By Walter Broeckx
Arsenal starting XI : Ospina, Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal, Ramsey, Xhaka, Wilshere, Welbeck, Ozil, Lacazette
On the beach: Cech, Holding, Iwobi, Chambers, Maitland-Niles, Kolasinac, Nketiah
First let me start with a player that is not involved. Santi Cazorla was out on the Emirates pitch to have a run around with a fitness coach.
Oh how I love this small giant… and how we have missed him the last year and a half.
Anyway on to the match. In the first minute a yellow card for Atletico player Vrsaljko who brought down Wilshere who was first on a loose ball. Welbeck on the left flank and he picks out Lacazette who tries a first time volley that shaves the post. Not a minute later a cross from Monreal and a header from Lacazette but a great save from Oblak. A shot from Welbeck but it was too soft to really trouble the keeper. Vrsajlko then plants his foot on Lacazette and the ref has no hesitation and gives him a second yellow card. The Atletico player planted his studs on the ankle of Lacazette so a correct second yellow card after 10 minutes. Then the Spanish manager Simeone shows himself to be a complete lunati (please never hire him Arsenal) after a small foul from Bellerin and the ref has no hesitation and sends him to the stands. What a complete nutter this Simeone. Ospina had nothing to do so far but still 0-0 after 15 minutes.
A cross from Monreal but Lacazette just couldn’t rise high enough to make good contact. Welbeck with a backheel but the shot is blocked by a defender. And then a cross from Welbeck to Wilshere but his header is straight at the keeper. A 1-2 between Welbeck and Wilshere sees the first having a shot but Oblak again with a great save. The following corner is headed on but Koscielny can’t wrap his foot around the ball. Another corner for Arsenal that is headed on but again the folllow up doesn’t hit the target. Another Arsenal attack ends with a cross that ends up in front of Monreal but his right footed shot goes wide. Still 0-0 after 30 minutes but how on earth are we not in front yet.
A first attack from Atletico and a low shot from Griezmann but Ospina with a good save. Then the ball goes flat when Atletico is defending so a new ball has to be taken from a ball boy. The Atletico players trying to make the most of every foul they suffer by going down and pretending to mutilated. Arsenal then falling to their usual playing the ball bad out of defence and Ospina has to make a great stop after their right back made a long stumbling run in to our penalty area. Xhaka with a shot from distance but well over the target. Atletico has found their defensive unity now and more difficult to break down. Atletico players trying to get their opponents yellow carded with every foul they get. Lacazette trying to find Ramsey but he over hits his pass so Oblak can pick up the ball. Arsenal just not getting through the packed Atletico defence a few times as there is always a foot or leg in the way. After losing the ball around the half way line Atletico has another counter but the shot goes over. Ramsey has a shot after a corner but it is blocked by the packed defence. Arsenal had the best chances early on but the Atletico keeper kept a clean sheet so far so we go in at half time with a 0-0 score.
The second half was off to a slow start from both teams. Lots of misplaced passes from both sides. The tempo has to go up from Arsenal to create openings in the Atletico defence. Almost an opening but the ball takes a deflection and Ramsey has to cut back to his left foot and his shot is not good enough. Arsenal playing deep in the Atletico half but they defend with all their players and we know they can defend a bit. Monreal almost with a chance but he is outnumbered in the end. The ref now seeming to even things up a bit with ignoring a few fouls on Arsenal players but giving the slightest foul in favour of Atletico. Still 0-0 after 60 minu…. wait a minute.
A one two between Ramsey and Wilshere finds the latter one in a bit of space on the left flank. He loops a cross to the second post and Lacazette jumps the highest and directs his header over the line. GOAL! 1-0 to The Arsenal after 61 minutes. Well deserved. Very well deserved. Good to see Wilshere with a vital contribution. Özil with a great move on the flank but the shot from his cross is blocked and then a foul is made on Oblak by Ramsey.
A cross from Lacazette fizzles in front of the Atletico goal but Welbeck can’t get to the ball. Monreal heads a ball in front of goal but Atletico can clear. A corner is then headed just wide by Lacazette. Arsenal continue to press and get corner after corner but nothing on the end of it. Xhaka with a shot from distance but well over the goal. Football should be an art comes in the screen again. The Untold banner flies high. Still 1-0 after 75 minutes.
