You know … at different stages during the course of this season a fixture was labelled “the most important game of the season”, but that came and went as there was always the next one. Tonight though, for Arsenal: THIS IS IT. Some may even say the most important game of the Emirates era.
Good day one and all.
We are in Azerbaijan this evening and it is a London derby with Arsenal and Chelsea battling it out to be crowned 2018/19 Europa League Champions at Baku’s Olympic Stadium.
Leading up to this match most of the talking points focused on off-field issues like ticket allocation, too long a trek to Baku and Henrikh Mhkitaryan missing out due to political reasons, but for Unai Emery and Maurizio Sarri it’s about winning a continental trophy in their first season as head coaches of the respective football clubs. Sarri by no means had it easy at the Blues and for his side winning the cup will mean ending what has been a fickle season, on a high – having already secured qualification for next season’s Champions League (CL). However, for the Gunners, there’s a sense they’ve got a bit more riding on it than just a first European trophy in 25 years, certainly more than banter and/or online bragging rights for their faithful fans.
In recent years Arsenal has lost ground on our traditional top-six rivals, and with both Liverpool and Tottenham guaranteed a massive pay day there’s a real concern that we could fall behind even further if missing out on the CL riches for a third consecutive season. Just recently Vinai and Sanllehi gave an interview where they said the club are committed to stick by its self-sustaining model in the foreseeable future, so any extra revenue we can get is needed to enhance our plans this coming summer.
In a nutshell: for Arsenal this is about one step closer to the promised land. No pressure then.
Seemingly, when you want to win a Europa League Cup, having the competition’s most decorated coach in the dugout is nothing to scoff at. Emery won the title an unprecedented three times in a row during his time at Sevilla and tonight will see him, following a not spectacular yet steady initial league campaign, back in familiar surroundings and no doubt with his tail up. Arsenal’s path to the finals came via an unbeaten run through the group stages with five wins and a draw. First leg hiccups against both BATE and Rennes were followed up by five knockout wins with relative ease.
Chelsea had a similar path with the exact same record in their group fixtures, however, whereas we lost two of our knockout games, they drew two. Both against Eintracht Frankfurt in the semi-finals, a tie they ultimately won via a penalty shootout at Stamford Bridge.
Emery will be without Aaron Ramsey tonight but Danny Welbeck could see one final return on the substitutes’ bench. Players he will be looking at as match winners will be Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who both have been exceptional this season. Sarri has Loftus-Cheek, Rudiger, Hudson-Odoi and possibly Kante ruled out. We know Eden Hazard can win a game on his own and with him, possibly, heading off to a new and even more lucrative life outside of London, he will want to put on one last good show for the Blues.
This is a game that promises to be full of entertainment and goals between two sides that have fairly good records against each other, but the pressure may be on Arsenal.
Lose and the season would be defined as disappointing; win and we look to the future with renewed optimism.
@LaboGoon
Positively Arsenal 
The consideration of Ozil wide left beats having Kolasinac not defending sixty yards up the pitch thumping the ball into the first defender whether it’s against Brighton or Chelsea, not forgetting his inability to pass when in his own half…
…actually going to have nightmares about this signature move especially the efforts against Brighton and Chelsea (without a CM/8 who can attack or create on the pitch) from the chameleon coach.
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fins he played him wide left but with a free reign to wander infield, it gave him space, the fullback would not follow infield so Mesut had that moment of inbetween being picked up to make the pass. He also had runners all over the place in that team for him to pass to.
I think it very clear that Emery does not want Ozil, he certainly does not see him as a big part of our game plan. He didn’t see Ramsey as being important either, these two things alone give me reason enough to doubt Emery and wonder what exactly is his vision or style of play. As someone on twitter keeps saying cutback fc
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we’ve gone from “protagonists” to “chameleon”, I wonder what will the next soundbite be from Emery.
Emery’s interviews in the lead up to this game were a disgrace, and the performance last night matched up.
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well fuck me
Raul and Vinai sent an e-mail to #AFC staff after the #UELfinal defeat: “Let’s keep some perspective. It is a tough moment right now but we have much to be positive about when reflecting on this transitional season and looking forward to the next.”
