Oh lady Luck, where have you gone to? Missed chances cost us dear

By Walter Broeckx

The Arsenal team that started this match against Monaco was Ospina, Bellerin, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Coquelin, Cazorla, Sanchez, Ozil, Welbeck, Giroud. On the bench we had Szczesny, Gabriel, Monreal, Chambers, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott.

Arsenal started rather well with an early chance for Welbeck who turned good but his shot sailed over the cross bar. Some good pressure early on leading to another half chance for Welbeck but nothing really came from it.

Gradually the game turned to a rather even match. Monaco with a good organisation and very high pressure but dropping deep when Arsenal had the ball but when they got the ball they tried to counter at high speed. Not that it lead to any chances at first.

Arsenal then got a bit sloppy with their passing. Too many easy passes not reaching their destination and that was getting a bit frustrating. The team clearly was aware of the counter threat of Monaco so on most occasions the forwards also very busy defending.  Not much goal mouth incidents at both ends for long periods in the game. Monaco defending in numbers but trying to hit us on the counter.

Alexis with a shot that just went over but. And then suddenly at the other end Kondogbia got the ball took a shot from very far, Ospina stepping aside to collect the ball but then it hit the body of Per Mertesacker and Ospina was beaten. Worst nightmare case scenario. Monaco being very lucky with that and putting the game on its head. Not that Arsenal really deserved to be in front (if they had taken their early chances they would have been)  but Monaco surely didn’t deserve to be in front. But they were.

Giroud hit a ball over the bar from close range and then heading over the crossbar. It wasn’t his evening till now. Coquelin getting a booking for a clumsy challenge and then we went in to the dressing room to rethink things.

Arsenal should have been level within minutes. Alexis with a run on the right a good cross to Giroud who shot it at the wrong side of the post. And a bit later he headed a free kick from Cazorla over. Come on put it over the line! Certainly when the chances are there in such a match this is vital.

And then suddenly a sucker punch. Monaco with a counter like they can do it better than anyone else and Berbatov with the finish. 0-2 after 53 minutes.

Arsenal should have pulled one back within minutes. Alexis with a good shot, the keeper who could only parry it in the feet of Giroud with the goal at his mercy…he blew it over the crossbar. I think missing such a chance was more a killer blow than the Berbatov goal. You felt it wouldn’t be our evening…worse to come?

Immediately after his third missed chance was replaced by Walcott. But the first danger came from Monaco but Ospina could stop the effort from Martial with his leg.  Then Alexis with a great pass to Walcott but the keeper from Monaco also saved with his leg and the ball fell to Welbeck who took a shot at goal from 6 meters out …to see it cannoned off the body of Walcott in to a goal kick.  Okay, it just wouldn’t happen for Arsenal.

By then most Arsenal players looked frustrated and some heads dropped. Too many easy passes went lost even without real pressure from Monaco at times. The team just felt it wasn’t their night. Monaco could play their favourite game. Defend with everyone and then counter at high speed. Oxlade-Chamberlain came on for Coquelin with 22 minutes to go.

Could he bring Arsenal back to live? A first attempt to find Walcott was stopped by the keeper. Another pass from him to Welbeck was cut out by some Monaco bodies who were back in numbers. Ospina had to alert for a shot from Martial. And with 9 minutes to go Rosicky came on for Cazorla.

Rosicky joined in the malaise that had taken over.  The number of times that you could see players making the wrong choice was amazing to see. And passes were over hit or were too short. Very un-Arsenal.

Alexis with a volley after a corner but the ball went wide. You could see that the Arsenal players couldn’t find each other. Monaco living up to their reputation of being an amazing defensive team that can counter at amazing high speed.

And just when the 90th minute had started a corner from Özil was cleared to Oxlade-Chamberlain who curled a shot in to the top corner. The Ox giving us hope for the return match!