And then how cruel football can be. Welbeck goes down but the ref seemingly not wanting to give any fouls to Arsenal any more lets it go. Griezmann is just onside and Koscielny kicks the ball against Griezman his nose. Ospina then saves but the again falls to Griezmann and then Mustafi slips and Griezmann can score the equaliser. Completely against the run of play. But this is football at his worst. The first shot in the second half form Atletico and they score. 1-1 after 83 minutes.
A cross from Lacazette finds Ramsey but his header is saved by the keeper with a great stop. Arsenal back trying to score that second goal again after the initial shock. Another shot from Ramsey is blocked for another corner. Another header from Ramsey but again Oblak with the stop. A final corner in the last minute but the ball came to Xhaka who shot wide over. 1-1 after 90 minutes after a cruel football lesson. If you don’t take your chances you can always run in to that one fatal counter. It was 3 times lucky for Griezmann but they all count in the end.
Keown at the end, sound turned up for final minute, ”The tie’s almost over.” There’s two halves left, still to play for.
Thanks Walter again.
”after 90 minutes after a cruel football lesson. If you don’t take your chances you can always run in to that one fatal counter. ”
It can cut both ways. Roll on next week.
They didnt deserve that, but thats not the way things work. Shag, what a shagger. I thought we played really well, except for their goal, what a moment for Mustafi to slip over—grrr. Would like to see the replay on Danny that lead to the goal, looked like a foul..(?)
Tough to play against 10 when the pack out and defend like dawgs. Old Tom Waits(Simeone) will be feeling happy.
But the spirit of Paul Vaessen is waiting in the wings. It was like this back in 1980.Seemed like all hope had run out…
COYG!
Both yellow were correct, he was stupid to make them. Thats not Arsenal fault….why does the ref want to make up for it….after the red, he never gave us any fou, no matter how clear, including the one on Welbeck before their goal.
If this was united or liverpool, hell would have broken on him, but watch how our fans will just defend the ref instead.
Beautiful goal from Lacazette. With every strike he looks more and more deadly.Jack’s cross spot-on.
Unlucky, we tried so hard, but done by a long ball and slack defending, again.
Still, we are not out of this one yet
All the best moments in our history have been won the hard way..
COYRRR
We certainly love to do things the hard way that’s for sure!
COYG!
That match is the perfect proof that something is seriously wrong with referring in football. Turpin gives two obvious yellow cards in the first 10 minutes, but then he decide to spend the following 80 minutes trying to compensate his right decisions.
He just gave absolutely every decision to Atletico (except maybe not giving a yellow to Lacazette for his dive). Every time they hollywooded when a Gunners came breathing next to them, free Kick. Then on the other side, on numerous occasions we have seen Arsenal players being literally wrestled for long seconds, in the most obvious fashion, and nothing given. Or when Monreal took a high foot into his arm, not a card.
The minimum you should be expect from a referee is consistency and that both teams are refereed in a fair and similar way. What we saw tonight was nowhere near it, even by “PGMOB standards” (and that is telling a lot). If you watch the Welbeck foul before the foul as an individual incident, you might have arguments on whether or not it was a foul, it was probably a 50/50 situation. But put in the context of the match and the rest of the decisions Turpin made tonight, it is a scandalous decision.
A referee that makes occasional mistakes is acceptable (like players there are humans), but a biased referee is nowhere near acceptable. lot), from someone who is supposed to be a top-notch referee (otherwise he wouldn’t be given a European Cup semi-final). I’ve said it before, but as long as people refuse to recognize that fact, the corruption will have a golden spot in football.
And once again, talking about the referee, doesn’t mean there are not critics to be made about the players performance. Yes we could be have scored more (to be honest, kudos to Oblak), yes Wilshere (despite his assist) and Xhaka have been poor, especially against a 10 man team (as I feared we missed Elneny a lot), yes the defending on the goal wasn’t great. Like referees, players are humans and are allowed occasional mistakes.
But a biased referring will be a much bigger impact on a game that a few mistakes here and then. The team on the wrong side of it will face a uphill battle. If they are really superior to their opponents, most of the time (but always though) they will still get through (just watch last weekend game, Lee Mason performance was also ridiculously biased and Arsenal still managed to win 4/1), but when the difference between the teams are smaller, then it becomes very difficult.
