that pessimistic attitude we can still, even then hope for injuries to Barca's squad, some sort of morale disaster occurring or even a referee fluking it in favour of us. Also we have the January transfer window to bolster our options which means we might get that striker we've all been hoping for.

The tie is late Feb/early March so there is plenty of time for things to change between then and now and give us a better picture of how we might do. Personally I'm relishing the tie, this is what being the fan of a major club is all about. This is the stage we get to play on.
To put it another way I'm pretty sure more of our squad are hungrier for this cup than many of Barca's squad and maybe that could make a difference on the nights.

Pass that dutch bruh..

[tpyo]

How can you be a football fan without hope? Strikes me that if you think Arsenal not winning as accepted fact you should maybe take a break from supporting them. I'm sorry if that sounds rude but it just doesn't sound like a productive or healthy mindset.

I remember some game in the 90's it was the old Europa Cup I think, it was possibly the semi-finals or something and we were away against Inter Milan there was like less than ten minutes on the clock and we were two goals down. We were watching the game round my grandma's house and my Dad said: "ah, that's it, no good, lets go" and I spent the entire walk back home (albeit only 10 minutes) remonstrating with him over the possibility of an Arsenal win with him continually dismissing the possibility. I worked as a paper boy so the next morning woke up to the back pages that showed that Arsenal won on penalties and I think Seaman's face was in all the photos (I think he probably saved the final penalty or smth).
So its not the dutch speaking, its a memorable experience as a child I had in supporting Arsenal. So because of that I never give up, I never surrender hope and I never stop dreaming. I thought that was the the point, isn't it?

[fakeyank]

You have an exam on 12 chapters of your class.. you studied only 3 chapters. Do you expect to pass the exam? Yes, there is a small chance that the question paper will have 90% of the questions coming from the 3 chapters and you will end up passing, but what are the chances of something like that happening?

That is the problem with us as well. We do not hold a candlelight to the Barcelona team- not with our players, our manager, our mentality and most importantly our tactics. Tactics is most important because that can win you ties like this. With our manager, you know what he is going to do... we may sneak a win at home but to think we will win this tie is borderline delusional.

It's like a Bournemouth fan saying at the beginning of the season that they'll win the title.. Sure, I have hope that by some miracle we may win the tie but I know that is a pipeline dream. Realistically, we have very little going for us. If you think being realistic is not the definition of being a fan, then I have not read that dictionary. Frankly, I think fans with rose tinted glasses are one of our biggest problem. Wake up and smell the coffee!

[Özim]

How can you be a football fan without hope? Strikes me that if you think Arsenal not winning as accepted fact you should maybe take a break from supporting them. I'm sorry if that sounds rude but it just doesn't sound like a productive or healthy mindset.

I remember some game in the 90's it was the old Europa Cup I think, it was possibly the semi-finals or something and we were away against Inter Milan there was like less than ten minutes on the clock and we were two goals down. We were watching the game round my grandma's house and my Dad said: "ah, that's it, no good, lets go" and I spent the entire walk back home (albeit only 10 minutes) remonstrating with him over the possibility of an Arsenal win with him continually dismissing the possibility. I worked as a paper boy so the next morning woke up to the back pages that showed that Arsenal won on penalties and I think Seaman's face was in all the photos (I think he probably saved the final penalty or smth).
So its not the dutch speaking, its a memorable experience as a child I had in supporting Arsenal. So because of that I never give up, I never surrender hope and I never stop dreaming. I thought that was the the point, isn't it?

How? Let me explain, it's called Arsene Wenger.

He leaves us fans with no hope because we know what will happen having seen it so many times, it's the same pattern and that's his biggest failing, stealing the hope from the ordinary fan, no longer are games unpredictable and that takes all of the enjoyment away.

Yes in the 90's we upset the odds, but we had a different manager and different mindset and players who had belief and a massive desire to win. That's all gone and all we're left with is tippy tappy nonsense and hollow words about how we're ready to dominate the football world.

Frankly I don't really understand how fans having seen years of same stuff still believe, I can only put it down to some people being in total denial about what's been happening in the last 10 years.

[Power n Glory]

Not exactly. It's like Bournemouth looking at the calendar, seeing back to back games against Chelsea and Utd and thinking anything is possible.

Fans with rose tinted glasses are annoying but it's the same on the other end of the spectrum.

[Kano]

How? Let me explain, it's called Arsene Wenger.

He leaves us fans with no hope because we know what will happen having seen it so many times, it's the same pattern and that's his biggest failing, stealing the hope from the ordinary fan, no longer are games unpredictable and that takes all of the enjoyment away.

Yes in the 90's we upset the odds, but we had a different manager and different mindset and players who had belief and a massive desire to win. That's all gone and all we're left with is tippy tappy nonsense and hollow words about how we're ready to dominate the football world.

Frankly I don't really understand how fans having seen years of same stuff still believe, I can only put it down to some people being in total denial about what's been happening in the last 10 years.

No Zim, he’s not left you with no hope - you as a person make your own decision to 'support' that way, no one else. Wenger has big faults, a lot I agree with you on, but it’s a miserable existence if you can’t look forward to watching the team you support on the weekend. Time to give up once you reach that point. A football manager doesn’t make you give up hope, only you do. Which is fair enough but at least be big enough to admit that. You’re as downbeat as you allow yourself to be.

[Özim]

No Zim, he’s not left you with no hope - you as a person make your own decision to 'support' that way, no one else. Wenger has big faults, a lot I agree with you on, but it’s a miserable existence if you can’t look forward to watching the team you support on the weekend. Time to give up once you reach that point. A football manager doesn’t make you give up hope, only you do. Which is fair enough but at least be big enough to admit that. You’re as downbeat as you allow yourself to be.

Well no because I just don't believe in his teams and the reason for this is the last decade of his management which really has taken any fun out of football, seeing the same disappointments over and over and over again, the same football, the same faults, the same problems...it's neverending.

Unpredictabiity is a big factor in football and when everything is predictable almost to the point it appears scripted it gets boring fast and that's what I feel we're like, hence the reason we know there's zero chance of an upset against Barcelona.

[Letters]

I wish we had a proper manager like Mourinho.

[Özim]

I wish we had a proper manager like Mourinho.

Sums up the unpredictability of football I guess, same happened to Klopp, doesn't make them bad managers.