But then he gave it away a few minutes later when the stepped on the ball and lost it and Monaco could do what they love to do most: counter. Ferreira-Carrasco breaks away and his low shot was pushed to the post by Ospina but flew in.

Monaco had come to wait for a lucky bounce of the ball and got it. After that they shut up the shop as was expected and feared they might do and they did this with great expertise. Arsenal chasing the game but never found their fluent passing moves against the Monaco defenders that worked their socks off.

The few chances we got were missed and nothing went on that front. Their goal came from a deflection and our goal bound shot was deflected away by an Arsenal player. But overall the team wasn’t at their best and should have done better. In such matches you have to take your chances and we just didn’t do that at all.

Is it over now? If we take our chances…not.  Maybe next time we get a lucky bounce and they start shaking? In football everything is possible, certainly when we look down, out and beaten. But it certainly looks like we will need to find Lady Luck by then.

 

 

 

 

59 Replies to “Oh lady Luck, where have you gone to? Missed chances cost us dear”

  1. Missed chances, poor defending, ball watching, unable to keep the ball… Bad night all around the pitch. Still think we can rescue the tie but I won’t be betting my mortgage on it. 🙁

  2. I known my job, and I will stick to our players and believe they cam do it. Its their job to do it. 3-0? Early goal? Why not? They scored 3? Why cant we?. COYG. Hope Giroud will score hattrick and fix his faults.

  3. THis was Arsenal at its most feeble.We did have the warning signs hanging over us with the horrendeous second half at palace but everyone thougth Monaco would be a a free ticket to the quarters but my God once again the team and Wengers atrocious tactics helped yet another inferior team to an easy win at The Emirates.How much longer before Wenger decides he cant take another humiliation like this ??? The mna must be a masochist.

  4. Well our stale Danish has crawled out of his aaa sewer and serves up his Wenger-bashing shite once again. Best to ignore him….it was a bad day at the office but we’ll use this to rebound as needed.

  5. A very disappointing evening.

    We managed to miss some straightforward chances, chances which we would expect to be taken and then when chasing the game forgot about covering the back four – or back two.

    The circumstances of having to play at home first meant that Arsenal felt that they had to attack – but against a counter-attacking team with pace we were too cavalier.

    It didn’t help that Sanchez & Cazorla and others were repeatedly fouled with the permission of the ref, but we had enough of the ball to do better.

    We need to get our act together before the Toffies come to town – if true to usual form they will foul everyone in sight!

  6. It’s not over yet,and we need to back them. Yes, Lady Luck deserted us, so unfortunately did some of the basics, and ultimately, defensive discipline.
    I would say that performance was bizarre, really unlike us. There was little energy, they looked tired. Again, we seem viulnerable to large, physical,counter attacking teams, and again, questions will be asked about our big match temperament. But, to me, that performance was just……really strange. Nerves? A few players with a virus? Just a really bad day at the office?
    Wish I knew, but wish we could get out of this cycle of poor performances every few games, these things can damage confidence and morale.
    Let’s hope they massively improve at the weekend on this very strange evening right out of the twighlight zone. We have had some bad performances, but don’t remember anything like this recently at home that was so self inflicted at times. The loss at home to villa, the ref played a massive part, Utd at home, maybe but at least we went for it. This one, at a loss for words.

  7. Forget any name calling we are not progressing & for the best of the club we need a fresh start with a new manager for next season.

  8. Arsene Wenger mentioned of us being a bit unlucky but also pointed out that we used more hearts than brains.

    Let’s just hope we’ll bounce back with a victory over Everton. It’s now more important game than the one tonight.

  9. Another naive and completely rubbish performance from Arsenal on a big european night in front of there own fans. out thought and out fought Again.

  10. And, kudos to Walter for not mentioning the referee once in a bad way. That says a lot about the ref’s performance tonight.

  11. Disappointing as this performance was, all but two mega rich sugar daddy funded clubs in this country would love to experience what you consider our lack of progress Freddie Jeeves. Can you guarantee this new manager you wish for, whoever he is will even get us to the knockout stage of this tournament every year?