High-level sport are often called marginal difference sport, 1% or 2% can be the difference between world class and average. A biased referee makes a lot more than 1 or 2% difference….
“And the needle returns to the start of the song and we all sing along like before.
Nothing ever happens”
I just love Savage almost having an orgasm when Athletico equalise and then the prat of a commentator trying to blame Mustafi……for slipping!!! Yeh right, he did that on purpose. But English tv didn’t once show the foul in the build up.
I’m with Vince. The two yellows were correct and I thought it was a brave decision……..not one we’d get in a million years from Riley’s mob. But it was almost like he got a phone call at half time reminding him that he’d forgotten that Spanish teams are the chosen ones.
Irrespective, 28 shots and 11 corners to 6 shots and 0 corners was a fair reflection of the game and without doubt we bossed it before the sending off too. It was clear from the outset that BT Sport were up Griezmann’s arse and had an agenda which was clearly not supportive of Arsenal. They tipped our way a little after the sending off probably to hedge their bets in case we ran away with it. But at the end of the day, you could tell the delight in their voices when it went against us.
Still, any broadcaster that’s prepared to pay good money for the absolute drivel that comes out of Robbie ‘one-brain-cell’ Savage’s mouth clearly doesn’t have any interest in ethics or fair play.
Quit blaming this on the referee,Arsenal simply messed up.While watching the game, I was worried Athletico would score because our defenders are error prone. This is something I have seen so many times.Arsenal has several times controlled the game for long periods only to ruin the match with one stupid mistake, the question is: why don’t they ever seem to learn? We had the opportunity to go to Madrid with at least a 1-0 lead, and force Athletico to attack which is not something they want. They prefer to have you come at them while they nick a goal to win the game.With our horrible away form and their excellent home form, we need a miracle to progress to the final. This match was totally in our hands but we somehow screwed it up.Wenger was visibly upset and I understand why, his captain of all people let him down in his last European home game.
What ever happened to Welbeck is immaterial, why was he cutting into two men when there was an acre or two by the corner ?. Probably because he doesn’t have a left foot.
The match was a classic example of our season once again we sre caught out by the long ball , they could try defending deeper or as a unit and give the midfield a chance to chase back.
I believe Keown’s parting comment was nothing to do with me.
Gutted and frustrated here.
Vince, thank you, you just said everything I have in my mind.
Shit happens and Kos’ error in not blasting the ball into the stands is regrettable but there is still the away leg. Arsenal have faced worse challenges and we ARE a team that can pull off the big upsets. a 1-0 win in Moscow will see us through so here’s hoping!
OMG :- Madrid
I think Kosi injury is really affecting his play.Sad for an amazing defender, always saved us, when others made mistakes.
Wigan?
Who would get despondent at halftime with the score 1-1? Madrid, here we come.
Why I can’t wait for next Thursday is because Atletico are seriously good defensively, and to beat them requires some serious examination from the lads and Mr Wenger has made the point for twenty-odd years that he wants intelligent players, so to get through in Madrid, they have to be focused, have to be thinking.
Intelligent players rules out our ,defence then.Deja vu again ,ball over the top.
I thought we were excellent tonight and played really well. Our usual defensive lapse let us down but that aside we never looked like conceding. I think the sending off worked against us because it made an already strong defensive team even more determined to deny us any space; before the sending off we looked much more dangerous because the game was more open which suited us better. Even so we created several chances which were either off target or were on a few occasions brilliantly saved or blocked by goalkeeper or defenders.
I definitely fancy us to score in Spain, this tie is far from over.
Yassine, Mandy, Zed, everybody! Thank for the run. Down missed the first half.
Lacazette, Jack, kicked on, Hector, Ramsey unlucky, Xhaka improved, Monreal, touch, touch, touch ! Mesut, yes I know we Nat least need a LWF, good work moving not shape one inverted, we missed Mikhi.
Santi, let the empty seats inspire you, lol. Remember, remember! Never the final, could you? He could play every core team starter. Hehe!
Mo, get better, clean bill of health please.
The goal, ok so it’s not dire, it was almost perfect and a lapse by two senior staff, who just got fatigued mentally to go with physically. If you don’t hav e forwards to bring on, reinforce the aft. Simeone the nutter did that to not good effect.
