by Tony Attwood
The trouble with home and away ties against teams that we don’t know too much about is that one tends to use up all the information available in the first leg. When it comes to the second leg there then isn’t too much to say.
But rather than offer you a blank page, here’s what I have been able to rustle up
As the table shows, we’ve already won the Europa group stage league and so go through as a seeded club
| GROUP H | GP | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 10 |
| Red Star Belgrade | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| FC Cologne | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 6 |
| BATE Borisov | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 5 |
As for BATE, when we looked at them ahead of the first game they were winning every match they played in and then (as Paul Merson’s script writer might say) some games they weren’t even involved in. But of late they have not had it all their own way. Indeed them most certainly didn’t have it their way in an extraordinary Euorpa game against Cologne.
However given it is all over and we have won the group maybe some of those youngsters who really want a bit of game time might come in. It depends in part who Mr Wenger wants to keep happy and how he sees the balance of the team. He after all, does have the advantage of seeing them in practice.
- And so Arsenal face Olympiacos in the FA Cup.
- Arsenal U18s – early December update, 100% home record, no wins away!
- Wright and Shearer lose the thread, Wright apologises, but neither really gets it
Would be good to see some of the youth do their thing.
Nelson is a forward, and plays great there, but i suppose he is getting experience in other positions too as many of our players have to.
After the Arsenal loss to Man Utd st the Ems last Saturday, the whole thing has become frustrating, stupid and hopeless. Otherwise, how does one explains 30 shots were put on target in the match by the Gunners but they had only one goal to show for their efforts speak volumes. What this simply means is, the Gunners lacked composure in front of goal in that match that would have enabled them get it right. But lack of been efficient in their shootings in front of goal as Le Boss has said cost them a result in the match after his Arsenal team was taken apart in the game by the Devils from Manchester despite the Gunners having 70% possession in the game but no cigar at the end of it.
This lack of composure by the Gunners that often characterised their playing in shooting in front of the opposition goalmouth to place the ball in the area of the goal where the goalkeeper cannot save the ball has to henceforth stop. Le Boss has to urgently find lasting solution to this inefficiency in goals taking in front of the opponent goal before the Gunners go to Southampton to honour the Premier League match date at ST Marys on Sunday. And also at the Ems on Thursday night’s against BATE Borisov in the Europa League despite the fact that Arsenal have already qualified for the knockout stage of the competition as group leaders.
So Napoli and Athleticp join us along with Dortmund! A few giants enter the fray!
Up there in the lofty heights, second and first in your group look a lot alike, with the exception of the home tie second!
With only 5 of the teams able to be considered as weaker and all capable of posing anyone a headache, the last 16 is brewing nicely ahead of the next round draw! Focus may shift back home but, the transfer market could be shaped by PL inclusions!
City fail to clear the group unbeaten, but are certainly contenders for the most coveted club crown!
But is it a poisoned chalice, how will our rivals cope with late season cup exits! Will wants ways or mercurial talents once again decide the fate of the crowns!?
COYG
Officials are from Austria
Referee: Robert Schörgenhofer
Assistant referees
_Markus Gutschi
_Roland Riedel
Fourth official
_Andreas Witschnigg
Additional assistant referees
_Markus Hameter
_Rene Eisner
—-
UEFA still using that dork Daniel Thacker to “present” an Arsenal point of view (not really, he’s just a dork).
It is apparently 9C in London at the moment, expecting a high of 11C. Later in the day there may be some rain. The low tonight is expected to be +1.
For the start of the game, it should be about +7C, with winds of 22 kph from the west. The rain is expected to have stopped by 1800 hours. Cloud cover should be about 50%, with a relative humidity of about 66%.
COYG!
Our referee:
In all games this season, he has given out between 2 and 9 yellows per game; with a single second yellow and a single straight red. He is averaging around 5 cards (yellow) per game.