  12. I haven’t seen a worse performance for many years, defending was terrible, real lack of urgency or creativity, everything seemed to be lacking.

    While I don’t think this is the best time to discuss the future of the manager Mandy Dodd’s comment about can you guarentee this new manager will get us into the knockout stage of the tournament every year shows the malaise that has set in among some supporters.

    We shouldn’t settle for getting into the knockout rounds, we shouldn’t settle for 4th place. We should be looking to try to challenge and to try and improve and we should be looking to address the issues with the squad

    For a few years now it always seems that we go missing in big games when the pressure is on. This was one of those games, a chance to get a good result and get into the last 8 and we blew it, now with no pressure we will probably go to Monaco and put in a great performance and win 2-0 just like we have done before.

    Man City was another game no one really gave us a chance in an we performed. Spurs on the other hand was a high pressure game where something was expected and we bottled it.

    What causes this from the players? Is there something lacking in the coaching department with sports psychology?

    Whatever it is we should look to change and improve it and we need to consider if the manager is the best man for the best man for the job. If he is we should continue with him, if he isn’t then he should be replaced. My view is he is the best man until the end of the season, then we should consider our options as we should every season. We should always consider whether we can improve in any area and if the manager can be improved upon (this isn’t the same as saying he needs to go, not at all, but the club seem far too settled without any planning for the future)

  13. True Mandy, the one thing you cannot argue with about us under AW over the past decade is our consistency

  14. Sorry Mandy, but if you’re implying Chelsea would be envious of Arsenal reaching the knockout round every season and little more, you’re just wrong. City certainly, but Chelsea make deep runs more often than not, and have won the whole thing recently. Hell, the one season they missed the knockout round in the last ten or so, they won the Europa League.

    No fanbase or club is going to willingly trade Chelsea’s record in Europe over the past decade for Arsenal’s. Sorry.

  15. Absolutely ThomB. Wenger will get grief over the next few days , but it wasn’t him who missed the chances, or parted their formations to let their players stroll through on counters.
    Just read his comments on the official site, he was guarded in his words, but I would imagine he is absolutely seething, substituting giroud early without any apparent injury, that was a statement from a man pretty pissed off. Note he refused to categorically rule out the cardinal sins of complacency and lack of communication in his interview. I do not want to have a go at players who usually serve us well, but I would imagine some will be sweating a bit after that performance, and determined to put things right.

  16. Actually Mandy, excuse that comment. I misread what you said, and it makes more sense upon re-reading.

  17. Mandy Dodd posts

    ”Can you guarantee this new manager you wish for, whoever he is will even get us to the knockout stage of this tournament every year?”

    And then further guarantee that a cup game in the knockout stage gets played without an upset. Anything can happen in a Cup tie.

  18. SteveO, I said all but the two mega rich clubs would want our record in Europe, and I of course I class city and Chelsea as those mega rich English teams. We have taken a different route to such clubs, like it or not. Utd and Liverpool have a better record in winning this , but will they as they are match out consistancy in getting there in the coming years? Utd might because of their money, but Liverpool probably will not.
    Freddie, the words of David Dein who knows more about the club than any of us…..wenger will not be hard to replace, he will be impossible to replace.
    Progress, our season is not over yes, despite a poor performance this evening.
    The manager carries the can, but does anyone believe wenger sent out a team with the aim of playing like that? The players have to take responsibility for basic errors we saw this evening.

  19. Basically we were out thought and out fought , We had no width and did not use our possession correctly . Defensively we were naive and to blame the full backs is to excuse the non working midfield . Their is no defensive cohesion , it’s all about going forward , it’s too sad to keep going on.

  20. AW said it all:
    “Football is not down to paper, football is down to performance and on the night Monaco produced a performance and we didn’t”.