Monreal has to check his line and should not be coming out after his near side central defender.
Koscielny is Caprain and partners both Monreal and Mustarfi, he as an squad member is also to ncommunicate problem areas. As Captain this is abslolutely his responsibility.
Unfortunately that is where the mistake is made. Given his fitness worries and serious levels of accumulated fatigue, (France will go to every tournament) he is their guy too, one of nthe very best.
It went wrong, his expression of nearly horror after the act closes 1-1 says it all. I’m turning into Dteven Gerrard, his mind exclaims.
No Kos, you are just a little rusty and battle weary. You haven’t even peaked yet. The gaffer, gaffed in my opinion, he’s had the squad rotation off as usual, because he’s following the ascribed rest and recovery periods as should be obligatory. Once you are out, you’re out of sync unless you risk a player. Should have played Newcastle at WHU. It’s Newcastle for crying out loud, he’s only got to give rhe 4-4 team talk. Mini rant!
If Antoine is breathing down my neck, I’m not happy, plus thinking about my own and my families future, and here I am Dtevie G, what do I do? Hoof, but in the microsecond pondering, ball position is changed, no mate, you’re, you about to do a Mustarfi, watch out for that media corporate sabotage, the pressure!!!
1-1
You learn more from the battles you lose. Good thing it’s a draw that feels like a loss then.
Captain, speak! Koscielny absolutely a fast learner, but naturally a quiet guy, like Mesut, learn to lead. Greatness I see thrust upon you!
It’s not 1-1, we’re losing, so been play how we did today, they weren’t so tough, got to watch out for that French guy though. Kos it’s France training mate, no bother. Relax.
Mustarfi score, I’m not interested, you owe me.
Lads, the percentage ball, don’t forget the percentage ball. Aaron, don’t keep trying to force it, you never try when the spectacular happens, you’re touched, you bless us. It’s the Euros. Change roll and it will come.
With PEA17 this tie is done, Jack should be pondering that right now, football genius that he is, that’s another future gaffer. Captain, what’s that? You got keys to defences, yeah Mesut bought some, Mikhi and Rambo, run back up to the 9 / 17
Meyer
Golovin
Diallo
Butland
Antoine’s, Oblak, Saul, those performances were for 2 moves and the club.
Santi
Danny go run CF somewhere, don’t be wet.
DM/RWF
this isn how we win not ties. My present is coming late, good things……
We are going to win Europa, Simeone, is a flawed genius, Arsene is about to perfect Art.
How to finish on a high and leave a club upwards mobile on a near vertical trajectory.
SAM, time to be start talking squad selection, try again. What will he play?
#wevealready won, just not in style, but v the best, and about to peak!
IWIT
TTGS
FTQWB
COYG
Greizman should go to PSG, that’s a very cool project. Qatar arent actually as bad as people think, it’s a nice political situation.
#boxingclever
Please, we gotta stop blaming the referee every time something goes wrong. It’s painful. We’re simply not good enough defensively to compete at the highest level. True, the sending off caused a very good defensive team to defend even more than they would have, but we should have been able to keep a clean sheet. One can hope that the new regime will effect a major turnover of personnel in the summer especially at the back.
Time to bite the bullet and start the post Wenger era with some harsh truths.
We all can point to foul on Danny not given but that has no bearing on what Kos did and should have done. He was in control, shielded the ball very well and the simple thing to do is either pass it to corner flag, Mustafi or throwing but he decided to keep possession by playing it over his head and that cost us the winning. It is that simple.
Re Welbeck in the equalizing goal buildup: It was certifiably foul. The Atletico player (Savic, actually) was turning away from the play because of Danny’s change of direction, but left his leg behind, which tripped Danny’s foot, affected his run and made him fall. Savic had no chance to play the ball, yet he chose to attempt to impede the opponent from playing the ball, which to my knowledge is a foul.
The interesting part is that it’s possible that the ref didn’t see it. The ref was behind the play, and the Atletico number 8 was between him and the point of contact, so his view was likely obstructed. Which brings us to…
Not giving Arsenal the benefit of the doubt. Surprise surprise. The ref must have thought Danny dived, otherwise why would he let the game continue. Contrast that with the numerous occasions when the Atletico players fell down as shot at the slightest contact, and the ref would oblige.