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Eduardo, I have no idea what or who Emery wants, and whether he or the club have the capacity to get them, though i do remember a lot of reports he wanted Peresic and Carrasco, but how well informed these were is anyones guess. i have my fears who he may wan, we know the names, but we shall see.
of course not all teams play with wingers, but with this team,If he doesnt get a bit more speed and width, our forwards, are to a degree at least, wasted in a sea of predictability, which makes counters against us a whole lot easier
The Ajax manager might be a good shout, but one of the values, blessings, or maybe for some, curses of this club, they give managers a chance, and fully expect them to do so with Emery. already spin coming out, Cech, who is moving, but his standard interview suggests this team need to be more competitive, heard in the radio he is now saying the fruits of emerys labours behind the scenes will be seen in the next year or two. Then, Emerys interview in Spain, where he also implied the team had lost its competitive spirit in wengers latter years. right or wrong, cannot see Emery going anywhere, unless it is his choice. Martinez to Barca, good luck to him there!
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A strange season. Not the worst football I can recall, even some great moments (PEA winning the golden boot), a great run at the beginning of the season. But the run-in was dogshit. We could have been easily third, but seemed to not want to be. Where is the flow? Its like theres a blockage. Maybe some are missing AW, (Kos and Monreal)and theres been bad Politik in the way AR’s leaving was announced mid way through the season. What good does that do for the team?
Last night? Weird night. Way too long to wait for the other leagues to finish so it could be played, terrible atmos for a final, no terrestrial tv coverage anymore for joe duhs like me, terrible tv angles( this is not Subbuteo). I can feel only sorry for the people that went out there and spent way too much cash for what they hoped would be a big bliss experience. Even if we had won, it still would have been flat? Too much greed in the world?
This morning I found myself even agreeing with Mr Rant at aftv (yes things have fallen that low!) later perhaps it will be different.The first half was like watching us play with concrete boots on. And concrete set in our heads. But at least it was fairly well matched. But the second was just bizarre. Like somebody went in the changing room at ht and said heres loads of cash, now throw the game. At 2-0 you knew it was over, 3-0 and it was already embarrassing, 3-1 a tiny glimmer of hope then 4-1, wtf? In a final? Its the second time we’ve been trashed in a final, and its the no hope thats the worst.
But it was a water shed moment in my 41 years watching afc. Never have I stopped watching or listening to a game before, and at 4-1 I walked away. Even when we lost to fucking York CIty there was still hope, or Swindon in the LC etc. But last night there was no hope. No hope means no going forward, it turns inward, and self destruction.
It feels like the whole season was just a waste of time. What progress? PEA and Lacca. Yes sure. Soc? Sure. We know Joes good anyway, but theres something wrong with the psychology of the team. Look at Livercrutches, they were in the same place a few years ago, and now they have an atmosphere thats electric and we seem limpid by contrast. Too many changes, players not being used right, or being squeezed out, what for-losing in the EL final that was like a re-season tour game? Odd thing is we can rise up and do it, plenty of results show that this season. But the fans, and the lads themselves deserve better. Its all too bloated and fat cat and sterile, no edge, no lust no determination. Its not like the blueprint wasnt left behind.
Somehow the 8-2 loss was more dignified than last night, as what led up to that game resulted in the trashing. But last night was a nadir, without excuse, it was set up for the taking and we got taken. I love the lads, and the stream of Arsenal, but I dont want the feeling that Im having my time wasted. Losing with honour, will always get you undying support. Nice bit of Karma-phala for Ollie though. He said after the game how much he loves AFC. In two years will there be anyone left that loves Arsenal, and not just the cheque?
A pox on the Spuds. Im off to bake a lasagne.
COYG!
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yes mandy i forgot about persisic, but again he is more a mkhitaryan type than an actual winger
well mandy we only gave Rioch one year and that worked out very good.
mills yes PEA top league scorer, but even with that we scored fewer goals than last season, getting top scorer should mean an increase in goals, it may suggest PEA when not scoring is not adding anything else, so is it better to have a Giroud type striker who is scoring less but a focal point for attacks, or a PEA who can be BPL top scorer but team score less.
it was a massive problem that only PEA and Lacca got in double figures for goals this season, that really means opposing teams really did not have to overly worry about anyone other than those two for our goals.