    This last bit

    “football is down to performance and on the night Monaco produced a performance and we didn’t”

    is especially relevant.

    Of course we are going to win return leg and go through, there’s no doubt, but i would prefer without these blips.

  21. Ugggh, I see very few games, today’s game being one, and all the vermin come out to give us their advice.

    Bleech!

    I think I’ve doubled the tidbits that Walter had with his article on Alexis.

    http://untold-arsenal.com/archives/41287#comment-833433

    Alexis does a lot for Arsenal (no magic today, but hey nobody except the Ox (fresh off an injury) had magic today), but coming to Arsenal (where the Christmas season is filled with games) is a change from before. Before coming to Arsenal, Alexis was Santa in Tocopilla for 6 consecutive years.

    My life has been the Great Plains of North America, where water has always been the limiting resource. I currently live in a particularly dry region, where we average about 400mm of precipitation per year. Not too far from me, is Vancouver (on the coast) which gets 3 times as much precipitation at almost 1200 mm. Heck, London gets 600mm of rain per year. Where Alexis calls home is next to the Atacama desert, and right on the coast has an average yearly rainfall of less than 10mm.

    Alexis wants to help his home city, and coming to Arsenal made some big changes over what he could do at Barcelona or earlier in his career. We should try to help him do what he wants to do for his city.

    Stewart Robson is unwanted around England, maybe send him to Tocopilla? But the locals will just haul him to the centre of the Atacama and kick him out with no water. Which is more than he deserves.

    Maybe I am too used to farming, but the only thing I can think of to help Tocopilla, is a desalination plant. Which you cannot buy at Walmart for $10.

    Ideas?

    No time to be stunned. Everton is on Sunday. Let’s get back to the business of winning games!

    COYG!

  22. but does anyone believe wenger sent out a team with the aim of playing like that?

    Probably not , but he sent out a team to play in the style and shape they did. As much as I hate to say it the buck stops with the tactics , we played with no width and urgency . We were easy meat for a team that used the Mourinho handbook on how to frustrate The Arsenal, they packed the middle and Kondogbia ruled it, we foundered on the centre of their back 4 with all of our players wanting to be the centre forward. Unfortunately the centre forward we did have was having a mare and the few chances that we did make were squandered. The attitude seemed off, something that I can’t understand . Too many players seemed to be waiting for someone else to do it and were happy to play in little triangles without actually stretching Monaco. Were this a one off I could excuse it but it has become the norm whenever we come up against an organised team that knows how to nullify our systems.

  23. Our game was poor. I think players, sometimes get carried away by the occasion (Wengers old club vs new). And try too hard. And yesterday was the classic case of our players trying too hard. Its down to players to get things right in the return leg now.

    When I see comments like, Wenger has lost the plot..blah blah blah. Take one look at the team sheet and then tell us what Wenger did wrong?

  24. This game was not about Wenger but the boys. They just shite all over the pitch in front of the fans – a shambolic performance. Now we have a uphill task. It can be done, but we always switch off too early. Against AC Millan 3:0 to the Arsenal after 45mins and the only goal to push us through didn’t com until the next game. Ditto for Bayern last season! I just hate the drama they have reserved for us.

  25. I find it funny that when we are humiliated it is either fully Arsenes fault or fully the players fault. Its a team game- the players need to take a long look at themselves for that performance, as does the manager for allowing it to happen yet again with a vastly different set of players. The fundamental questions are why were Monaco able to humiliate us at home, why were they more comnitted, hungrier? Why cant we negotiate a second round home tie in the biggest club cup competition and why does this keep
    happening no matter who the players are, beit against Milan, Monaco or Bayern?

  26. Different players, same result as the previous 10+ years, the one constant in all this??

    I remember remarking to my dad during the spuds game I felt I had watched the same game a thousand times and last night I felt exactly the same. So predictable.

