Dobar Dan Positive Arsenal fans,
My apologies on behalf of the Board that we have been lax in failing to produce a proper pre game review for the tie in Belgrade a little later but I trust you will find the evening nonetheless enjoyable.
Red Star are tucked into 2nd place in the Europa group and at home, in front of 50,000+ excited locals, they have to fancy their chances of nicking at least a point. Our last Champions League evening in nearby Zagreb was a little aggravating, if you remember. Red Star have not lost in Europe this season, are top of the Serbian Super League and their home form has always been the foundation of their success. Given the largely comfortable results this week in the CL from English clubs my heart says be bullish, my head says we should be controlled and wait our chance. No gung-ho, no charging in. A French referee and linos which may assist us. Let us take the points, which would pretty much guarantee progression to the next stage, and get back home.
Clearly we shall see a much changed Arsenal side from the starting line up at Vicarage Road and Jack appears to be champing at the bit to get at the Serbs. Olly is surely to lead the line and is it time to give Theo his chance? There is one player who has no risk of fatigue depriving us of his talents this season. And the is a rumour of Matt Debuchy starting !!!!
For those of you with an eye for coincidence it appears that Dusan Savic, who scored the winner in our only other game against to Serbs, has a son playing tonight. Listen to the strangest commentary from way back when. Nice goal though.
Kick of at 6pm UK – enjoy the game.
Positively Arsenal 
Let’s hope for a point at least, if we win it would just about rubber stamp progression to the knock out stages,
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Jeez, I never gave it a thought until I saw “new post up”
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6 English starters, 7 more on the bench. 12 players from our failed academy.
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COYG
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Can someone tell me of the disciplinary problems that Coquelin has had.
One red card I can remember not any suspensions. I could be wrong as Stuart Robson is always correct.
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HT: Red Star 0-0 Arsenal
one of those games where we could be behind or we could be in front, both sides have had good chances but failed to take them
our passing not at its best at times so far. Giroud and Walcott not doing enough up front. Jack involved in most of our best attacks.
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wwwb coquelin has one sending off, two yellows v spurs, think its the only suspension he has served
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edu, its easy to point to a few established player as not doing enough in this type of games but the truth is every striker will struggle in this kind of teams just put together to put up a representation. even last game against watford, lacazette sruggle because there was not enough service. except you are messi, i dont expect too much miracle from a striker in this kind of team.
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Quel Surprise more hyperbole from nicking a living Stuart Robson
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Rodic off for 2 yellows
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Girouddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd oh what a goal, wilshere with some great play in the build up, walcot involved too, giroud with an outstanding finish
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Robson now accusing Coquelin of getting someone sent off after getting elbowed in the face and coming up with swollen cheek bone.
Is there something he wants to get off his chest?
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McGuane on for Willock
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5 minutes of stoppage time to be played
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sheaf on for his debut
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Nice night for the Sheaf family , what a sporting family they are.
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FT: Red Star 0-1 Arsenal
Giroud with a great overhead kick goal. Walcott missed some good chances, we had a fair number of good chances today, as did Red Star. A very open game.
Great to see Sheaf make his senior Debut.
AFC top group with 9 pts, Red Star and Bate both have 4, so very close to qualifying
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Marco Silva not happy with Troy Deeney for his public criticism of Arsenal after Watford win
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Jack Wilshere with the ball at his feet makes me smile.
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http://arsenalist.com/f/2017-18/belgrade-vs-arsenal/olivier-giroud-goal-0-1.html
‘Ave it!
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WwwB its disgraceful and so disrespectful of the BBC to again today run another interview with deeney attacking Arsenal
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Happy for the team. they needed that after Saturday
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good win in a difficult arena, however I thought we were quite negative tonight. The sideways and back passes that sometimes plague the first team is creeping into a normally exciting second string side. Theres nothing more frustrating than watching a break slow and absolute stop as the opponents get numbers back behind the ball and get back into shape. This is the same when our crisp passing gets past the intitial bank of four or five only to undo that work by a negative pass.