Mills when was the other time we got trashed in final, I can’t recall, maybe I’ve blocked it out of my memory
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Ed- I was thinking of the League cup final vs Man city.
I wonder what they will do about getting in a new striker, Welbecks off, is Eddie N good enough to cover for a whole season?
If UE and Raul etc dont like Ö then thats also a complcated one to sort out?
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Big Oli was MOTM not hazard just as I feared
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Guess its a disappointing season then.
Seems Emery’s initial presser at start of season when he said he’d rather win games 5-4 than 2-0 really blew up in his face as things look real messy when you dont do your bit in that 5-4 scoreline. Both Liverpool and Mancity knew its foolish to go into games where you have to score 4 to 5 goals every time but, well…
With no Champions League for another season the club is becoming less sexy for some of Europe’s leading players. Guess we’ll have to wait it out looking to who’s left at the end of transfer window not picked up by richer clubs – not sure how that will work becua some of these players can bide their time waiting for top clubs from leagues elsewhere in Europe where the transfer window closes few weeks later.
Also seen some on twatter suggest we should burn the house down and start over. Well, one just need to look at Manutd, who got financial resources we can only wish form, how well that is working out for them.
Emery’s contract will be up for review in a few months. Can anyone honestly say he had done enough for us not to even consider keeping our options open?
Roll on the next game.
Oh fuck! That’s few months away. At least there’s the cricket. Com’on South Africa!
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Eurgh. Phhh. Feeling more down than was last night. The double hit of going so wrong in a final and the negative financial consequences is pretty brutal.
Also, sorry to say but my trust in group is really on the floor. Hard to have confidence and belief in them doing it when it matters with the way season finished in league, and then that. Plenty of good players in squad, but not so good, or maybe just not so good together, that the collapse was a shock, far from it.
We’ll see. Hope dribbles eternal or something.
No idea how much of it is down to me, how much to reality of it, but hate the way it all sort of joins together. When we fall apart like that now, it seems to bring with it some sense of when it has happened previously and, worse, a sense it will keep happening.
Proper gloomy shit and I hope much of it is in my head.
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Labo,
How Emery was ever an option in the first place for anyone who’d watched his team’s over coaches like Pellegrini is the real question!
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The lesser Mourinho
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If you thought the spendthrift at Utd had made a mess of the post-Ferguson Handover at Utd, not forgetting the season when they signed two LBs and Blind, played Blind at LB and then sold there best defender back to Ajax, then what are we to make of the bloody mangled mess left by Ivan?
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Chelsea’s midfield 3 out played our midfield 2.
Been happening all season – West-ham, wolves, Crystal palace at home etc.
For me Xhaxa and Torrera needed a extra body in there.
Playing Auybemeyang and Lacazette weakens our midfield and our ball retention and creativity on the ball is limited to just Ozil.
Its very poor for the standard of players we have.
I don’t know what is the solution but one thing i do not like is Emery’s mentality when setting up the team and also his constant cajoling on the side line. let the players use their own initiatives on the pitch than trying to micro manage players on the pitch.
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No value in dwelling. We move on. Enjoy the summer, fellow PA travelers.
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‘whoever or what ever outfield positions Arsenal sign players for this summer, those players need to have real speed, this team lacks speed in defense, midfield and attack. It is its biggest weakness, causes so many of our problems.’
Pretty drawn to that interpretation from Eduardo.
Watched highlights of Liv Porto the other day and kept asking myself ‘why is this working so well? How are they able to press so intently around pitch? How can they afford to push team up so high so often, with cb’s around halfway or even further at times? How does that not leave them too vulnerable on counter? How are they managing it without a real passer in centre mid?
There’s so much to it, i guess. Many signings in recent years who have proved to be excellent and often at excellent value. The boon of sales. The right players to fit a coherent gameplan. The right pieces, especially in physical terms, to pull it off. The full backs being superb athletes and excellent crossers. A near perfect centre back in Van Dijk at the peak of his game, immense phsyically. High confidence levels. Three speedy forwards who can all do a lot- i.e sprint, dribble, shoot, hold up, pass.