  27. Those of you who where not born here is a story you mmight not have been told, an Italian team came to highbury winning 3 – 0 and the press as always was all over but in a few days they swallowed their puke.
    History repeats its to those who have the brains to remember.

  28. Wenger quote > ““The heart took over the head and, at this level, it doesn’t work. Mentally we were not ready, not sharp enough to get into this game. We paid for it.”

    Please read that again & again.

    Totally unacceptable.

  29. As expected, the aaa tactical geniuses have all crawled out of their sewer to tell us the same thing they have been saying when we lost a match.

    I agree with Walter about ‘Lady luck’. Their first goal changed the complexion of the match. How daft can some people be to blame AW for his tactics? He was polite as usual in his press conference after the match by not pointing accusing fingers to his players publicly, but I’m sure he was disappointed by players not converting the chances we had to win the game.

    While it’s glaring that some of our boys did not turn up for the match, Monaco did well to defend and organise at the back.

    Bring on Everton on Sunday.

    COYG

  30. This tie is over. It will be a similar result in Monaco. Best concentrate on the FA Cup and league.
    The result was no surprise. Monaco have the game to beat Arsenal and overall, the better players, despite how we like to glorify average players like Welbeck, Walcott, Chamberlain et al.
    The CL always brings a heavy dose of reality at this time of year.

  31. Regardless of what happens in the return leg. Regardless if we progress or not.

    Regardless of tactics (Wenger accurately predicted the way Monaco would play). Regardless of injuries (Monaco were missing 5 out of their starting 11, including 2 out of their famous back 4 and Toualalan who is their star defensive midfielder). Regardless of the fact that their main striker is someone not good enough to play for Fulham, and is famous for being a lazy, slow git.

    So you want to talk about LUCK ?! Luck was on our side, big time. We got the weakest team out of the 8 who finished first, a team that scored 4 goals in 6 matches in the group stage, and they were badly injured.

    THAT is luck. Circumstances that are not under your control, is luck. On the pitch, I don’t believe in luck. On the pitch, you make your own luck. And what happened last night was, in lack of a better word, a disgrace.

    If there is one thing I talk about in anger is mentality. You play for a god damned 90 minutes, you are paid obscene amount of money for it, just do your fuckin best, stay focused, don’t make retarded mistakes, and give everything you’ve got. That’s what I demand from every player. It doesn’t matter if we win or lose. Sometimes we can play perfectly from the mental standpoint and still lose due to refs screwing us over or the other team playing better or other factors such as unplayable pitch. It can happen.

    But last night cannot, should not happen. As far as I know, no one contended that we were fed poisoned lasagna, but it sure looked like it.

    I am not going to single out any of the players, I don’t see the point. And if there’s one thing I am asking Wenger to address is how can this thing happen: it was not tactics; it was not being outplayed; it was just our players not doing anything that resembles what they are capable of and what they should be doing. At home. In a very important match. This is not football. This is psychology. And this psychological problem is like an elephant in the room. We have one of, if not the best squads in recent history. We are capable of playing super football. How can it be that we just let ourselves fuck it up from time to time like that?

    God fuckin damnit.

  32. the biggest problem we have is that we are inconsistent from one game to another. Its like Jekyll & Hyde, we never know who’s going to show up on the day. For the 1st goal our defence was completely exposed, they made 3 passes without being hassled and the shot which deflected. The passing was rubbish, no movement from the wide players, you could see Santi getting frustrated with this lack of movement. The entire team was asleep. we got up @ the 90th minute with we got a goal.

    We all prayed that we should not get Real or Barca and we delighted with this draw. What’s the point if we play like this, no matter whom we get in the draw. Its every year, the 1st leg we play like a bunch of school boys and leave a mountain to climb and the following leg, we play well, but miss out by just a goal. They we hear the same reasons, “so close but yet so far” and “if only we played well in the 1st leg” etc.

    When will we ever learn??