This often results in getting ourselves in trouble e.g. the series of corners that led to them hitting the post was caused by a throw deep in our own half that we tried to throw sideways rather than a up the line, this is not the first time this has happened as we have given goals away from throws in our own half in the past.
Every time we were positive and moved the ball quickly we looked dangerous with the only problem being we were struggling to get enough players forward quickly.
Having said all that a very young side took on a very difficult challenge and come away with a well deserved victory. Great to see the youngsters on display and i’m looking forward to seeing them again and others including the return of Jeff,Chuba and eventually Zelarlem.
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I thought Cech had an outstanding game tonight.
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Better clip of the goal
https://mobile.twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/921086455488884736/video/1
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Missed the match, thanks to all for the commentary.
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Giroud’s stunning goal tonight was not the first time AFC scored a stunner on the 19th of Oct, Jack Wilshere’s goal of the season v Norwich was on this day, as was David Rocastle’s long ranger v Man Utd
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just seen that our game at Christmas v WBA has been postponed cos our game v Crystal Palace has been moved from the Tuesday to the Thursday for TV. Totally nonsense that a game gets postponed like that.
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FT: Everton 1-2 Lyon
EFC bottom of their group on 1pt, Atalanta top with 7pts, lyon next on 5
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Perfection.
What a game plan. Nick it 0-1 awY.
Outstanding from Jack Coq and Debucky. Of coutse big sexy too.
Biggest win in the careers of the youth,
All is good.
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Watched Toffee game
-all is not good up there.
Williams should have been red carded
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Very decent win in a tough place, what a goal from the master of the spectacular. Sounds like Jack played very well too, glad to hear it, we will need a fit Jack in our MF.
Koeman is under serious pressure this weekend, if we win, he could be in serious trouble. He will instruct his players to dive, cheat, kick and hoof, and will hope to get a nice northern ref. Could be his last throw of the dice, I hope Arsenal are prepared, with the PGMOL, lightening can certainly strike twice in consecutive weekends.
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Squawka FootballVerified account @Squawka 3h3 hours ago
Reiss Nelson’s game by numbers vs. Red Star Belgrade:
88% pass acc.
76 passes
5 take-ons
3 interceptions
3 clearances
3 blocks
2 shots
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Reiss Nelson
Just seems obvious to most people now , seems a shame that most people can’t see Mr Wenger is developing nicely on the wing.Plenty of open space for use his speed,isolate and go one on one with the oppo, learn defensive responsibility not all the pressure is on him to create for the team Mr Wenger hasn’t chucked him ‘the keys to the car ‘ just yet.
If like me you like multi-functional quality players, you must have admired from afar Mats Hummels.
I have had held hope we could have got him BVD , alas he returned to his spirtual home understandable. I knew the manager also liked the player and wanted someone very similar. Well this evening we might have seen the debut of our very own Mats Hummels type defender,Hummels good enough to play as the midfield hub of that brilliant German U-21 side that schooled England and the rest 2009, played midfield for Dortmond before moving back and becoming one of the best at center half for Dortmond and subsequently Bayern.
I mention all this as sometimes you see something and you just see a fit, when I saw Ben Sheaf play in midfield he looked like he had time, when I saw him play full back he looked like he knew the position, then before he got hurt I saw him play center back he looked majestic.
Sporting excellence is in his family, he has technical ability, I sense a tenacity.
I think all he needs is luck with health, I believe Arsenal an England will have to thank Mr Wenger for another jewel.
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I would have been very happy with a 0-0
But tuck me a Wilshere-Theo-Giroud wonder goal will have me in Kleenex for days on end..
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Apparently England developed Jack and not ARSENAL according to the commentary last night
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Giroud scores world class goals….how many more would he score if his team mates involved him more?
The Europa League is looking great for youth development…I enjoyed the game from that perspective but overall the quality is much lower than the Champions League.
Wasn’t Ronnie Koeman one of the candidates proposed by Pedro and co to replace Wenger? £100+ millions and look at the Toffees…
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New post up
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