They’ve bloody raced ahead of us. I can’t see artistry in there, though there are moments of great technique and skill, and it seems a long way from the brains and beauty of Barca. maybe i’m just not much of a heavy metal connoisseur!
Anyway, that’s them. I prefer using them as a measure of best of prem rather than City, given what City are and how their finances are so far from ours.
Where the fuck would you start though if liverpool are a template for a big British club in modern age who do not have the biggest of all finances and are largely self-funded? On and off pitch I am not sure where we begin.
I guess speeding up and increasing athleticism is a very logical place to look for improvements, but it would still leave us with a lot to do in terms of looking strong in various parts of team and functions of game.
Last few years have shaken up so many of my beliefs about how to play, what a team needs,etc. Maybe demolished them more like. I don’t know what you need exactly to be a team who can do the business against teams sitting deep and be able to sit deep or at least defend well yourself when you have to, but still be able to progress play upfield yourself, without strikers getting detached and outmanned.
Good athletes in all key positions seems an obvious one, but surely ability- passing, dribbling, touch- is at least as important within top teams.
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Gee, Ozil is a creative force, but yesterday, he looked almost like he was asked to man mark Jorginho at times
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labo of course not being in the CL will make it harder to attract Europe’s or the worlds best players, but surely the signals AFC have been sending out for a year is more of a reason why we will not see any of the top players sign for us, namely the notion that Arsenal could not afford to pay Aaron Ramsey, that Arsenal can not afford the contract Ozil was given, not forgetting that AFC could not make a single permanent signing in January.
Not to mention the God awful type of football we played most of the season here at cut back FC (and that can be said both about our style of football and our MO)
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Mandy of course the fact Ozil was there as a man marker has not stopped many idiots lambast him for not creating the chances needed to win us the game.
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Ed
My worry is that to see best of Ozil we need to be on top of opponents, pushed high up field, with good passing options for him and a good supply into him. The other, slightly different, scenario is with a player on his level as Alexis was in terms of runs into box. Laca and Aubameyang very good players, better than (our) Alexis maybe, but they sure don’t seem to link with Ozil as well.
We seems so far from making that work against top level opposition, although at home it can still happen. We can’t afford to regularly push up high with numbers as we don’t have capacity to deal with counters effectively.
The team must be acutely aware of this, surely, and this is reflected by not pushing numbers forward too often (unless we go behind), but doesn’t seem able to address it, and I don’t even know how they can. If the front two or three are detached, and marked, and most of the team are pretty deep, how do we move up field effectively?
I don’t know if it’s related, flip side or whatever, but was noticeable that a guy who I believe has had an underwhelming season, Kovacic, seemed under instruction to drive at us with ball at feet second half, and got plenty of joy doing so.
Obviously i don’t watch Chelsea half as closely as us, but don’t recall seeing any of that from him this season.
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a few days ago, after our Directors gave their interview, I seen someone suggest that AFC would be selling a couple of our better players this summer to both raise funds and to cut our wage bill, they suggested that Bellerin was the most likely man we would sell, maybe to either of the Manchester clubs, and now today there are a host of rumors that Arsenal are in talks with PSG for their 27 year old Belgium International right back Thomas Muenier. I haven’t seen what sort of fee is being suggested, but if this is more than a rumor I really hope its not a big fee, as it makes little sense to me to bring in a player who turns 28 in September, and who would have little to no resale value. If we are as stuck for money as is being suggested, then we have to be going for the 20-23 year old up and coming player, the younger player who can give us 2 or 3 years before going for a massive fee. For me the signings of Lichtsteiner and Sokratis were not smart financially, something that our dear directors and indeed our former CEO kept telling us that we had to be.
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well stillarich the players that Ozil had the most understanding with a link up with were Alexis as you said, also Ramsey, not forgetting Giroud, and even Walcott, and I must say on the other end the men who got it to Ozil were Cazorla and Rosicky, and each and everyone of them are now gone. Poor old Mesut.
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Ed
I feel for him. Chances seem remote, with Emery or anyone else, of us providing right platform for him, and i don’t know what his options would be elsewhere.
Feel it more for him because have sense he’s a pretty sensitive sort of person, and he’d have bigger dreams, aspirations and expectations, and the pressure of that, than the majority of top level players.