  33. That was as ad as I’ve seen in ages.an awful team performance from players and manager. OMG because Danish can tell the truth and it doesn’t conform to your thinking that everything at arsenal is rosy doesn’t meet that he’s crawled out of a sewer.some of you on here are completely blinkered and cant see that our manager probably has taken us as far as he can.
    At least this time you can’t blame it all on the referee and opposing players.

  34. I think if only Arsenal scored first, then Monaco would have come out to attack, then it would play nicely into Arsenal’s hand. Monaco scored first and they did what Arsenal were planning to do. As always, the usual blood rush to the head put the players in the situation they are in right now. Not a result of performance or quality, though but I guess this is football.They are capable of turning things around but it all depends on how much they want it. AW will be very disappointed with this performance and I personally hope it will not effect their play against Everton.

  35. Congo.Have you ever played football? It had nothing to do with luck.we were outplayed and tactically out thought by a team who were missing many key players and we’re recognised to be the worst team left in the competition.
    Why is it that if we can’t blame the refs,opposition players,pundits and injuries we can still blame it all on luck.

  36. It’s all the usual “the last result defines everything” nonsense.

    For long-term strategic decision making you need to look at the big picture and long-term trends. Not just one bad result. Wenger’s future should not depend on the result of this game just as it should not depend on the result at Man City.

    The big picture is that, despite a season ravaged by injuries (THAT is the big problem), we are still 3rd – albeit not a particularly strong 3rd. That is punching above our weight whether measured by squad cost or squad wages.

    The team had a spell of good form, exemplified by the win at Man City, but has not played so well in the last 4 games (Totts, Leicester, Palace and Monaco). Still missing Ramsey, Wilshere, Arteta and Debuchy – but at least the Ox is back. Hopefully one or two of the absent will be back for Sunday so we can rotate for Everton and then QPR before going for it at MU.

  37. Porter
    Some time ago a new poster on here who wasn’t all that familiar with the site protocols inquired as to what the aaa references indicated and whether Nectar points were awarded for referencing it.
    He was derided of course, but I think he’d made a good point don’t you think?

  38. Sad thing is, if the opposing team gives us a load of room we look like world beaters- if they are organised and close us down defend in depth, play a tough game and hit us on the break we play like school kids and crumble once the first goal goes in.
    I don’t believe this performance was down to luck, oil money, superior players, the ref or the fault of those nasty fans who want a change of manager or any of the regular excuses published on this site. It was down to clear collective defensive tactical and psychological weaknesses being exploited by fairly moderate opposition and our attacking players not being able to respond to the challenge presented by our opponents.
    It was very disappointing but not a real shock to be honest.
    A person can believe anything- that Arsenal will qualify for the next round of the ECL, that we don’t need any change in manager, players or tactics or training, nothing in fact and performances like this will change because we want them to.
    However, pigs are more likely to grow wings and fly.

  39. Sometimes, in the throes of defeat some vital life changing lesson may be learnt. From my observation, the one lesson the players and managers alike should learn from this defeat is to teaching the whole team the art of effectively controlling the game against a formidable opposition after an early lead. I think wenger will need to coach it into the psychic of the players. The way monaco controlled the game from the begining to end show a team that has perfected the art. Going away to monaco in a fourtnight time and scoring goal or may be goals is not what we are incapable of, but controlling the game after taking the lead is what worries me.

  40. I would say the best option for success with the majority here is give Arsene another new contract ?

  41. A Montana cowboy, a Native American and a @#$%^&* are waiting for their plane in a small Montana airport.

    The Montana cowboy leans back in his chair, crosses his boots on a magazine table and tips his big sweat-stained hat forward over his face.

    The wind outside is blowing tumbleweeds around and the old windsock is flapping, but still no plane comes.

    The American Indian clears his throat and softly speaks. “At onetime here, my people were many, but sadly, now we are few.”

    The @#$%^&* raises an eyebrow and leans forward, “Once my people were few,” he sneers, and now we are many. Why do you suppose that is?”