Offensively we were very good even without our best striker. The defence had little to do but slipped up when it mattered which has been par for the course all season. It’s going to be tough next Thursday but all is not lost we do have a chance based on this performance.
Another point is that the commentary was focusing on Oblak’s “great” saves, instead of us stringing the passes together, moving without the ball, creating spaces and breaking down the bus. It’s true that our shots weren’t of the greatest quality, as only one of them required Oblak to stretch to the limit – and that one occasion when he should have stretched to the limit he didn’t, resulting in Lacazette’s goal – but I wasn’t really impressed with his game. The only reason for him keeping so many clean sheets is the team’s overall defensive performance – a nice name for parking the bus. Heck, if we were to play like that Cech or Ospina would be the best in the world. But instead of saying “what a well conceived attacking move”, we hear “what a world-class save”.
Finally, and with this I’m done, I said it many times, it’s much easier to defend and hit on the break, playing counter in the large spaces left by the attacking team, than to attack relentlessly, as we do most of the time. For me, the better team suffered an injustice, the result reflects not the on-the-pitch reality but one moment of improbable circumstances – really, how many times Kos miskicks, the ball bounces off Ospina in the attacker’s path, and Mustafi slips, all in the space of a few seconds? The only edge Atletico had over us was Griezmann, and he did manage a lucky pounce. Now, how likely is for the same thing to happen again? I’d wager not much. It’s not that I’d expect Atletico to play any different – they will park the bus all the way to the trophy if they can – but we weren’t at our best, and actually their defense is not unbreakable, as we just saw. We will have to find better solutions in Madrid, but that’s not beyond us. The frustration comes from the beautiful football not getting rewarded, and the ugly football seemingly getting one over. Yet the ugly football gets a praise. And that is truly a sad thing.
Some regulars facing up to harsh truths. This team has been good for a long time, they just seem to need that extra bit of motivation, that extra bit of concentration, that extra bit of desire to go all the way. I believe mentality is the issue here. Let’s hope the new man brings that to the club
I’ve got it wrong obviously. When the ref makes a mistake which creates the opportunity for the other team to score, we clearly shouldn’t mention it………..what we should do is get on the back of the team.
I find it interesting that the moaners no longer blame AW. I assume that’s because he’s leaving. So now let’s have a go at the players……….I guess until there’s another manager to blame?! But sssshhhh………..we mustn’t mention the ref or the huge amount of luck Athletico had in getting the goal.
An extraordinarily complex occasion reduced to the simplicity of four lines. It was ever thus.
Thanks for this report, Walter. Did not see the whole match , but only the highlights. We conceded a very poor goal , but then again this type of goal has been Arsenal’s bane.
Still all to play for in the second leg.
Up the Gunners !
Tony-the UA banner was on the broadcast (2nd half) again last night.
Looks like we are going to play europa next season after drawing with atletico when we had a chance to lead them even by three goals
all predictions for the future are bets…still aint over yet.
looking at the match, i discovered that reducing Athletico to 10 played against us!
reducing a strong defensive team makes them more stronger!
sorry to say, we missed our old big OG12 considering the number of our corner kicks!
the moaners want him out, instead of supporting him, now the blues are in final of FA cup thanks to their relentless OG18!
After the match, we are being mocked for being unable to beat a 10 man Athletico without a coach!
had we won they would still have a big stck to beat us with!
ATHLETICO IS NOT UNBEATABLE AT HOME AND STEPING UP TO FINAL BY BEATEN AN ELEVEN MAN ATHLETICO WITH THEIR COACH IN THEIR BACK YARD WILL GIVE ALL TRUE GUNNERS GREAT JOY.
so come thursday, we will ride to final in style.
up gunners!
Look like some of UA commentators aren’t the only one thinking this.
‘But as much as Madrid were flapping, fouling and cheating where possible, there was a growing sense that Arsenal would pay the price if they did not take advantage of their total dominance.’
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arsenal-hit-self-destruct-button-469991.html
We kick ass in Madrid 2-0 like we kicked Bayern’s ass a few years back onwards And upwards COYG
Will Simeone be on the bench next week? It was a straight red card for him so surely he will be banned for 2 matches
The story of the season! Simeone knows we always bukle under pressure, he’ll park the bus, and will hit us on the counter.