I figure he’d likely want the years of his last contract to be ones where he was central to what we do, enjoyed big success, silenced doubters, and really cemented stature in game. This is club where he has spent key years and stayed, pretty sure, a lot longer than with previous teams.
I think it means a hell of a lot to him and therefore it’s been a tough year and with little sense at present of when and how it gets a lot better.
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Meunier eh. Well, would either suggest we have more than 40 mill figure bandied about, or we are fecking nuts. Half budget there, with Bellerin returning and Ainsley used almost exclusively there to date?
Also feels like heck of an indication this wing back prominence is here to stay!
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Is Bellerin unhappy at AFC? Sometimes it looks weird when you think who might be going or potentially going, that we could be looking at a whole lot of new players next season?
What did you guys think of Guendouzi his year?
Did you think that Chelsea did their homework on us yesterday? Blocked up the centre, cut of Ö, then starved L and PEA. It was if they wanted our wing backs to try and go down the wings as the only option of attack, as they felt they could handle it?
Do you think that the chop and changes in the line ups the year was good or bad as far as creating a coherent squad and team?
What did you think of Kos this year? Is he still the same player that he was before last years semi ( and injury)?
Should we be investing in a right back and let AMN play midfield or as a winger? Is something going wrong there? Sometimes hes fabulous and other times gets a mawling.
It our days of loads a money, should fines be placed on players for not achieving certain stats during a game? Should they be forced to drive a 2cv if theyve been shite instead of dring a Ferrari?
Ok jokes aside should there be a wage cap across the sport at the basic level, then perhaps only allow for bonuses etc to bump things up?
Do you think that Soc and Kos make a good team in the middle?
Do you think we can ever challenge for the top spot if we dont have a sugary benefactor? Would you rather take a more back seat than have someone risk a lot (like Chelsea taking Amb’s loan, which I think is up to about a billion, which seems nuts?).
Can Man city justify all the big spends and only win the league (again) by the narrowest of margins?
Do you think that we are good, but need a different manager,one that can instil a more coherent understanding and Kloppesque belief and self empowerment?
Do you think it was a good idea to get rid of Jack W or a mistake? Could we have done with his surging runs this year?
Whats gone wrong since the night of the Notre Dame fire with us ( we played the Orns that night)?
Really interested to see what you think.
COYG!
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well here goes Millls
Is Bellerin unhappy at AFC? Sometimes it looks weird when you think who might be going or potentially going, that we could be looking at a whole lot of new players next season? –
he is one of our most saleable assets and this is why he would most likely leave, and we will need a whole lot of new players cos we are losing a whole of players, might be our loanees and youths make most of the numbers up though.
What did you guys think of Guendouzi his year? –
played way more than he deserved, and I ask again what is it so many see in this lad, he don’t score, he don’t assist, he is not a great tackler, he is not a great passer, he is awful defensively, and fuck this shit about him being good for a 20 year old.
Did you think that Chelsea did their homework on us yesterday? Blocked up the centre, cut of Ö, then starved L and PEA. It was if they wanted our wing backs to try and go down the wings as the only option of attack, as they felt they could handle it? –
I think our plan as it has been most of this season was to get the ball to our fullbacks on the overlap, that this suited CFC had very little to with them setting up for us.
Do you think that the chop and changes in the line ups the year was good or bad as far as creating a coherent squad and team? –
a really bad thing, Emery is even worse at rotating than Wenger was.
What did you think of Kos this year? Is he still the same player that he was before last years semi ( and injury)? –
thought once he got a few games under his belt he was better than last season.
Should we be investing in a right back and let AMN play midfield or as a winger? Is something going wrong there? Sometimes hes fabulous and other times gets a mawling –
no we have Bellerin who is very good, by all means let AMN go into midfield or wide midfield, but if our budget is as limited as suggested, then let Jenkinson be back up for the last year of his contract.
It our days of loads a money, should fines be placed on players for not achieving certain stats during a game? Should they be forced to drive a 2cv if theyve been shite instead of dring a Ferrari?
Ok jokes aside should there be a wage cap across the sport at the basic level, then perhaps only allow for bonuses etc to bump things up? –
don’t agree with wage cap, but the FFP rules should have been enforced, should have been written in such a way that no club could by pass them. Penalties should have been severe for breaking the rules.