    The Montana cowboy shifts his toothpick to one side of his mouth, and from the darkness beneath his Stetson says in a drawl :

    “That’s cause we ain’t played Cowboys & @#$%^&* yet, but I do believe it’s a-comin”.

  42. Just the Same…

    A married Irishman went into the confessional and said to his priest, ‘I almost had an affair with another woman.’

    The priest said, ‘What do you mean, almost?’

    The Irishman said, ‘Well, we got undressed and rubbed together, but then I stopped.’

    The priest said, ‘Rubbing together is the same as putting it in. You’re not to see that woman again. For your penance, say five Hail Mary’s and put $50 in the poor box.’

    The Irishman left the confessional, said his prayers, and then walked over to the poor box.

    He paused for a moment and then started to leave.

    The priest, who was watching, quickly ran over to him saying, ‘I saw that. You didn’t put any money in the poor box!’

    The Irishman replied, ‘Yeah, but I rubbed the $50 on the box, and according to you, that’s the same as putting it in!’

  43. Medicare – Part G – Nursing Home Plan

    Say you’re a sick senior citizen and the government says there is no Nursing Home care available for you. So, what do you do?
    This plan gives anyone 65 years or older, a Gun (Part G), and four Bullets. You are allowed to shoot four Politicians.

    This means, of course, that you’ll be sent to Prison where you’ll receive three meals a day, a roof over your head, central heating and air conditioning, cable TV, library, and all the Health Care you need.

    Need new teeth? No problem. Need glasses? That’s great.
    Need a hearing aid, new hip, knees, kidney, lungs, sex change, or heart? They’re all covered. As an added bonus, your kids can come and visit you at least as often as they do now!

    And, who will be paying for all of this? The same government that just told you they can’t afford for you to go into a nursing home. And, you can get rid of 4 useless politicians while you’re at it. And now, because you’re a prisoner, you don’t have to pay any more income taxes. Is this a great country or what?
    Now that we’ve solved your senior financial planning, enjoy your week.

    Goodnight guys !

  44. There are some Einsteins on here thinking that Wenger does not take responsibility for losses. Wenger knows better than all of us what was wrong but he cannot control everything on the field. He will continue to get success despite the aaa & the brilliance of the Saints, JayRams & Freddies.

  45. Walter I love your articles but lady luck has nothing to do with our performance. It was abject at best and Some high profile players simply failed to do their basic job. Mertesacker & ozil in particular- at least Giroud tried. The latter playing as if he was going for a Sunday stroll- . Why Wenger doesn’t drop him surprised me. Imagine he played lazier than berbatov who still managed scored a goal ! our game is about high tempo & pressing – he & the team did neither. Now we need a Wenger miracle. To succeed one has to take strangle hold on opportunities not piss them in the wind like we did or do in big games

  46. James,
    did you notice the official distance covered statistic from the match? In the top 5 we had 4 Monaco players and 1 Arsenal player in 3rd place.
    The only Arsenal player in that top 5 of covering distance was…. Özil.

  47. Sorry Walter. This had nothing to do with luck, and we have all run out of “bad day at the office” excuses.
    Like you said, 4/5 covering distance was Monaco, the weakest team left in UCL. We conceded 3 goals from a team that had scored only 4 in the 6 group games.
    My friend, luck had nothing to do with this.

  48. On Wednesday night I was numb. When I went into work in the morning, into an office full of Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs and West Ham fans I was rather dazzled.

    Why Dazzled?

    Nobody in the office was at all surprised that we lost to Monaco. They seemed to have expected it from us.

    In a way I was relieved that I never got much flak off them…..but in a way I was also very hurt that we are not rated or respected by rivals.

    Anyway….time to beat Everton. Last season I was euphoric when Ozil gave us the lead……then Arteta (old sloe coach) nearly lost us the game. We were TOP then. That felt so great.

    Godspeed,
    Vladimir Petrovic the 3rd

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