Can’t see it any different.
Spot on Jet. If anyone thinks we’re going to the final needs a slap.
“Wellbeck goes down”
Yes he did go down. Does that mean it has to be a foul? From where I was sitting in the stadium I couldn’t be sure. The fact is that players were “going down” on both sides at minimal or non existent contact. ie cheating. They’re trained to do that. It might be the case that with his back to goal, he might have thought his best option was to try and get a free kick, as there was precious little else on. At the end of the day, he should have stayed on his feet. What would Thierry Henry have done in that situation? Exactly. He’d have spun his player, shrugged the defender aside and slammed it in the net. That’s what proper forwards are meant to do.
Trying to pin the blame on the ref for us giving away their goal, is a complete nonsense. We gave away the lead, because both centre backs made a complete pig’s ear of dealing with what was basically a hoof up field. it isn’t the first time they have done that. I’m sure they didn’t mean to, but that doesn’t absolve them from blame.
There’s no conspiracy theory at play here, so don’t pretend there is.
So much contention. It was a foul and for around 35mins it seemed the referee was bias. Athletico fouling in rotation, often cynically, once it went unpunished a feel times.
Danny didn’t have to gamble, cutting me inside. A corner was the sensible option given the score and time elapsed. The referees view was likely obstructed and given his attempts to redress a ncorrwctly given yellow and red he gave nothing.
But what follows has been symptomatic of the seasons shortcomings. Koscielny played last out like Mert, which is fine if you have cover or are partnered by good, calm legs, Mustarfi is currently anything but.
This wasn’t ideal but could and should have been addressed, the intensity of nthen second leg will favour us, Jack for Elneny wouldn have been bthe job, but non would nhsve trusted Niles in CM and asked Xhaka to hold.
You create your own luck and bad luck, a lot of new unlikely bro but reoccur factors participated at once for an NFL draw. Costa and Antoine will be a nhandful, but if not we can get back anyone or take our chances we are sure bro progress.
Xhaka has to take it up a notch and Kos, Mustarfi has been to win his first balls early and retain possession.
I think lesson learned.
We can win the tie with one kick of the ball. Up the Guns!
Atletico play cowardly thug football.. they were trembling for 90minutes..
Proud of the performance… we WILL destroy them in Madrid if we play like that.
I like to deal in facts. The ref did, in fact, call the game completely differently after the sending off. Arsenal couldn’t get a shout after that. Fact, the Atletico goal was on the centre backs and we’ve seen this too many times. They are too easily beaten over the top and, of course, Mustafi falls down. Nothing new, League Cup Final against Birmingham City, anyone? This has been happening for quite a few seasons now. And the people who make the point that AFC won’t compete for the EPL or UCL until they fix this are correct.
@Mark Mywurdz:
I have the match recorded, I was able to get two consecutive still frames at an interval of less than 1/12s, which is the normal rate the human eye does the image capture. The frames clearly showed a sudden change in position of Danny’s foot before and after it passed the trailing leg of Savic. That to me demonstrates contact, enough to send the runner to the ground.
@goonersince72:
The parallel with the 2008 Carling Cup final is correct, we were robbed then just as now. The whole match after the sending off was a succession of improbable events, culminating with their goal, which was the result of 4 such events: the ref not seeing the foul (to give him the maximum credit we possibly can), Kos being robbed of the ball, the ball bouncing off Ospina in Griezmann’s way, and Mustafi slipping. I’m repeating myself already. But the most improbable of all was our string of chances accounting for only one goal. That can only happen if the defenders are being let off the hook about the regulations. We’ve seen it all too many times, but people are being led to focus on the ball and the error instead of the bigger perspective.
What would Thierry Henry have done in that situation?
What would a proper winger have done in that situation ?
George Armstrong would have played the ball to the corner flag and centred from there . Not tried to go through two people and go down for a 50/50 foul.
Start of match Atlético Madrid with 11 players on pitch, Arsenal want 1 goal without conceding. During match Atlético down to 10 men, Arsenal want to kill off the tie, but it’s not to be. It’s still 50/50 and if 1-0 to the Arsenal in the second match, the dream is still alive.