The past two days has been absolute mental as we saw a change in European football’s landscape. With focus now shifting to the lesser continental competition I think there may be added pressure on both London sides to make it an all English affair in Baku.
Good day one and all.
Arsenal is in Spain this evening to take on Valencia at the Mestalla, with high hopes of booking themselves a place in this season’s Europa League final, to potentially be one win away from Europe’s promised land of Champions League football next season.
The Gunners hold a 3-1 lead from the 1st leg but whether that is “healthy” remains to be seen, given that the Spanish side come into this game on the back of six goals scored in their La Liga game over the weekend. That, along with the CL events, will give them a measure of confidence that they can overturn this tie to progress through to the final.
Recent weeks… mehn, joyless for Arsenal. Despite wins away to Napoli and Valencia at the Emirates, we were winless in five of our last six Premier League matches, looking tired as Brighton came back from a goal down to drew at the Ems. Not exactly to sort of momentum to carry into such a crucial encounter.
But this right here tonight, offers us a chance at getting our one shot at silverware as well as redemption following a miserable domestic season that had so much promise. Ergo it’s vital we throw caution to the wind on top of staying switched on throughout to defend our 2-goal cushion.
It was at this stage of the competition last season that we fell away; losing to Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano after drawing 1-1 in the 1st leg at the Emirates. So for Unai Emery to ensure we get the job done he has to draw from his own Europa experiences, having won it three times on the bounce with Sevilla.
We shouldn’t turn up expecting to defend a 2-goal lead. Part of our struggles in recent weeks has been our defense, even in games we didn’t lose the opposition weren’t short of goal scoring chances. Making our best hope at advancing our strike force. At the start of the season when we were dopey at the back it was them that got us out of tricky situations and tonight we need them on the frontfoot.
Do it Emery. Take off the trailer!
These two sides met three times before at the Mestalla and all three meetings ended in wins for the home side. So no doubt they will give it ‘a go’ tonight hoping to repeat history in front of their home crowd, but…
Would it be enough if the Gunners get an away goal?
@LaboGoon
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Positively Arsenal 
Jebus blogs coming faster than a whore in a brothel
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We’re knocking them out Ian… We are knocking them out.
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Okay, I only now saw the “Life, Love and Arsenal” post.
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Many thanks Labo, sets it up nicely by covering all the ground, always a great read. Still feel really jelly nervous, but not without hope.
COYG!
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Good stuff Labo
Lord Knows how it will go. I don’t know my Bible stuff for apocalyptic signs, but after last couple nights wouldn’t be ‘that’ surprising if we’re in end times.
Suppose not the boldest of predictions but do feel we’ll need a goal, and if get one will very likely go through.
Sounds crazy at 3-1 ahead but sort of feels like 50:50 whether we will progress.
Main hope, aside from score, is that we have surely been a whole lot better in Europe than prem in recent times, and even the two away defeats in knockout rounds have been in circumstances which offer lot of mitigation for me : the utterly dreadful pitch in one, and the sending off when things were looking mostly good in the other.
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Cech, Sokratis, Koscielny, Monreal; Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Torreira, Kolasinac; Ozil; Lacazette, Aubameyang.
https://pbs.twimg.com/ad_img/1126545826011123722/ZRAuwToG?format=jpg&name=orig
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Good team COYG
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Thanks for the great blogs in recent days, the Ramsey one especially touching. Our football hasn’t been great in the last month, our 3-1 win against our opponents today a good example of what we are capable of…
This lineup is solid, of course Rambo would be a major help but surely we have a goal or 2 in us! COYG!!
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C O Y G !! !! !!
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Struggling to see anything other than a 2-0 loss and going out on away goals, which would be a fitting end to a week that has made me question just about everything.
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Too late to comment on the previous blog, but I feel like I wrote that, that’s how much it spoke to me. Thank you.
Come on boys. Now is the time, you can do this! #COYG!
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oh brother. COME ARSENAL FFS!
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valencia score ten minutes in
AMN charged up field and had a shot, which the keeper saved, he bowled it out, to the half way line and valencia got in, a big deflection fell to Gamerio to tap into an empty net,
we are shaky now
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almost 2-0, but lucky for us a goalbound shot hit a valencia player but it went out instead of it
AMN sold himself trying to intercept a pass down the line in the build up
just seen their goal again, Sokratis was woeful on it, thank God that was not Mustafi
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long ball and lacca flicks it on for PEA who slotted it home with a half volley, 1-1
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YEEEEEESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!