Do you think that Soc and Kos make a good team in the middle? –
Sokratis is damn lucky his name is not mustafi, he has been no better than our German who gets such stick, Sokratis has served two suspension for bookings, and this with him missing out a number of games with injury, at least half his bookings were totally stupid and needless, as the mob would say if it was mustafi, Braindead.
Do you think we can ever challenge for the top spot if we dont have a sugary benefactor? Would you rather take a more back seat than have someone risk a lot (like Chelsea taking Amb’s loan, which I think is up to about a billion, which seems nuts?). – think it will be very difficult to win it without a sugar daddy. I don’t agree with that model so will say if that means no title then so be it.
Can Man city justify all the big spends and only win the league (again) by the narrowest of margins? –
Who do man city have to justify their spending to, it small change to their owners, so they won’t care, the fans love it so they will not complain, and the BPL and UEFA won’t enforce FFP so they don’t care, so Man City have no one to justify their spending to
Do you think that we are good, but need a different manager,one that can instil a more coherent understanding and Kloppesque belief and self empowerment? –
I think Emery is way too timid a head coach, I really wanted the statements he made when he joined to be true, that we would be the protagonists, that we would look to out score opponents, be on the front foot, but so far its looks to have been nothing more than PR
Do you think it was a good idea to get rid of Jack W or a mistake? Could we have done with his surging runs this year? –
7 games for West Ham, need I say anymore
Whats gone wrong since the night of the Notre Dame fire with us ( we played the Orns that night)? –
it was the pressure part of the season and our head coach went way too negative, he seems to be way too worried about opponents and trying to be clever in stopping them, everton, brighton, wolves, palace, leicester, one fucking point, 7 changes to the starting 11 in a couple of those games, madness, unforgivable even
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Mills Emery played into their hands, should’ve freed up Ozil and asked Laca to play a little deeper IMO.
AMN is a midfielder IMO, and he got voted man of the match at OT playing as a CM.
“For me Xhaxa and Torrera needed a extra body in there” what in the blazing saddles Kolasinac was doing on the pitch when chasing a goal against Brighton let alone Chelsea apart from blazing 99% of the Gunners’ attacks into the first man? Or giving the ball away further down the pitch? It is a scary consideration.
I like football coaches that like good footballers! AMN is a good footballer in the middle. Emery could easily have added a quality bod more experienced and creative then Guendouzi to CM in AMN whilst asking Mustafi to play as a more defensive RB (Hazard!) which he did well in both tough contests when he was asked to play there previously (ignoring the open invitation to the game managers to get the Control Fraud team AKA Johnson Utd (now you know why the stadium looks like a toilet: not a coincidence!) some league points.
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Puts Emery’s snide words on Rambo I tot the correct context.
He’ll only be in the job next season thanks to Rambo!
“Protect the values of the club”
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Cheers Ed and fins.
Does the idea of many new players coming in potentially excite you both? Obviously the squad we saw last night came to an end or is about to this summer. If we dont get at least equivalent coverage should the DoFs been held accountable as much as the head coach?
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Mills
There is a DoF at the club?
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isn’t that Rauls title?
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Daniel Ballard has been named in the Northern Ireland senior squad again.
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No one knows who signed Suarez or SL from Juve, etc.
But I bet Raul knows!
‘”I really like Raul ™”
And I won’t mention the other geezah at all eh? Blinking marvellous’ That is Hardcore Sports Communications lads and ladies, for your consumption.
I guess Kolasinac was Sven’s dud which is why I hoped he was the man to take over the team building as he’d done well and probably wasn’t another dud due for a while.
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Mills new signings are always exciting to an extent, its the who the fuck are they and i can’t wait to see if they are really good, or it can be wow we got him, of course both of those can were off very quickly when you see them play.
I would suggest that getting in lots of players could be a very good ploy for Emery, the soundbite would move from its his first season and he needs his players, to he got lots of players in and it takes a year to get used to a new team and a new league
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Mills I think his job title is:
“head of football relations”
As in relations with the agents?
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Raul’s relations with actual footballers hasn’t been the best this past season, at great cost to the Arsenal, so I’m guessing the relations part of his (old?) title must refer to the agents!