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What a strike by Auba!
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There she blows!
The away goal in the first half.
Auba and Laca showing again that they can score in spite of the poor attacking football this season. I don’t believe Atletico would’ve made it through if Auba had been available.
After yesterday I will not indulge in any predictions. But:
COYG!
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somebody shot coquelin
CFC have taken the lead in their game
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that was an awful tackle on Lacca, Garray got a deserved booking
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lacca shot hits the post
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Unlike the genius Tottenham coach Unai started with some strikers in this match where he needed a goal and I’m grateful that he did!
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HT: Valencia 1-1 Arsenal
Valencia took an early lead and were rocking it at that time, Aubameyang got us level with a fine finish and it has took the wind out of their sails.
Lacca nearly scored as his shot hit the post with the keeper beaten.
the commentators are so disappointed that we are in control at half time
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started to look better after the initial storm. Auba looking great tonight. COYG!
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COYG!!!!!! 1 – 1
Unable to watch. Keeping up with your commentaries… seems like the boys are focused meeeen!
COYG!!!!
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Exciting half. Highs, lows, doom feeling, relief…almost ecstasy with the Laca one.
Jeez, what an examination Ainsley is getting out there. Playing wing back but being tested constantly on full back skills.
Confession time : was very slow warming to Aubameyang. First impressions or something (I expected more). Anyway, fantastic tonight. Brilliant.
Crazy how much more him and Laca seem to enjoy themselves and thrive even against better teams in Europa than frequently do against lower prem teams. Seem involved so much more. Challenging cb’s in air, the lot.
Better position than at (3-1) 0-0, and with 45 to go. Can’t dream of complacency at this time but it is a good position to go into this half with. Feels 50:50 who will score next. If us, surely it. If them, back to anything can happen
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Can’t help to think how we’d have fared with this lineup ( when available ) and strategy all season but anyways, am impressed with our game so far. No panic after their goal and hoping for more of the same in the second. I see us with another goal!!
COYG!!
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Lacazetteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 2-1 to the Arsenal, a brilliant finish,
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Gooooonnnneeerrrrss!!!
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Yes!!!! What a beauty,
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4th goal in European semi finals for the Gunners by Laca!
Decent record for the club in only his second season!
Good signing by Sven and Arsene (in that order as we or I understood over the last few seasons, at least until Raul put Sven’s head atop his trident next to Ivan’s stump).
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valencia make it 2-2, a bit lucky how it went in
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what the fuck is he taking Ozil off for
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Mkhitaryan on for ozil
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Commentators are they Spanish FFS
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C O Y G !!!!!!
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and with PEA goal we are in the lead once more, that should be that
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oooooooooohhhhhhhhhh you beautiful Arsenal!!!!!
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Kolasinac is being subbed off injured, Mustafi is on
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Guendouzi on for Torreira, about 15 minutes left
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CARMON YOU GUNNERS!!!
CARMON CARMON YOU GUNNERS!!!
CARMON YOU GUNNERS!!!
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the hattrick for Aubameyangggggggggggggggggggggg and its the best team goal of the night
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Baku here we come!
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FT: Valencia 2-4 Arsenal – agg 3-7 to Arsenal
Aubameyang with a hattrick and Laccazette with two, and all our 7 goals between them over the semi final
a shaky start once again, but once we scored we were mostly in control for rest of the game
Gabriel punched AMN at the final whistle, I dont know why
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He hey! Baku here we come ( sure hope Mhikster can play). Top performance tonight. Yes! Yes! Yes!!!!!!
King Auba!!!!
COYG!
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Whatever else you want to say about this team, we have two Champions League-level strikers. They’re doing their best to get us back where they belong.
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the other semi final has gone to extra time
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Y-E-S!!!!
Baku here we come.
Subs & Laca killed it tonight. What a performance from the entire squad.
UCL here we come!
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Beautiful. Never felt as convinced in my life either that pgmol fuck us over terribly in prem.
Fuck off are most prem teams better than Valencia – think they said none of Real, Barca, Atletico won there this year- and yet we’ve been struggling terribly away for two seasons.
Napoli also have great record I think.
Frustratingly, would only take about 5-10 more european games a year before everyone would twig what’s up
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