Seems logical.
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Ed, seeing how things panned out this season, (for the last year on UE contract )makes me wonder what kind of players might be coming in? I cant recall it ever being at Arsenal so could be this or could be that? Its odd to think the season looks a blow out, yet third was easily ours, and we now are sitting in the aftermath of an embarrassing second half collapse in a final that was win-able.
fins-whatever he does, do you think Raul will last long?
One for you both—what were our best moments for you this season?
Have you guys seen the animation about the final and Giroud? I can post it if you want, theres some bits that are quite funny…
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must say that in our disappointment last night, or should that be misery, the iwobi goal has been overlooked, it was an outstanding finish, what a pity that more of his shots this season did not contain that sort of venom, if they had he could easily have broke double figures for goals.
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If Iwobi did that on a regular basis, he would blow everyone’s minds Ed. Youre right it was a cracking goal.
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Best moment of the season?
Rambo shrugging his shoulders and raising his hands after that goal and letting the Arsenal fans who are not blind know that he was equally baffled by the club’s behaviour.
Best football of the season was: whenever Rambo was on the pitch, and against Valencia.
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Eds that could be the and goal that you felt Iwobi needed to kick on in his game and his develop his finishing.
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My head was gone in latter stages, but was it Iwobi who played the ball over to Laca (shot saved, Auba rebound blocked) and then the similar one to Auba who scuffed it on volley?. They were both excellent passes.
If was him, he had four very high quality moments when on. Those two, the run down left which brought booking, and of course the goal.
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not hard to give the best moments as they were few and far between,
the second game of the season v CFC, contained some wonderful football, but the warning signs were also there for all to see in this game, we started poorly, missed a few good chances, then sprang to life and the football was breathtaking, but the half time team talk seemed to show Emery’s small team mindset, and we tried to play for a draw in the second half and lost.
second half v Fulham away, again breathtaking football, but once more the first 45 showed a problem we suffered for most of the season, timid, sluggish play, soft goal conceded. Subs having to bale out the first half mess.
Leicester city, the mesut ozil show, brilliant from him. At this time we were fooled into thinking that free flowing attacking football was what we would get from Emery, with Ozil at the center of it, oh how silly we all feel now.
Great performance v Liverpool, but a game drawn that we should have won.
The 4-2 comeback win over spurs was great, but again hid that we should not have had to make a comeback in a game we were by far the better side.
Chelsea 2-0, but once again, a game we dominated for a good spell, but went into our shell, instead of really going for it when we had them on the ropes.
spurs 1-1, but sadly once again, in a game we really should have won several times over we managed to feck it up
the game v napoli and valencia get a big mention too, what a pity that inbetween these games we were oh so timid and limited against so many of the lesser sides of the BPL
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Mills I’m not sure how long Raul will last. As long as the Kronke’s want him to?
I’m not sure if he measures his income in contracts, just a guess, perhaps he doesn’t care!
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Think there’s African Cup of nations this summer- though doubting self as there seems little talk of it- if so, with bit of luck Iwobi does well and gets nice confidence boost.
Think torreira off to Copa America as well. With him, would rather he got a break.
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I see AFC had to make a late change to the subs list last night, with Iliev replacing Amaechi, after it was pointed out that under the rules when its a 23 man squad, 3 of the players have to be goalies,
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yeah stillareach, I think there are 3 international tournaments on this summer, plus of course qualifiers too. Not to mention the European U21 championships, and the touloun u21 tournament.
six weeks till AFC play again, so some of our international players will likely miss early preseason.
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Ed
Think int tournament or not can easily make difference with borderline cases.
Take Bielik. Maybe in free summer he could impress from off at start of preseason, go well in friendlies. With his Euro involvement that’s far less likely if not impossible. Might be similar with Nelson. Decent chance of acquiring knock as well, esp for someone like Bielik who seems on edge of injury/ strain most games i see him.
Not sure about seniors. Can only think of Elneny, Iwobi and Torreira but maybe missed someone. Iwobi only one I can imagine it having much impact with
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Thanks lads,. Im off,so I’ll bid you a good night. Heres the Giroud cartoon/animation. Its worth watching to the end. An old friend turns up.
Cheers!
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